An Important Question For Your Mobile Web Designer

When you have a web design firm prepare your website for mobile devices, there are a couple of decisions to make. One is how your website will handle something called "device detection". How important is this? Let me explain.

To make your web presence "mobile ready", the designer will set up a mobile version of your main website. It will have much the same content and pages, but is presented in a different way, that works well when displayed on mobile phones.

And when a prospect or client visits your website address - say, www.acmebricks.com - you'll want them to see the best version tailored for them. Right? Of course. If they are visiting on a notebook or desktop, you want them to see the full version. And if they are visiting on their phone, you want them automatically taken to the mobile view.

That's device detection. It's the process of making your website automatically understand whether the visitor is using a mobile device or not, and route them accordingly. Automatically, so they don't have any trouble.

When you are checking out a mobile web agency, ask them how they will deal with device detection. This is fundamental, so if they don't have a good answer, thank them for their time, and move on to the next candidate.

By the way, did you know there are at least TWO device detection methods? They are called "client-side" and "server-side" device detection. Client-side is easier and cheaper to set up. But it only works on more modern phones, and can significantly increase the webpage load time for all mobile visitors. Server-side is more complex to set up, but generally works much better.

Make sure you choose a mobile web designer that "gets it". And if YOU have any questions we can answer about how mobile can help your business, just ask.

Be Successful,
Aaron Maxwell