Research from optimized website specialist Telnames (http://www.telnames.com) says that the businesses leading the way in adopting mobile websites are not who you might think.
The businesses leading the way in adopting mobile websites – and capitalizing on the consumer boom in mobile search – are not the larger hi-tech companies with established and mature web presences that people might expect. It is the UK’s small and micro businesses that have most enthusiastically adopted mobile technology.
The explosive growth in mobile search traffic represents a major opportunity for businesses looking to attract browsers on the move or searching at home on their smartphone and tablet devices, and Telnames’ research shows that small and micro enterprise owners in particular have been quick to grasp the benefits of establishing a mobile-ready web presence.
According to research by Google, 95% of smartphone users search for local businesses and services online and 68% of these local information-seekers call or visit a business within one hour of finding information on their phones. Furthermore, it has been predicted that mobile will overtake fixed Internet access in 2014.
However, a recent study by Barclays reveals the majority of UK businesses appear unprepared for the shift in consumer activity away from PCs and laptops to mobile devices. Indeed, the bank’s report reveals that 89% of businesses still have not developed their website for mobile devices. Micro businesses have bucked this trend, however, with 51% of Telnames customer base being businesses with five staff or less. Relying on a local customer base, these businesses have intuitively understood the value of mobile to attract customers on the move, says Telnames Chief Marketing Officer Ian Bowen-Morris.