Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?
Are you a business owner with a website? Have you looked at it on a mobile device such as a phone or tablet recently to see whether or not it is easy to use? A lot of business owners haven’t actually ever done this. If you’re one of them, take a moment and look at it now.
If your site is optimized for a mobile device, the layout and font sizes will work seamlessly with your phone or tablet. With one click of a button, you should quickly see the site’s navigation options.
Keep scrolling to see the home page, or click on one of the navigation options to quickly jump to the page you need.
However, you should be able to find most of what you need without leaving your homepage; users find that scrolling is often easier than jumping from page to page. You should also have a “back to top” button on the page that makes it quick and easy for users to return to the primary navigation.
Businesses with mobile-friendly, or “responsive,” websites have significant advantages over businesses with static websites. The following are some reasons why:
Google Prioritizes Mobile-Friendly Websites
Google is in the business of matching online searches with the best possible results. People keep using Google because the search engine makes it easy to find exactly what they are looking for. Over the past few years, more and more searches were being made on mobile phones, and users were frustrated with websites that weren’t easy to use on their phones. In 2015, Google changed its algorithms to prioritize responsive websites, which are easy to use across all mobile devices. If your website is not responsive, then you will not rank well.
Mobile Searches Lead to Sales
People who are researching business information on a mobile device are often out and about and looking for something specific, such as a place to eat or a store that has what they want. They aren’t looking to buy at a later date, they are looking to buy right away. In fact, 80 percent of mobile phone searches for local business information translate directly into purchases.
Currently, less than 15 percent of websites cater to mobile users. If yours is one of them, then you have a huge advantage over the competition. Here are a few tips on how to make sure your site caters to this type of user:
Speed Matters
Forty percent of users abandon a mobile site within three seconds if the page doesn’t load, and 47 percent expect a site to load in less than two seconds. Your mobile site can be a streamlined version of your primary website by eliminating non-essential pictures and videos that slow down the site.
For example, Dr. Networking has the following animated graphic on their homepage, but it doesn’t appear on the mobile site.
Contact Us Page
Make sure your contact information is easy to find and that clicking on your phone number prompts a live call.
Take Online Reservations
If you have a business that takes reservations, make it easy for people to book online 24 hours a day.
Test Your Site
Do an extensive test of your site to make sure it’s easy to use on a phone or tablet. Make sure people with large fingers can use your mobile site. Avoid tiny buttons or pop-ups that are impossible to click on or close.
Start thinking of your website—especially the mobile version—as your store’s new front door. Make it easy to find, easy to open, and attractive and welcoming once they are inside. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, get in touch with your web designer to update it as soon as possible.
~ Lorie List, Strategic Communication, LLC
www.strategiccommunication.biz
Strategic Communication is Dr. Networking’s marketing partner. We offer complimentary website analyses to Dr. Networking’s clients. To learn more, contact Lorie at lorie@strategiccommunication.biz.