Popular small-biz Web platform adds mobile design support

This has been a pretty busy week for Wix.com, which supports an HTML 5 Web development platform with more than 38 million registered users worldwide — many of them small businesses trying to make their mark in cyberspace.

Not only has the company behind Wix released an editor that automatically converts site designs into a version optimized for smartphones or tables, it has taken the first steps toward an initial public offering by filing a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The new mobile editor enables small companies to covert all of a site's design, integrated applications and e-commerce features. Then, the design can be customized without affecting or altering the desktop version. Certain features or information can be hidden or streamlined, with an eye to making the mobile experience better for visitors.

Wix calls this a "Beyond Responsive" approach. "There are many responsive design solutions ou there that work in blocks, scaling and rearranging components based on screen size," said Avishai Abrahimi, co-founder and CEO of the company. "Wix, however, is built on flexible layers, so we set out to creating an infinitely flexible and customizable mobile offering to match and augment the Wix platform." 

Even though the platform allows for this customization, content changes made to the desktop version will be reflected automatically in the mobile edition. There's also a single URL structure, so that your company's search engine optimization ratings and profiles are more easily managed. 

Wix's basic design templates are offered in a freeium model; it makes its money through upgrades that let users connect Web sites to their own URLs, remove the Wix branding and add e-commerce features. The company became a Google Apps reseller in May 2013, allowing small businesses to connect Gmail, Google Docs and Google Drive to their sites.