Remember the World Wide Web in the mid-‘90s? That’s where the mobile Web is today, according to new research from Yankee Group reviewing consumer-facing sites in five key categories: user, device, network, design and effectiveness.
On a scale of one to 100, the average score was well ... nothing you’d like to see on the top of your mid-term in big red ink – 54. But it’s not so bad if you grade them all on a curve; the top score was 67.
Hanging around in D territory doesn’t mean mobile Web developers are slackers, though. There are a lot of challenges in making it work, e.g. small screens, limited device processing power, lack of standards, etc. Mobile Web publishers need to “dumb down” their wired sites, designing content and navigation with mobile users in mind.
Financial services mobile Web sites ranked best overall, with only two sites scoring below 50. Bank of America’s score of 67 topped the financial services category; two regional banks—U.S. Bancorp and First Interstate Bank—tied for second place.
Air travel mobile Web sites are inconsistent in offering help to Web users on the go. American Airlines topped the category with a score of 65 for prioritized same-day information.
Shopping mobile Web sites provide a broad array of services with variable mobile experiences. Edmunds received the highest overall score in this category, earning a grade of 67 for making checking car prices simple. Amazon.com and Best Buy provide the broadest shopping experiences, with Amazon.com prioritizing and marketing mobile products over traditional products.
