We all know that mobile web browsing has been on the rise in recent years - you only need to look around you to see countless people attached to their smartphones and tablets. And if you keep an eye on your website analytics, you’ve probably noticed an increase in the amount of mobile traffic coming into your small business website.

There is no question small businesses also need to consider optimising their sites for the myriad of different devices being used today. In fact, recent research shows that 67% of users are more likely to purchase items from a mobile-friendly website. Now is the time for businesses to ensure their website is fit for mobile usage.

So what do you have to do to optimise your site for mobiles? There’s no need to hire an expensive designer as long as you make the right choices.

One option is to create your own mobile business website. This is completely separate from your existing website, and is optimised for mobile usage. It often has less features than a full site in order to perform better on mobiles and tablets.

Unfortunately, building a mobile site in this way can be time consuming and very costly. It stops your mobile users from using every feature of your site, and therefore creates a less than seamless user experience.

Because of these drawbacks, a new standard for websites has been introduced: responsive design. This doesn’t involve building a separate site, it’s just a matter of making sure your existing site adapts to display beautifully on every device. Google has recommended responsive sites as best practice for SEO purposes, as they’re easier to index than mobile sites.

Creating a responsive website is the best option for small businesses that don’t have the time or money to build a separate mobile site. It doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive, particularly with website companies like bOnline that now offer websites built on a responsive platform, so there is no extra work for you to do.

A responsive website is a simple way to make your business look even more professional, and can help you get a slice of the ever-increasing mobile browsing audience. You can easily provide a great user experience for your website visitors, whether they’re looking at your site on a 27 inch monitor or a tiny mobile phone screen.