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The Smartphone is a platform of the highest interest to marketers.

Smartphones help users multitask with other media and TV, meaning that having marketing strategies of wide-breadth will help them reach consumers more effectively.

This trend in user behavior has boosted the use of mobile search, video, app usage, and social networking to the highest levels ever.

For business owners, it is very important to have a mobile-optimized website that will add to the consumer experience on mobile.

According to Google, in the US alone, 44% of the population uses a smartphone and are increasingly dependent on their devices. Search is thereby away from the homes and into the streets, subways, restaurants, and stores in order to find answers on the go.

If our website is not mobile-friendly, then we fail to engage these users at times they are most interested.

Mobile Websites are Optimized for the Needed User Experience

When users search for business information on their mobile phones it’s usually for local information and normally leads to action and a result, by either making a purchase or contacting a business.

As such, it is important that these mobile websites enrich the mobile experience by having click-to-call buttons that can connect these users immediately.

Click-to-Call Extensions are not the only feature, but location extensions (Google+ Local) can also help in guiding these mobile users to your brick-and-mortar service or store.

3 Pointers to get your Site “up to speed” for Mobile:

1) Keep Your Mobile Website Quick and Seamless

Design, loading times and information should be easily accessible and fast. Mobile users are on-the-go and are probably multi-tasking, so make the experience as quick and seamless as possible for time-crunched users.

2) Make Your Mobile Site “Thumb Friendly”

Make sure that people can navigate your site by using their thumbs. Buttons and Links should be “Thumb Big” for ease of navigation. Buttons that are large and centered work best since they help avoid any accidental clicks.

3) Simpler Navigation

Nobody likes to get confused on any website, so minimize scrolling to vertical only. Clear navigation can help on large and complex websites by adding a prominent search box. In addition have a clear home and back buttons. Try to include seven or fewer links per page to simplify navigation.

Mobile Should be a part of your Marketing Strategy

Today’s consumers are using their phones while they shop, making their phone a critical tool when researching a product or service on their device.

Research conducted on smartphones influences buyer decisions and purchases made in other channels, even in-store purchases, making mobile-optimized websites a critical tool to engage consumers in this step of the buying cycle. Results from advertising should be viewed at a holistic and global level since different touchpoints become part of multiple possible paths to purchase. Mobile advertisements and mobile websites become a critical components for companies looking to drive this business home.