Optimizing your Blog for Mobile Users: Mobile Plugin Vs. Web Platform

            With the exponential proliferation of smart phones comes the growing need for standard websites and blogs to go mobile. Once, a traditional website would have sufficed as the majority of the Internet users operated a desktop computer in order to acquire information and purchase goods and services. This, however, is no longer the case. In fact, by neglecting to optimize your site for mobile users, you are invariably benefitting your competitors by absenting yourself from the mobile Internet world.

           The most obvious solution to such a problem is to create a mobile version of your blog that mirrors your traditional website. There is, however, an important choice to be made: mobile plugin or web platform. Below is a list of advantages that come with both options. The choice you then make should be informed by the needs and priorities of your particular business; there is no one right answer.

Mobile Plugin:

           Opting for a mobile plugin means that your traditional website will be optimised for the small screen automatically. There are several advantages to this method:

• A plugin is easy to install and does not incur any additional costs;
• It is easy to use as it does not require the modification of any aspect of your original site; the plugin will take care of everything automatically;
• Finally, using a plugin will save you a great deal of time as it sidesteps the need to create an entirely new website from the ground upwards.

Web Platform:

           Opting for a web platform entails building a replica of your traditional blog from square one. Again, there are several advantages that come with going for this method:

• Building a mobile site from scratch allows you completely free reign when it comes to customizing the site;
• Though smart phones are currently dominant, using a web platform will allow standard phone users to have access to your mobile site too, thus widening your potential audience;
• You will be able to monitor statistics regarding site usage and traffic;
• Finally, you will be able to maintain the branding elements that characterise your traditional site in order to promote familiarity with your brand.

            There is no right answer when it comes to deciding between a mobile plugin and web platform, though the general rule is as follows: if you simply require that mobile visitors can access and read your blog easily from their smartphone, a plugin should suffice. If, on the other hand, your website is sales-oriented or requires the publication of media-rich content and wishes to maintain complete control over the layout, branding elements and content, then you should opt to create a new mobile website by means of a web platform. Check out this mobile free classifieds website to get an idea of how an efficiently optimized site should look like.