At http://ExpressMobileDesign.com we've found that today, having a mobile website isn't enough to keep your existing business customers happy and attract new ones, especially if you are dependent on online sales to fuel your company's growth. The more your business uses m-commerce to sell your products and services, the more important it is for you to offer your online clients an optimized mobile user experience. So what common pitfalls should you avoid if you're serious about mobile web development? First of all, don't just use your existing website as your mobile website template. Users on a mobile device interact with the internet differently than users on a desktop. Fingers replace precision mouse pointers making it difficult to click on small links or buttons, scrolling around large pages trying to find information is frustrating, and too much text is difficult to read without zooming. Plus sites designed for a desktop – even if they have a responsive theme – load up to 6 times slower than a dedicated mobile website. Given that about 40% of mobile users say they'll leave a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load, that's a real problem. Bottom line? Having a dedicated mobile site that is complementary to but distinct from the desktop site will allow for optimal user engagement, improve brand perception, increase conversions, and generate more revenue. Secondly, if your website handles online sales transactions, you absolutely must optimize your checkout process for mobile users. Long order forms may work fine for desktop and laptop users, but they are terrible for mobile conversions. Nearly half of mobile users have reported bailing out of a purchase not because they didn't want the item they were buying, but because it was just too hard to complete the purchase. That's a lot of lost income for your business. The key factor here is to minimize the number of things the user has to fill out. In fact, using payment methods like Google Wallet or Paypal where the user can complete a purchase with just 1 or 2 clicks is ideal. And finally, you need to test your mobile website in the real world, on as many devices as possible, or hire an agency to do it for you. Many businesses just have their websites tested on the latest devices which have fast processors and relatively large, high-definition screens. But today there are so many different phones and tables out there, sporting screens with a wide range of sizes and resolutions. And to complicate things even more, there are the various versions of Android, Apple and Windows operating systems to take into account. Continually testing your mobile business website to make sure it looks good, loads well, and is easily navigated with important information available in just 1 or 2 clicks is essential ensure optimum experiences for all your online users, even those who aren't using the latest cellphone or the most up-to-date software. http://expressmobiledesign.com