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We believe that mobile traffic is every bit as important as desktop traffic. Many businesses walk away from their mobile traffic because it doesn't convert well. This is a mistake.

Two points found in this article drive the point home:
App and Mobile Functionality (sucks)Mobile Represents a Different Type of userSpend some time on your mobile site. Don't just create a responsive version of your desktop website.

I only touch on the issue of Mobile Apps in my new book Your Customer Creation Equation. So I'm happy to share this very helpful infographic on Mobile websites vs. Mobile apps.

Is it just me, or is it clear that mobile websites are the way to go (except in extreme situations)?

In light of @joeljharvey's recent presentations on mobile web development, we are not surprised by the findings of this survey. Mobile visitors want a mobile experience, not because they thought about it, but because they are, well, mobile.

Come by The Conversion Scientist blog to hear what else we have to say about building great mobile sites.

I only touch on the issue of Mobile Apps in my new book Your Customer Creation Equation. So I'm happy to share this very helpful infographic on Mobile websites vs. Mobile apps.

Is it just me, or is it clear that mobile websites are the way to go (except in extreme situations)?

 @getelastic Linda Bustos sees what I see: that the state of mobile websites is like the state of desktop websites circa 1995. What will we look back at and laugh at in five years?

I think we'll laugh at the "hamburger" menu, what Linda calls the Adidas menu.

I also think we'll laugh at responsive designs for small screens, like phones. Small screens need a custom design.

The good news is that we have better tools for testing, and I expect Mobile 1.0 to have a short life relative to Web 1.0.

Linda's article is full of examples for you to not emulate. It will be seen as a harbinger of change in mobile.

It's like 1995 on the mobile web right now. In the 90s, we were feeling our way through the process of defining what a "web page" should be, mostly by just launching things.

Now we find ourselves in our own 1994 on the mobile web, trying to figure out what a "mobile experience" is.

Right down to how the navigation should work.

If you're struggling with how to present menus on a small screen, this article should help. My partner in CRO, Joel Harvey, will be spilling the beans on what we've been finding in our tests at Conversion Conference 2015.

Do you have a ticket yet?

While this article discusses the bottom navigation bar for andriod apps, we often test "sticky" headers and footers on mobile websites. We call these kinds of tests "lead tophats" and "sticky shoes".

Our tests often don't favor the hamburger menu, so we are always looking for alternatives. This sticky shoe approach has the footer navigation change with context. Given the results, such an approach may increase mobile conversion and call rates for your mobile website.

Mobile traffic is probably one of your fastest growing segments. I don't care WHAT industry you are in. Here are some excellent things to consider when developing test hypotheses for your mobile website.

In my upcoming book, I make the case that email is preferable to social media for storing market attention. You might think that, in the era of mobile devices, my preference for email may seem quaint.

Think again.

Clearly, mobile devices and email go together like milk and Cap'n Crunch cereal. Only healthier. Enjoy these stats and keep that email coming!

@_EricElliott makes a strong case for choosing Web apps for your mobile users over deploying native apps through the app stores. We can add to this that AB testing Web apps (Elliott calls them progressive web apps) is easier with the tools we have. Many advanced tools don't yet support native applications.

However, responsive web designs aren't enough. You should still put the effort in to craft a mobile-centric web app, as if you were developing a native app.

We test the content of header and footer bars on mobile websites--we call them stickies--and this includes the use of the hamburger menu icon. It doesn't always work well.

For apps and mobile websites alike, "an app's popularity is determined more so by user engagement and retention rather that its App Store ranking."

We are always looking for alternative experience to test on mobile. It's clear now that we can't move desktop features to mobile and be successful. Here is a list of great alternatives to the strained hamburger menu.

Where are we in the mobile revolution? This slide deck does a great job of telling us that we are early, but things have progressed beyond sitting and waiting.

As you know, I believe email is more effective than social media marketing at this juncture. This article drives the point home. "Email is, unsurprisingly,  still the most important mobile app. According to Forrester, 87 percent of smartphone workers use email on their devices (which leaves me wondering what other 13 percent use their smartphones for), and collectively, they do 32 percent of their email on a smartphone."

In their own words:8. Conversion Sciences Blog Conversion Sciences is another A/B testing conversion optimization agency that has stood the test of time (it was founded in 2007). In this blog you can find some remarkable and noteworthy ideas about A/B testing and conversion optimization. What to read: AB Testing JavaScript: Great Power, Great ProblemsHow to Avoid Mobile-Friendly Redesign DisastersAB Testing Inspiration: Using Emotional TriggersHow Google Reviews Drive Conversions for Local Businesses

There are sevreral items in this list that are important for conversion optimizers to take note of, things to try. Mobile-first design: I surprised to learn how many leads and sales are now coming from the mobile web. Skeleton screens: Far better than some spinning animation for decreasing both load times AND percieved load times. Photo-cenric Menus: Try these for ecommerce sites. Scroll-triggerd animations: ONLY FOR STORY TELLING! Animated Call-to-action Buttons: Try those that shimmer without interaction. Hand lettering: Be careful not to make things hard to read. AI for design: I just have to try Grid.

Email in a Mobile and Social World

Here's a nice roundup of do's and don'ts for conversion rate optimizers. Even experienced AB testers like us need to be reminded of the "big rocks" of CRO, and this article has them. Process, segmentation, qualitative research, and mobile.

I love the phrase "Mystery Meat" for undecipherable icons used in mobile apps. Enjoy the read from Teo Yu Siang.