Do You Really Need Mobile Web Design?

So you have a successful website and a thriving real-world presence. Do you really need a mobile web design?
Quite simply - yes. With smart phone and tablet usage growing at an astonishing rate, a mobile optimised website needs to be an essential part of your on-line business strategy.
Earlier this year, Google released a study revealing smart phone usage in the UK from 30% to 45% in 2011. Tablet usage also grew, rising by 50% through the year.

And it's not just the big brands that are benefit from mobile Internet. A massive 95% of smart phone users have their smart phone search for local information, with 88% of these users taking action within a day. This is good news for SMEs and local businesses hoping to make an impact.
Smart phone users are more likely to be engaged and take some form of action based on the Internet activities. Nine out of ten Internet searches on a smart phone resulted in an action, while a quarter of users have recommended a product off the back of a mobile Internet search.
With nearly half the UK using smart phones, and smart phone users being so active and engaged, the mobile web offers a big opportunity for your brand - provided your website looks right.
Mobile web users tend to know what they are looking for. They are also more likely to be distracted, with 72% consuming other media while they use their smart phone.

What this means is you can't simply expect visitors to be happy just viewing your current site on a mobile screen. Your mobile web design needs to be simple, to the point and, most importantly, appeal to those 9 out of 10 users who take actions based on mobile Internet searches. In other words, it needs to be search engine optimised and encourage conversions, featuring clear calls to action.
Your audience is already engaging with brands using mobile Internet. Will you let them engage with you?