Posted by Introduction: Curious whether having a mobile-friendly website really has an impact on the amount of traffic you’re receiving? In this article, we’ll discuss some of the main reasons that mobile-friendly websites are important (and sometimes critical) for a business to have.
It wasn’t too long ago that mobile-friendly websites were a luxury wow factor that only big-name brands showcased. Things changed quickly, and today, mobile-friendly web design has moved far beyond a nice-to-have element to a necessity. In 2016, the number of mobile users surpassed those of desktop users on the internet for the first time. Since then, the disparity between mobile and desktop numbers has only increased, with mobile usage taking the lead by a greater percentage year after year.
What does this mean for your brand? Well, for starters, if you’re not already mobile-friendly, you’re likely losing out on a lot of potential customers who will just go to your competitors’ websites when they’re on their tablets or phones. Consumers aren’t going to go through the trouble of hopping on their computers when they see something that might be of interest to them; they want the information they’re looking for right now — at their fingertips. Moreover, Google and the other search engines take mobile-friendliness into account when deciding where you’ll live in the search engine results pages (SERPs). This means you could be hurting your brand’s chances of even being found in the rankings if you’re not mobile-friendly.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the reasons you need to have a mobile-friendly website, shall we?
1. Users Expect Mobile Access
It’s hard to keep up with ever-changing consumer expectations, but this is one demand that isn’t likely to go anywhere anytime soon. People are used to having instant access to any information they want, and they expect to be able to find that information when they’re browsing the internet on their phones. As noted above, your competitors are likely paying attention to this need for mobile friendliness, so you’re doing a big disservice to your brand and your potential customers if you’re not, too.
2. Mobile-Friendly Design Makes It Easier for People to Contact You
As a marketer, you want to remove as many barriers as possible so potential customers can contact you when they’re ready to move to the next level of the sales funnel. Mobile-friendly websites make it simple for visitors to instantly contact you with clickable buttons that deliver them right to your phone number or email address.
3. Google’s Watching
As we alluded to above, mobile-friendliness is factored into search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. Google’s algorithms prioritize mobile-friendly websites. The search engine understands that most people are searching on their mobile devices; as such, it prioritizes search results to match the search needs of most of its users. Optimizing your site to be mobile-friendly in terms of content and format will make your SEO strategy more effective. Sure, an overall SEO strategy encompasses many different elements, which a great digital marketing firm can help you pin down, but it’s important not to gloss over Google’s prioritization of mobile-friendly sites.
4. Mobile-Friendly Content is More Shareable
Sharing is a critical way for brands to spread information in today’s world. People want to easily share things they like with their friends and family via text or social media. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on the opportunity for others to share your products or services. Even if someone does take the time to share your page from their desktop, it won’t translate if the recipient tries to open that link on their mobile device unless your website is formatted appropriately. This will cause frustration for the users and likely result in high bounce rates — another factor that will likely negatively impact your SEO rankings.
5. Mobile-Friendly Sites Help Build Credibility
When you have a mobile-friendly website, anyone who visits your site on a mobile device will have the proper experience. When your site is well-designed in terms of content and navigation — with a mobile user in mind — you’ll establish greater credibility with your customers, clients, and influencers. People will take note of a great website and return; they’ll also take note of a bad website and never return. You don’t want to risk your brand’s reputation with the latter.
6. It’s Not Difficult to Design a Mobile-Friendly Website
Perhaps this is one of the most important points we want to make — there’s no reason to put off a mobile-friendly design because it’s not difficult to ensure your users have an optimal experience. Work with a professional web designer who understands best practices when it comes to mobile design. They’ll ensure that your site is mobile responsive, easy to navigate on any device, and avoids buttons and font sizes that don’t make sense for mobile users. Additionally, they’ll help ensure you’re delivering optimal load times by doing things like compressing images, so your users have the best experience possible when they land on your site using their phones.
In the End
A little effort can go a very, very long way in the world of mobile-friendly design. If you’re not already on this train, get a ticket and get on board today before you lose any more potential customers!
Author Bio:
Alyssa Anderson is the Director of Content at Zero Gravity Marketing (ZGM), a digital marketing agency in Madison, CT. ZGM is known for developing overarching marketing strategies and specializes in Pay-Per-Click, SEO, content marketing, social media, development, design, and eCommerce services.