How to Choose the Right Mobile Website Building Tool

Introduction

So you've nearly got your website just how you like it? Yes, that looks good. How about moving the sales buttons to the top? Now increase the size of that image. Great! Okay, let's see what it looks like online. Very nice. A user-friendly website should definitely help to increase your profits.

Now let's take a look at your website on a mobile phone. Oh dear, it's a mess. The text extends beyond the screen, the links are too close together to click. The problem is that websites designed for viewing on a large screen don't necessarily look very good, or function as well, on a mobile.

Why use mobile website building tools?

A myriad of companies and designers have worked hard to help you create a mobile website, or to convert your existing website, so that you can help to promote your organization to people who use their mobile to browse the web.

So many people now browse on the net using their mobile. If they do find your site and it's difficult to navigate, or the pictures of your products are warped, it won't take them long to look elsewhere. If you are interested in keeping those customers then what you really need is to design a website which functions properly on a mobile device.

You can do just as much on these sites as you can on a regular website, and in some ways the design of them plays a much bigger role. They need to be attention grabbing but they also need to provide important information (such as your opening times, address and phone number) quickly so that you don't miss an opportunity to make contact with a client. There are a lot of mobile website building tools around, so what should you look out for? Well here are a few tips...

Building tools

If you're new to building a website then you will be interested in a site that offers simple building tools. A number of those we've reviewed provide a simple "drag and drop" system whereby you select a template and then just put in the information you want.

You can include pictures or even videos if you like, as well as text. If you're more confident with building sites then you may wish to opt for a website that offers a system to build a website from scratch. Check out their samples to see what your site might look like before you get started!

Editing and Customization Options

If you're interested in making sure that your website represents your company and brand then you'll want to make sure that there are sufficient options to customize your website. Nearly all of the systems we've reviewed allow you to update your pages whenever you like, but some are services that are primarily edited professionally.

Consider how many pages you're likely to need, too. If you're a restaurant perhaps you just want a map to your location and a downloadable menu; however if you run a jewellery store maybe you want a greater number of pages so that visitors to your website can review each of your products. 

Other features

Beyond creating a site and setting it free in the world, there are a lot of other features you might be interested in pursuing. For example, would you like to take advantage of an SMS text marketing campaign? This allows you to contact all of your customers (who have signed up) with a text message sent directly to their mobile phone.

Other additional features include apps to help with sales (such as including PayPal options, or buttons which will allow a customer to call  you automatically). Maps might be very important to include on a mobile website for a highstreet retailer, directing customers directly to your door. We've considered how many of these kinds of options are available from each website and how effective they might be.

Editor's Verdict

It might be tempting to skip past this section of our reviews but we really recommend reading through it. In this section our editor has described what they felt about each mobile website building tool, how it might be applied and which companies might most benefit from using it. Of course the price and features are important, but to get a quick sense of how these services function, the editor's verdict can be vital.

Customer service

Whilst most of the websites we've reviewed in this category offer user-friendly services, you may find that some are more complex than others. If you're new to building a website then look out for those which we think are easy to use. However, you might also be keen to understand how strong the customer service is from each service provided.

If you're stuck or need advice then consider how many options there are to receive help. Would you be okay with just reading an FAQ or would a video tutorial be better? Are you happy to send an email for help or would a live chat be preferable? These are all options, and some sites even offer webinars to help tutor you in using their website building tools.

Value for money

Finally, we've taken into account the cost of each service and whether or not we feel it offers good value for money. Many of the sites we've reviewed will offer a free trial, although some trials are better than others. We also discuss the difference between each package on offer in our editor's verdict, as some packages will offer greater value than others. Watch out for "free" packages if you're not keen on having 3rd party adverts appear on your website as this is often how they fund a free service.

The Bottom Line

Mobile website building tools really can open up a whole new world of customers. It could mean some serious increases in sales, as well as making your organization stand out on the mobile web browsing scene. Go forth and mobilize!