Hailed as the 'next big thing' for two years in a row at least, mobile search seems now, more than ever, to be an inevitability.
When I say mobile search, I mean the ability for people to use a mobile device, like the Nexus One or iPhone, to browse the internet. Obvious uses for this could be;
- Price comparing
- Finding shops/services/restaurants in the area
- Looking up maps and addresses
However, mobile internet usage has been around for a while now, and it has shown that people are using mobile devices for all kinds of things, including social media like Facebook and Twitter, checking news and researching products. Mobile usage ISN'T a separate market to normal internet usage, it is an expansion of the existing market.
When mobile was in it's infancy, businesses could ignore it. They could say 'our market doesn't use mobile', or 'this isn't a significant opportunity for us'. But now, they can ignore it no longer.
Making your website mobile friendly is almost an essential now. If people can't use your site on their mobile device, then either they will wait until they get to a computer to check your site, or they will use your competitors mobile-friendly site. How patient do you think people are these days?
