Google launches mobile initiative for business
Google has launched an online tool to help Australian businesses improve the mobile compatibility of their websites.
The digital giant claims that Australian businesses are losing thousands of potential customers a day because four out of five businesses’ websites don’t work well on smartphones.
The issue affects some of Australia’s largest brands as well as small and medium-sized businesses.
Google Australia’s head of mobile advertising Jason Pellegrino said: “Mobile search is growing every month. We’re seeing 30-40% of searches in some verticals being carried out on smartphones – for example, 40% of searches for Superbowl ads were done on mobile.”
He warned that not having a mobile optimised site can frustrate users and damage brand reputation as well as costing potential leads.
The GoMo initiative is intended to help businesses take the first steps to go mobile. Businesses can submit their site to get a rating, along with more detailed customised recommendations on how to make their site more mobile-friendly.
The next phase will be to add a directory of third party suppliers who offer mobile site development. Further details on how mobile and digital agencies can become part of the list will be announced shortly.
Mumbrella is not a 4 out of 5. It is not mobile optimised at all. Is this going to happen Tim? Would be interested to know how many users access Mumbrella via a mobile device (even just a percentage.) Would you be willing to share?
User ID not verified.
@willyd – I reckon their would be lot of users that access Mumbrella via a mobile device, mainly due to Mumbrella calling out those that make comments from agency ISP’s.
User ID not verified.
Hi Willyd,
A fair question (and observation). Google Analytics tells me that about 18% of our traffic currently comes from mobile.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
20% is the standard across the board pretty much, has been that way for the last 10 months here in OZ…so 18% is on the mark.
User ID not verified.
If a mobile device is set to “desktop’ version of Firefox, does Google register the visit as coming via a mobile device?
User ID not verified.
@wii Google will still register the user as coming from a mobile device.
User ID not verified.
thanks
User ID not verified.
Hasn’t this been round for a year?
User ID not verified.
I am concerned about this test since it:
1. asks you questions to achieve a response, like: “Did you see broken images?”
2. delivers conflicting information:
“Text: Your site’s text is visible without pinching or zooming.
Navigation: Your site’s text is not visible without pinching or zooming.”
3. delivers completely irrelevant and thus useless information: The test for text is not whether it is visible, it is whether it is legible.
4. asks surreal questions: “Do you see missing Flash animations?” (how the F**K can I see something that is missing?)
I smell a marketing campaign…
User ID not verified.
@brett
launched in Nov, looks like it’s had an update.
User ID not verified.
clever work by the Goog
User ID not verified.