In a survey done by Google in 2012, they have found that 74% of visitors were more likely to return to mobile-friendly websites; 61% of the respondents said they were likely to abandon non-mobile friendly websites; while 67% noted they were more likely to purchase from a mobile-friendly website. These figures only show that people are using their mobile devices to do all sorts of online research.
There is no denying that a website is a powerful tool that gives your brand an online presence, expands your business reach and engages with your target market. These days, however, it is not enough to have a desktop-accessible website alone. Now that smartphones and tablets are fast becoming the preferred methods of accessing the Internet, it has become increasingly important for sites to be mobile-friendly as well.
Another study from 2013 showed that mobile devices are fast replacing personal computers and laptops as the devices of choice when it comes to online shopping. It was found that 55% of consumers spent most of their time shopping online using their mobile devices compared to 45% on desktops and laptops combined.
What is a Mobile-Friendly Website?
“The future is mobile”, you may have already read or heard this phrase over and over throughout the years. As you can see with our technological innovations, now you can do almost everything with just your mobile phone. As a business owner, it is very important that you have a mobile-friendly e-commerce site.
A mobile-friendly website is a site that is built to fit a user’s mobile device such as an iPad, tablet or smartphone. It is easily navigated without the need for the user to zoom in or manually adjust their settings. Plus, the text can be easily read and it can also be easier for users to find what they’re are looking for.
Importance of Mobile Friendly Websites
So, if you have not gotten into the mobile website bandwagon, it is about time that you do so. Here are three other good reasons why.
1. Customers Demand a Mobile-Friendly Website from You
While your customers might not be vocal about their pleas for your business to have a mobile-friendly site, their online routine will tell you otherwise. Most of them are on the go, so they cannot sit in front of their desktops or laptops to go online. Instead, they use their mobile devices to carry out their online activities. This only means that if you do not provide your customers with what they want–a highly visible and navigable website optimized for mobile use–they will go somewhere else.
So how do you go about creating a mobile-optimized site? Make it responsive. A responsive design will allow your website to adapt to different resolutions and screen sizes. As a result, your site will provide optimal viewing and searching experience for visitors no matter the device they use.
2. Prevents Your Site from Getting Penalized by Google
If you think that mobile-friendliness does not have any bearing on your site’s search engine ranking, think again. Google, which happens to be the largest and most used search engine today, has been taking steps to improve users’ online experience. As a part of its continued efforts to reach that goal, it has begun to penalize sites that are not optimized for mobile use. So if you still use content, images and navigation structures that do not adapt well to mobile devices, Google will find your website less desirable to be displayed on relevant search result pages and may even down-rank your site for not following its protocol.
3. You may Eventually Lose Traffic to Your Site, Impacting Your Conversions and Sales
If you have not noticed a decline in your site’s conversions and sales, you should feel lucky, as many organizations cannot say the same thing for their sites and businesses. Do not feel complacent, though.
While many people are not completely abandoning their desktops or laptops, a huge number already did and the figures keep on growing. So if you do not want to lose business, give your customers a website they can access wherever they go. It is only by having a mobile-friendly website that you can get a hold of more customers and prevent your business from falling from search results.
Benefits of Mobile Website
As an entrepreneur, one thing that you must always remember is that the internet is constantly changing. As of our day and age, people can now access the internet through a lot of ways. This most especially through mobile phones. Having an optimized mobile site will give you the following advantages:
- Enhanced mobile SEO. In terms of your search engine optimization, Google plays a major role in it. You have to follow what Google wants you to do. Whether it is content marketing or link building, as long as Google says so, you have to do it.
- Competitive edge over your rivals. Surveys say that out of 200 surveyed retailers, 68 did not have a mobile-ready site. This is certainly quite a high number and having a mobile-friendly site will be your edge over these companies. However, do also consider that there is a chance that your other competitions are also already ahead of the game so it’s best to have it all well-planned out.
- Quicker site load speed. A normal site that is not mobile optimized will slowly load on your mobile device, or worse, it may not load at all. A mobile-ready website will quickly load on your phones because the code is built in a way that is compatible with mobile devices.
Outsource Your Mobile App Development with PrimeOutsourcing
If you are worried because you do not have any idea on how to make this possible, bear in mind that Prime Outsourcing is a hub of website professionals such as webmasters, developers, and programmers who are highly capable of providing you the services that you need. If you want to know more about our services and other ways we can help you, click here.
