Spurred by the success of social networking groups like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, mobile websites have been popping up like mushrooms.   That’s no wonder considering that out of the 2.4 billion mobile phone owners, 30% (or 700 million!) access the internet through their phones.  This is one of the reasons why mobile web development is currently the hot potato in cyberspace today.

One of the first things to remember is that technology used to make websites for desktops and laptops are not the same for mobile web design. In mobile phones a technology called WAP is used to browse the internet.

A mobile website can be built independently from the current internet site.  They can be created using the WAP or WML format (HTML is okay too).  In mobile web development, pages are called cards.  Just like HTML you will need a notepad or a reliable text editor.  More cards can be added along the way.

For mobile web development always bear in mind that size is an issue.  Mobile phones, tablets and other hand held devices have limited screen size so make sure that your content counts.  Entering selections should also come easily for the user since entering text in a mobile device is quite cumbersome.  Don’t forget the back button as this will make navigating your mobile website easier for the users.

Since it is difficult to support all mobile devices available in the market today make sure that web development for the mobile website is clean and simple.  This will allow it to be viewable across different platforms and devices.

If your website does not have mobile versions then consider making one or hiring a mobile web developer.  Your website might be losing potential clients or visitors as more and more people access the internet through their smartphones or tablets.