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Between 2013 and 2019, online traffic from mobile devices is expected to increase significantly. According to the Ericsson Mobility report, mobile traffic will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 45%.

In simpler terms, by 2019, mobile traffic will have increased by at least ten times.

What does the increase in mobile traffic mean for your business? It means your website must be either mobile friendly, mobile specific or mobile responsive. But what’s the difference?

Mobile Friendly Websites

As stated by Write Techie,

[blockquote]A mobile friendly site is a website in which the content is rendered in a manner that is easily readable for mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablet devices. That said, it must include similar features found on a standard website, such as navigation, search options, and share functions.[/blockquote]

A mobile friendly website will shrink down to the screen size of the device being used to view the website. As with any website option, mobile friendly websites have advantages and disadvantages.

Many business owners choose to invest in a mobile friendly website based off of the relatively low cost and the lack of extensive website programming necessary to complete the site. However, mobile friendly websites are difficult to navigate on select mobile screen sizes. Several websites, while still mobile friendly, require significant scrolling and zooming in order to read and/or understand the content within.

Mobile Specific Websites

A mobile specific website is built solely for mobile devices, such as Android and iPhones, and will not display on a desktop. The key features of a mobile specific website include larger buttons for easier navigation, reduced graphics for an emphasis on information, and a simplified design for an enjoyable user experience. Most mobile specific websites opt to just show the website navigation and direct visitors to pages with the most important information.

For example, if a restaurant was to create a mobile specific website, their mobile website navigation would include the menu, hours, and contact information among other important pages.

Mobile specific websites also have their fair share of benefits and drawbacks.

If you’re looking to quickly and easily provide your customers with information via a mobile device, a mobile specific website will work well for you. In addition, mobile specific websites are ideal for businesses with a target audience that is constantly on the go and needs information quick.

On the contrary, mobile specific websites are an entirely separate entity from your main website. Therefore, you will have to manage and update two websites, all while guaranteeing that they work cohesively for your users.

Mobile Responsive Websites

Mobile responsive websites have become all the rage, and for a good reason. This type of mobile website will respond to the type of device you are using to visit the website. No matter if you’re using a tablet, a Samsung phone, an Apple device or a laptop, the website will not only respond to fit the size of the screen, it will also display the website layout, design, and content without hindering the quality.

For a thorough explanation of how mobile responsive websites operate, check out 9 GIFs That Explain Responsive Design Brilliantly.

Why should you invest in a mobile responsive website? It’s simple. Mobile devices are not going away any time soon. In fact, the mobile industry continues to innovate their technology each day and soon the majority of your website traffic will consist of mobile and tablet devices.

Instead of having your website show up distorted across all mobile devices or managing two separate websites, you can have your site display properly every time with a mobile responsive website.

Which Mobile Website Option Is Best?

The truth is, it all depends on your business. Your goals, budget, industry and other factors all play into your decision to invest in a mobile friendly, specific, or responsive website. It’s in your best interest to sit down with a professional website designer and discuss all of your options!

Interested in obtaining a mobile friendly, mobile specific or mobile responsive website? Contact Titan Web Marketing Solutions today to learn more about our website design capabilities, including mobile website options!