Just 41% of business websites in the beauty industry are mobile-friendly, putting the industry in seventh place in a ranking of 10 industries by mobile-friendliness, according to new research from digital marketing services provider Hibu. The company released an audit of U.S. businesses' presence on mobile devices and found some gaps—and thus, opportunities—for businesses there.
Despite some businesses already capitalizing on mobile marketing, the research also highlights that more than half (59%) of U.S. small and medium-sized businesses’ (SMBs) websites are not set up to enable customers to research or make purchases on mobile devices. With 56% of U.S. adults using a smartphone, SMBs without a mobile-friendly website are missing the opportunity to reach more customers and drive sales.
Tablet adoption in the U.S. has almost doubled in the past year, and a third (34%) of American adults now own one, so it is surprising to discover that 87% of SMBs’ websites do not support viewing on the iPad (4th Gen).
The iPhone 5 is the most popular mobile device for SMBs to design their website for, although the Android-powered Galaxy S range of phones is close behind. Bit in spite of the continued popularity of the iPad, only 13% of small businesses are making their websites friendly for the device.
Recent research also shows that 94% of smartphone users use their phone to search for information about local businesses and services, and this is only set to increase, which means SMBs simply cannot afford not to optimize their website for mobile.
“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,” said Matt Anderson, Hibu's chief digital dfficer. “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 don’t fall behind their competitors. Business owners may feel daunted by mobile technology, but in reality they don’t need any technical skills to ensure that their site works well and looks great on any device, or even to optimize it specifically for smartphones or tablets.”
In order to help SMBs struggling with the mobile challenge, Hibu launched its business store, which enables SMBs to create a website or online shop that is fully optimized for mobile, search and social.
