With the advancement of smartphones and tablets, a lot of chatter concerning websites has been whether or not they are compatible with such devices. We live in a very instantaneous society, where people are constantly using their phones and tablets to achieve things on the move whether that be paying a bill or booking accommodation for an upcoming trip.
If someone wants to research your hotel before making a booking, they may well use their phone, particularly if they are searching you out because of a personal recommendation or something they have seen on social media. Having a website which is mobile-friendly will immediately make you more accessible, and is more likely to ensure a booking is made. In the same way, if your website is difficult to navigate then people will most likely not even bother to try and get further than the home page.
Interestingly however, research would suggest that whilst a large percentage of people will use their mobile phones to look up a hotel, they are actually more likely to make a booking when using their tablet or, even more intriguingly, via a desktop computer. It would seem that for all our advances in the world of technology, when it comes to booking something as important as a hotel, we would much rather prefer to do it on the bigger screen, as it were.
Is this because we like to see information in a clear and concise way or because many hotels are still failing to offer mobile-friendly interfaces? Perhaps only time will really tell, but what it does indicate is that when it comes to your website, you need to offer more than just smartphone and tablet compatibility. You need to ensure that your brand is memorable and that when someone visits you on their mobile phone, they remember your company and come back to book with you when they sit down at their desktop computer.
Very simply it is about offering consistency in your branding. Your mobile website needs to look the same as your desktop website; so that a potential guest is in no doubt that you were the company they saw earlier in the day, or the week. The easiest way to do this is by utilising a responsive website design since a responsive website design adjusts by itself to fit any screen size. Therefore whether a potential guest is on their mobile phone, tablet or computer, they will easily be able to access and navigate your website, which is much more likely to result in a booking for you.
There are many companies who can assist you with creating a responsive website design and who will be able to offer advice on the best look for your company to ensure that your website is easy and simple to use and that potential guests can access all the relevant information within just a few shorts clicks. Although it may need an initial investment, the return will be worth it, especially as we ultimately move towards a more heavy reliance on our mobile phones and tablets. It is quite possible that in the very near future, desktop computers will go out of fashion and if you don’t have a compatible website, you may find yourself left out in the cold.
