Since the unveiling of the first smartphone in 1992, the Web, as we know it would be forever changed.

 
The First Smart Phone
The definition of a mobile phone is that of a phone built on the platform of a computer system. Technically the first smartphone was developed by IBM in 1992 and was called Simon. In addition to it being a mobile phone, it also had a calendar, clock, email setup, and a few basic features that would now make this phone look like a relic of the past. We have since marched forward in a tremendous stride with smartphones and mobile devices.

 
Smartphones and Tablets
Smartphones in this day and age are fully proficient to access the web at unbelievable speed with fully integrated browsers, stellar mapping abilities, and capable voice support. In 2007 Apple released the first iPhone. This changed the standard communication medium forever. With this being identified, the advertising market is in a frenzy to produce the latest and the greatest mobile ads, superior content, and mobile viewing experiences this side of the future. With the evolution of smartphones, the demand for tablets has also increased exponentially. Placing your concerns on mobile could be one of the smartest investments a business could ever make. The demand is present, and isn’t leaving us now or anytime soon.

According to The Business Insider, the global Internet device sales in mid 2009 was sharply over 500,000,000 total devices. If this is confounding, you should take note that in January of 2012, the same study presented that these statistics soared to an unbelievable 1,200,000,000 mobile devices purchased worldwide. Within 3 years, these numbers have more than doubled. Statistically by the year 2016, these figures are projected to rise to 2,700,000,000 total mobile devices worldwide. These statistics are staggering, and should not be ignored. In contrast, as of 2010, the World population was 6,840,507,003 according to World Bank.

 
The Lack of Mobile Web Design
E-Week states that 93.3 percent of small businesses websites are not mobile compatible and will not render effectively on mobile devices/tablets or smartphones. The Web isn’t comprised of just 1024×768 anymore, but many various screen sizes. Keeping this in mind, most mobile users are simply searching out their findings from local searches. According to
Business Wire, over 60 percent of smartphone users make local search queries. This research concludes that there is more of a reliability and level of trust with local searches on mobile devices versus traditional methods. Making sure that phone numbers and Web URL’s are clickable is paramount. Mobile users easily want to be able to click on your business phone number in order to contact you for more inquires. According to BIA/Kelsey and vSplash, (SMB DigitalScape) six out of ten SMB (Small Business Websites) in the U.S. are missing either a local or toll-free telephone number on the home page to contact the business. This is simply an avoidable mistake.

 
Its Not Too Late To Make a Move
The bottom line is that the mobile experience has exploded to an exponential proportion with the boom of smartphones and mobile devices/tablets. If you’re not able to communicate with this huge demographic as a business, quite frankly you are missing one of the greatest opportunities in gaining some of your biggest customers. The value in the allocation of marketing dollars has changed. There is a new standard for gaining a lasting audience on the Web. Think of investing in a mobile Web presence today. Your businesses future is here.

About The Author: Josh McCoy

My name is Josh McCoy, owner/oursmartweb. I am a business leader, SEO Strategist, author/blogger, and web designer. I help companies (like yours) achieve smart solutions for successful results.