But it doesn’t have to be this way.

To make your Web site mobile-friendly, start by considering handheld devices while your more traditional (PC friendly) site is being built or redesigned. During this process, think about what mobile users are looking for on your site. If you run a restaurant, for example, you probably don’t need a full menu immediately accessible to mobile users but you’ll want to provide easy access to a phone number and address.

If you already have a Web site built, another large step towards making it accessible to handheld devices is to test, test, and test some more. Odds are a number of people in your personal circle of friends and family will have a vast range of mobile devices for you to visit your site with. Take note of the devices and browsers that have the most difficulty in displaying your Web site. (This information will come in handy for your Web developers.) Testing also offers you the opportunity to determine which content is hard to access on a small screen.

If you have the chance, it’s a good idea to visit competitors’ sites using mobile browsers as well. Look for what they do best – and worst – with their content. Casual analysis can help you realize what modifications are needed for your own site. For example, you’ll find that sites that don’t use JavaScript and Flash for crucial content will fare best (both technologies lack broad mobile support.) Also, sites that adhere to Web standards will have better success on the mobile platform than those that don’t.

If you are curious of what to expect for the mobile Web in the future, the present offers a strong hint. Currently, there are four times as many mobile phones as PCs ^(source) and one-fifth of the world’s population has access to the mobile Web ^(source). We can only expect these ratios to increase as we go forward. With this in mind, it’s important that we all begin to think over how our sites will look and function on mobile devices. If your site is built with content and usability as primary concerns, you’ll be better prepared for the coming mobile Web.

Resources

Cameron Moll: “Mobile Web Design – The Series”

“…companies — both big and small — are also utilizing the technology to directly connect to their audiences and potential clients”

While the majority of blogs are personal endeavors, companies — both big and small — are also utilizing the technology to directly connect to their audiences and potential clients. But what can businesses gain from creating blogs?

• Feedback. You’re probably interested in what your customers think of your business, right? If you write about your company’s offerings and provide a response mechanism — such as allowing comments on blog postings — you stand to receive feedback from your target audience. These connections are valuable and will give you an advantage over websites that don’t interact directly with visitors.
• Return visitors and improved search rankings. Fresh content, in the form of frequent blog posts, can keep your audience coming back to your site. These return visits provide an excellent opportunity to keep your customers informed about recent developments at your business. Additionally, search engines often reward original material and frequently updated websites with higher rankings.
• Internal review. Building a blog on your website will help you think about your business from new perspectives. An example of a new viewpoint that will offer plenty of benefit is viewing your company from the standpoint of your clients. They can also keep everyone in your company involved and educated about the direction in which your business is going.
• Platform to show strengths. Blogs provide a platform for your company to show its strengths. Explain how your products and services are unique and find yourself breaking from the rest of the pack (i.e. your competitors).
• Personal touch. In setting up a business blog, you can configure it such that the names of your bloggers show alongside their postings. This personal nametag, of sorts, makes your company more approachable to visitors. Think of it this way: would you rather buy merchandise from a mom and pop store with familiar owners, or from a faceless big box?

A blog provides a venue for feedback, offers new content for visitors to return to and demonstrates your company’s knowledge and experience. In all, a blog can make your site a destination instead of pit stop.

How do you get started then? The most important step is finding a blog system that fits your needs. We recommend WordPress, which, while being both free and open source, is also one of the easiest systems to install. If you’re looking for a hosted solution, WordPress.com is also free and probably your best bet. After your blog is setup, start creating engaging content. Do your best to respond to visitors and they’ll keep coming back.