A third of restaurant websites are mobile-friendly for customers, but this sector still has more to do if it is to reach the majority of smartphone users, according to new research from hibu, a leading provider of digital marketing solutions and websites for businesses.
The research, which focused on ten industries, has identified which business sectors are best set up to provide websites that look good and are easy for visitors to navigate on a smartphone or tablet. The research found:
- Locksmiths’ websites come out top in terms of mobile-friendliness, with 39 per cent of websites in that industry reporting that they are mobile friendly
- The hospitality industry comes second, with 34 per cent of both restaurants and hotel/B&B websites being mobile-friendly
With 62 per cent of UK adults using smart phones and 83 per cent having browsed the internet on their phone, SMEs without a mobile-friendly website are potentially missing the opportunity to reach more customers and drive sales.
Tablet ownership has more than doubled in the past year, and the proportion of webpage views from desktop and laptop computers is declining however this research discovered that 88 per cent of SMEs’ websites are not designed for the iPad (4th Gen).
The iPhone 5 is the most popular mobile device for SMEs to design their website for; although the Android-powered Galaxy S range of phones is close behind. In spite of the continued popularity of the iPad, only 12 per cent of small businesses are making their websites friendly for the device.
SMEs must make their website mobile-friendly.
Recent research shows that 87 per cent of UK smart phone users use their phone to search for information about local businesses and services and it highlights that SMEs simply cannot afford not to make their website mobile-friendly.
Richard Hanscott, Chief Executive Officer of hibu UK, said: “Anyone who has visited a website that isn’t mobile-friendly knows how frustrating – or even impossible – it is to browse and navigate it on their mobile device. With consumers increasingly searching local businesses on their smartphones and tablets, it’s crucial that firms have websites that are mobile-friendly so that they continue to attract customers and do not fall behind their competitors. Business owners may feel daunted by mobile technology but in reality they do not need any technical skills to ensure that their site works well and looks great on any device, or even optimised specifically for smartphone or tablet.”
In order to help SMEs struggling with the mobile challenge, hibu has launched its business store which enables SMEs to create a website or online shop that is designed for mobile, search and social. Businesses can take advantage of the hibu website 30-day free trial before signing up to the full service.
For more information about the mobile audit, including a downloadable PDF detailing the full research click here
| Industry | % of Websites Not Mobile-Friendly | % of Websites Mobile-Friendly | % of Websites that support viewing on Galaxy S | % of Websites that support viewing on iPhone 5 | % of Websites that support viewing on iPad | ||
| Locksmith | 61% | 39% | 24% | 32% | 19% | ||
| Hotel and B&B | 66% | 34% | 32% | 32% | 13% | ||
| Restaurant | 66% | 34% | 23% | 26% | 17% | ||
| Building and Construction | 70% | 30% | 22% | 27% | 13% | ||
| Hairdressing | 78% | 22% | 18% | 19% | 15% | ||
| Beauty | 79% | 21% | 14% | 19% | 11% | ||
| Plumbing | 79% | 21% | 18% | 18% | 9% | ||
| Taxi and Limo hire | 80% | 20% | 16% | 19% | 11% | ||
| Electrical | 82% | 18% | 14% | 18% | 7% | ||
| Floristry | 82% | 18% | 15% | 17% | 4% | ||
| AVERAGE | 74% | 26% | 20% | 23% | 12% | ||