This is a question we get very often. A client wants to get their business involved in mobile marketing, but they don't have a mobile site, also known as a site optimized for mobile devices. They ask: Won't my current website work just fine? Can't we just make a "smaller" version of the website?

Although desktop and mobile sites use the same Internet, there are three basic differences in technology, aesthetics, and purpose that make them each a different battle for businesses.

Different Devices Have Different Capabilities

We have quickly become accustomed to recognizing the cell phone as a “device,” but the desktop computer is a device too. The desktop computer, like any device, has specific technology behind it. From that technology stems all the capabilities of the desktop computer we enjoy daily.

The mobile phone is the same in that its technological capabilities allow us to do all the things we love, on or offline. Knowing this, it's easier to understand why mobile websites can't do some of the things desktop sites can and vice versa. It's not the Internet that's different, but the machine you're using to access it.

For example, on a desktop site you can include multiple videos, large images, and Flash animation, but that won't work on mobile due to bandwidth and browser limitations. However, mobile has its own unique functionality. For example, your mobile device can pinpoint your location within a few feet thanks to GPS, something missing from desktop computers. Additionally, modern smartphones have features that aren't available on PCs, such as being able to tap on a phone number from a website to be instantly connected.

Adapt to Different Design & Layout Capabilities

Since desktop sites have been around for so long, a standard in design and layout has developed over time. Most people browsing the Web are already familiar with it. The eye naturally looks for navigation options at the top of the page, and we expect the perimeter of desktop sites to be occupied by ads.

Mobile is a whole new frontier, so it's important to guide the user's eye naturally through designs and layouts more specific to mobile.

For example, having a full menu at the top of the page wouldn't work for mobile sites simply due to space. Mobile sites also can't handle an overload of text like desktop sites can. Having less text that is larger lets the user read comfortably and makes it much more likely that they will read it at all. Pinching to zoom is a great feature, but it's a big no-no when it comes to information on mobile sites. Test your site for visual issues, because even pictures can sometimes be too small for comfortable viewing.

Good Mobile Sites Maintain a Single Focus

Thanks to increasingly larger monitors and faster Internet connections, traditional websites have grown to include dozens of sections with a lot of content. A quick look at the Yahoo! homepage demonstrates just how much content can be on a single page. Mobile devices, however, have a limited viewing area, which means it's important for each mobile page to have a single focus.

Mobile sites need to be linear and simple. Users want to interact with the page and be guided one step at a time. For example, for a business that sells shoes, their mobile homepage might have a list of the different types of shoes. Once a user taps on a shoe style, they can then narrow it down further by shoe size, brand, color, etc. Giving users a single task to complete on each page makes for a much easier-to-follow site.  A guided approach also makes it easier for the business to analyze the site's flow. Companies and mobile marketers can make improvements to pages based on where and when users are dropping off.

With the right use of technology, design, and layout, a business will be able to draw in consumers to a mobile site that lets them tap and swipe through a user friendly and interactive experience. The first step is knowing the difference between a site optimized for mobile and a site that’s better off on your desktop.

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