Despite the rapid growth in popularity of mobile internet use, 70 per cent of companies have not yet optimised their websites for mobile, and 84 per cent are not designing marketing emails for mobile.
These are some of the findings from the latest RedEye and Econsultancy Conversion Rate Optimization Report 2011, based on a survey of more than 700 client-side and agency digital marketers.
The report highlights the fact that mobile should play a key role in retaining customers online. Given that just 25 per cent of marketers say they are satisfied with online conversion rates, Tablets and phones should not be ignored in mobile conversion strategies, and will help to boost conversion overall.
“Accepting that consumers often use multiple devices to access email and internet, if the content is not optimised for the media, it directly impacts conversion,” says RedEye CEO, Mark Patron. “For customers trying to view a full scale website on their phone, it’s not just frustrating, it’s all too easy to head elsewhere to a properly optimised site.”
According to stats from the Office of National Statistics, there has been significant growth in mobile internet adoption over the last 12 months, with an extra 6m people using their phone to access the web, compared to 2010. 
One way to see if a brand needs a dedicated mobile site is to look at the user experience for mobile visitors. This will identify whether some parts of the site simply do not work, Flash elements for example. Also, while the site may work reasonably well via mobile, there may be hidden barriers to purchase, which will only be picked up during testing. However, only 28 per cent of companies and 30 per cent of agency clients say they have used mobile phones while testing, and under a fifth have used.
Another area where companies can improve ROI, says RedEye, is adapting emails for mobile devices. Around 15 per cent of emails are being opened and read on mobile phones, but still only a minority of companies – 14 per cent of companies and 24 per cent of agencies – are optimising emails for mobile.
You can access a full copy of the report here.
