A mobile friendly website is a site that is formatted to display properly, not just on desktop computers, but also on hand-held devices such as smart phones and tablets.
Not too long ago, having a website that is optimized for mobile is anything but a cool feature that business owners can brag about. With a huge majority of online users browsing the internet through their mobile devices, having a website that can be accessed across multiple devices are no longer an option, they are mandatory.
In this article, we’ll discuss why it’s so important to have a mobile friendly website. If you still aren’t convinced of how imperative it is, then we urge you to read on.
Here are 3 reasons why you need a mobile friendly website.
Mobile technology is changing people’s web surfing habits
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During the 80’s and 90’s, cell phones were extremely expensive. If you own one, you’re either a businessman, a top level executive or a drug lord. Today, however, mobile phones have become a staple in everyday living. In fact, it has become the most widely used technology in the world.
Everywhere you look, you will find someone using their smart phone. People would check their emails while waiting for the bus. Some would log in to their social media accounts during their lunch break; while others would stream videos or check the news while waiting for their food in a restaurant.
Now that we have entered the post-PC era, mobile browsing is on the rise. More and more people are using their smart phones and tablet PCs to go online. In fact, the number of consumers who browse the internet primarily through their mobile devices has significantly increased from 240 million in 2014 to 3.26 billion in 2016, and the number is expected to rise within the next few years. Some experts even predict that people will be surfing the Internet exclusively through their tablets and smart phones in the near future.
As a business owner, you can’t afford not to cater business to smart phone users. While the complete transition from PC to mobile devices may take a while, your website better employ a mobile friendly design. Otherwise, you’ll be losing a lot of business opportunities.
Mobile users buy more often than desktop users
Today’s buyers are smart. They make it a point to do their research before doing business with a certain company. They would visit your website, check out your products or services, read reviews, get your business address, as well as your contact number.
Consumers want their information served fast. Since smart phones and tablets can be used on-the-go, this is often their gadget of choice. This allows them to learn more about your business during their free time. If they can’t access your website through their mobile device, they won’t hesitate to move on to your competitor’s site. That’s a lot of potential customers to say goodbye to.
A certain level of trust is formed when you offer a satisfying mobile experience. Consumers are more likely to buy from businesses that offer the best mobile experience. Your goal is to deliver a satisfying experience to users on the go.
Smart phone users are action-oriented. Most of them will be in contact with you after getting the information they need and place their orders within 24 to 48 hours. Studies suggest that 1/3 of consumers will leave a transaction if the website isn’t mobile optimized. By ensuring that your content can be viewed across all mobile devices, you have a good chance of converting visitors into paying customers.
Google gives mobile friendly websites a boost in search ranking
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Having a mobile friendly website is important for organic search result. In March 2015, Google announced that they’ll have 2 different search indexes – 1 for desktop search and 1 for mobile search. While this update is relatively old news, its main directive is to reduce the rankings of websites that are not mobile optimized.
The search engine behemoth wants you to be more congenial with their mobile visitors. If your website isn’t mobile friendly, you may see a drop in your search engine rankings. If your website doesn’t appear on the first page of Google, chances are people will have a hard time finding you. This will negatively affect your website traffic and may result to lower sales as well. If you want your website to rank in search engines, then you need to make sure that your website looks and operates well on a mobile device.
Final thoughts
A positive mobile experience will ultimately affect your business success. With mobile internet usage going up year after year, it is important now more than ever to start embracing the multi-screen world and provide a favorable experience to mobile users. Otherwise, you are likely to encounter a loss in mobile traffic, a drop in organic ranking and an increase in bounce rate. If your website isn’t already mobile optimized, work to become mobile friendly immediately.
