Almost 60% of internet searches are now performed on mobile devices. So, if you haven’t got a mobile friendly website, you are losing out on a lot of potential business.
That should be a pretty compelling reason to make sure your website is mobile friendly.
Even if your site isn’t mobile friendly, though, mobile devices will still try to display it. If you’re really lucky, it may even be almost-usable – with a lot of scrolling and zooming. Obviously, that’s not going to help you win many customers, but it’s not the only reason you’ll lose out on business if your site isn’t mobile friendly.
So, here are the other ways in which “responsive”, mobile friendly sites beat old-style desktop-focused sites for modern digital marketing.
Google Prefers a Mobile Friendly Website
SEO is one of the main reasons you should have a mobile friendly website. Web pages tend to get better Google rankings if they pass Google’s test for mobile friendliness.
Ever since “Mobilegeddon” back in 2015, it has been well known that Google favours mobile friendly, “responsive” websites in its SERP (search engine result page) rankings. With each new algorithm update, this bias has only increased.
In fact, from January 2018, Google has been rolling out “mobile-first” rankings. Basically, Google will primarily assess and index your site by how it performs on mobile, rather than how it performs on desktop systems. It used to be the other way around.
Why does this matter? Well, fitting web layouts to smaller screen sizes often involves hiding non-essential page elements on mobile devices. Likewise, slower network speeds make page loading speeds critical for mobile. Large image files can have a huge impact on that, so optimising them becomes vital.
So, if your site isn’t mobile friendly, you can expect your rankings to drop in Google. That will mean less traffic and fewer sales. Far better, then, to fix that problem before it occurs and make sure your website is optimised for mobile visitors.
Mobile Users Take More Action
When people search for something on their phone, there is a much higher likelihood that they want to take action soon.
Here are some common examples:
- Making a reservation for a restaurant or class
- Getting instant driving directions
- Making a phone call with one simple click
Smartphone users typically want to learn more about a product or company as quickly and efficiently as possible before having to talk with a live person. That’s why it’s especially vital for every small business to have a mobile friendly website.
Keep in mind that 55% of users on mobile devices take action within one hour of finding what they want using mobile search. A mobile friendly site will make sure you convert those users.
Today’s Customers Switch Screens
What exactly does this mean?
Well, according to a recent study, 90% of people switch between devices to accomplish a goal. So, even if your desktop site is beautifully designed and functions well, 90% of users will also interact with your mobile or tablet site during their purchasing process.
Many customers will browse on their phones and then move to a desktop computer to complete their purchase. So if your mobile site doesn’t work well or is difficult to navigate, chances are you will lose that potential customer.
Does your business use social media as a referral source? If so, it’s more than likely your customers are coming to your site on their smartphones.
Consider this: if a potential customer is intrigued by one of your social posts but then finds that you haven’t got a mobile friendly website, they will most likely just leave. If they do, there’s a chance you’ve lost them forever.
Now, you may think, “Oh, they’ll just visit me on their desktop computer then” – but it rarely works like that. First impressions matter.
Wait – Aren’t All Professional Websites Mobile Friendly?
These days, truly professional sites – like the ones I build – are, yes. Older sites may be if their owners have continued to invest in them.
Don’t take it for granted with every service, though. Web design isn’t a commodity – you tend to get what you pay for and there are still lots of cut-price, amateur or inexperienced web designers and DIY systems around. The extra work needed to make a website responsive is an easy way for them to keep their prices down, but it will cost you more in the long run if your site isn’t mobile friendly.
Still, making an existing non-responsive website more mobile friendly doesn’t always need a complete redesign. So, if you think you need some help with this, please feel free to get in touch.
