GoMo is Google’s latest tool to mobilise websites
In an attempt to make all businesses’ websites smartphone-friendly for all potential customers, Google has developed a new GoMo tool that will allow companies to check if their website is optimised for mobile devices, and if not it will provide a free customised report on what they need to do to get their website up to speed so that it can be fully displayed in mobile phones’ reduced screens. The report focuses on 4 main factors to enhance website optimisation for mobiles.
With growing usage of smartphones worldwide, it should be of concern to some businesses that their websites aren’t fully optimised to properly display on a mobile phone interface. But the fact remains that many companies still haven’t gotten around optimising their website for mobile phone viewing, which means they may be letting slip many potential customers who may turn to competitors with a more accessible, mobile-ready website.
And this is precisely where Google’s new GoMo tool steps in to the rescue, offering businesses with a new application that will allow them to check how mobile-friendly their website is. The brand new GoMo Meter will tell companies whether their website has been optimised to display correctly on smartphones, and if not, GoMo will create a free, completely personalised report on what steps need to be taken to ensure optimum mobile visibility for busy customers on the go.
GoMo assesses mobile site optimisation by ranking four main factors: loading speed, image display, text size, thumb-friendly buttons and navigation links. For optimum usability by phone users, GoMo recommends a loading speed under five seconds, images that load properly and are fully visible, text that is readable without pinching or zooming and buttons and navigation links that are thumb-friendly. And while this report doesn’t go into detail about possible solutions or how to fix a particular issue, it’s a valuable tool in letting companies acknowledge the problems before they can take them to a Web design company that can then specifically address and solve the problem.
Of course not all business need to make mobile website optimisation a priority, as the ones that should be more concerned are usually those with a more physical presence, such as retail stores, restaurants and specialty food stores. This is far less important for web-based businesses who only offer online products.
