Most small businesses now have a website to give them access to increasingly Internet-savvy potential customers. These can vary between simple information-only sites to fully functional e-commerce operations where firms can trade across the world.

But while the importance of having a decent website is clear, the focus has changed as to how it looks and performs, particularly on the wide range of devices which allow people to access the Internet in a variety of different ways.

So those accessing sites using their mobile telephone or tablet may not have the same experience as those using a desktop or laptop computer.

The problem is that standard websites are not configured to fit into smaller browsers and that makes it difficult to read them using hand held technology which can lead to frustration for the user and a potential loss of trade for the business.

Now technology is available to make websites more easily available to view on mobile devices.

Newsquest Oxfordshire, publisher of The Oxford Times is offering businesses the chance to keep up with the latest developments in mobile browsing.

Lisa Wrintmore, digital manager at Newsquest Oxfordshire, said: “The market for mobile devices is exploding at the moment with 62 per cent of people in the UK owning a smartphone, 84 per cent of which use it to browse websites.

“The problem for small businesses is that 70 per cent of them do not have a website that can be viewed on a mobile device.”

Newsquest Oxfordshire’s digital media team is offering technology for small and medium-sized businesses owners to ensure their websites can be viewed easily no matter what device visitors may be using.

Digital media consultant Victoria Harding-Saunders explained: “Traditionally, when you look at a website with a mobile telephone or tablet, the view is skewed.

“Some websites shrink but are still not mobile sites and users have to pinch the screen to see something on it. But we now have a solution which overcomes this.”

A key part of the system is that websites can be simply be scrolled up and down on mobile devices as with larger computers rather than having to move from side to side to see details.

Email links on the site are also “live” meaning that if a user clicks onto the email address, it will immediately pass through to their account to allow direct contact without having to copy the link.

Newsquest developers will work with clients to assess their needs and can produce different versions of a website for mobile, tablet and desktop.

The existing desktop site can be converted with the process taking just 48 hours.

Ongoing support is also available to ensure the fully functional live website launches successfully and continues to operate smoothly.

So what are the advantages of having a website that operates across a range of mobile platforms?

Ms Wrintmore said: “The primary goal is to give the user the experience they expect.

“The system detects and delivers the appropriate view according to where the user is coming from.

“It also means your business will appear higher up in the Google search engine rankings if it is more user-friendly and receives more hits.”

E-commerce will also be available on the adapted mobile sites to overcome obvious frustration in not being able to find products and process an order easily using a tablet or smartphones. Ms Wrintmore expects most customers to be small businesses, for example restaurants and takeaways, where people on the move can order food or make a reservation.

Prices for delivering the mobile website start from £249 a year. * For more details, contact Newsquest’s digital media team, e-mail digitalmedia@nqo.com or call 01865 425262