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Millennials have the strongest buying power of any demographic – and they also use their phone 150 times a day.
That should be all you need to know to realize that a mobile-optimized website is beneficial for your business.
Think about how often you browse on your cell phone while you’re out and about, or when you’re chilling at home but your laptop is in the other room. That’s how everyone is now surfing the web, too.
It’s becoming increasingly important to have a website that is optimized for mobile. Not convinced? Keep reading to find out exactly why you need to optimize your website for mobile.
4 Reasons You Need a Mobile-Optimized Site
People aren’t just using their smartphones to browse Facebook anymore. New technology, easier browsing experiences, and mobile advertising have all impacted on how, when, and why mobile browsing is more popular than ever.
1. More People Than Ever Use Mobile Browsing
Mobile browsing has overtaken desktop in the past two years. More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets while they’re on the move, thanks to more mobile-friendly websites and ever-cheaper data tariffs.
At some point in the buying cycle, users will use their mobile to make a decision. People who always complete a purchase on their desktop are still likely to consult a mobile website while they are on-the-go or in the research stage.
Think about it: how often have you sat on your couch and seen something cool on the TV that you want to know more about? You swipe open your smartphone and give it a quick Google.
You’ll think about the product, then the next day when you’re at your laptop will open the same website again to have another look. This is a classic example of how users are switching screens to influence their purchasing decisions.
2. People Use Mobile Browsing Differently
It isn’t just the frequency of mobile browsing that is of note: people use different search terms between mobile and desktop use.
That means you need to pull a few SEO tricks to cover both desktop and mobile search queries if you want to boost traffic from mobile sources.
The increase in mobile search is also related to voice search. People are using voice search on their smartphones or devices such as Alexa and Google Home to find the answer to their on-the-go questions.
The words used in voice search will be different to those typed into a search bar, so optimizing your website for mobile will need to include more speech-related search terms if you want to rank well.
3. You’ll Benefit From Local Search Conversions
The rise in on-the-go browsing allows users to find businesses in their area to satisfy an immediate need. For example, if you have a strong desire for takeout you will probably search “pizza in my town” or something similar.
Google’s search results will pick up on your location or search term and provide the most relevant and local results.
Without a mobile-optimized website, you’re missing out on tons of potential custom as search engines push other local businesses ahead of yours in search results.
A shift in how Google looks at your website content means you could be missing out on high rankings in search results just because you don’t have a mobile-friendly site.
The search engine has started to shift towards a ‘mobile-first’ preference. That means website with mobile-optimized content will rank higher in searches than those without. This can apply even to searches on desktops.
3 Tips for a Mobile-Friendly Website Design
Optimize Your Images
While a giant photograph of some of your top-selling products or smiling clients might be eye-catching on a desktop site, oversized images can slow loading speed to a crawl — and seriously mess with the formatting — on a mobile device.
Instead, make sure the images you use on a mobile version of the website are as light as possible. Switch to JavaScript, choose one central image as opposed to a slideshow, and post lower resolution photos.
Don’t forget to crop and study up on the aspect ratio to seriously save on bandwidth and ensure images load quickly and completely.
Stop the Autoplay
We know that video marketing is on the rise, and it’s true that it can be an excellent addition to your overall digital marketing plan.
However, stop to consider if it really belongs on a mobile-friendly website.
Eliminate the autoplay features of a video, and instead allow mobile users to click on a link to be redirected to a video instead.
When it comes to choosing the right mobile video player for a mobile site? We suggest going with an HTML5 player, which is compatible with most mobile devices.
While we’re on the subject of automatic features — skip the pop-ups and automatic redirects to an app store or another site. Not only will it slow things down, but it’s also off-putting to consumers.
Consider Site Design
The final step in learning how to make your website mobile friendly.
Make sure that you’ve optimized your overall site design.
First off, make sure to include follow buttons to your social media profiles, and always ensure your contact information is visible.
When you look at your website, search for things that can be cut. This includes excess plugins, large images, slow-loading graphics, and especially giant walls of text.
Remember that the mobile screen is much smaller than a desktop, so aim to de-clutter your mobile website as much as you can.
Above all, if you include appointment request forms, question and answer forms, or contact forms on your mobile site, ensure they’re mobile friendly.
Need Help Moving to Mobile?
Now you’ve seen just why a mobile-optimized site is essential for boosting your online business, it’s time to revamp your website with this in mind.
If you’re not confident with web development and want to leave it to the experts, get in touch to chat about how we can help.
