Today, most people use their phones to browse the internet. Whether we are shopping, reading the news, or even just having a browse, we’re probably doing it on our phones.
This is why having a mobile-optimised website is no longer optional — it’s a must! And here is why having a website optimised for mobile is so important and beneficial not only to your business but to your customers…
What is Mobile Optimisation?
Before we can understand why mobile optimisation is important, we need to first cover what it is! Mobile optimisation involves adjusting your content, design, and website style sheets for mobile devices. This enables users to view and engage with your website on their phone or other hand-held/smart devices flawlessly. We also know that mobile-friendly sites and mobile-optimised sites sound very similar, but we must make a clear distinction between the two;
A mobile-friendly website accurately displays on smaller screens, usually as a smaller version of your current website. A mobile-optimised website goes a step further and reformats itself for mobile devices, which not only ensures it displays properly but also makes the site easier to navigate on the device. This is achieved through reformatting content, such as using larger navigation buttons and resizing and organising images according to screen size.
So now we know what a mobile-optimised website is, we’ll take a look at how this can benefit your business…
1. Increased Traffic and Conversions
A mobile-optimised website can help you capture a larger audience and help increase the likelihood of generating conversions from these mobile visitors. This is because a mobile-optimised website can make it easier for users to complete actions such as purchases or form submissions. Additionally, you can enable phone number link clicks to call directly, improving the user experience of your website.
2. First Impressions Matter
First-time visitors to your website will decide quickly whether they will spend time and browse your website or leave. If your website is slow to load or the design looks cluttered, they will most likely leave and go elsewhere. A mobile-optimised website ensures that your site looks great and runs smoothly, giving new visitors a good first impression – And we all know how important first impressions are. Just like going on a date, your website needs to make a great first impression and keep its visitors engaged and interested in your brand.
3. Better User Experience
A mobile-optimised website provides a seamless and intuitive experience for users, ensuring that visitors can easily navigate, read content, and interact with your site on any mobile devices and tablets. This improved accessibility reduces bounce rates and encourages longer engagement times.
4. Faster Loading Speeds
People expect websites to load quickly on every device. If your website takes more than a couple of seconds to load, visitors might leave and go to a competitor’s website. First impressions count. And a slow loading website can make this a negative one – which we don’t want right? Optimising for mobile users means finding ways to make pages load faster, such as compressing images and simplifying code.
Here are a few of our key UX tips for mobile devices:
- Text size – should be readable without having to zoom in
- Button size – It should be big enough to tap comfortably
- Page speed – pages should be able to load quickly
- Images – should be appropriately sized and spaced to accommodate the smaller devices
5. Google Favours Mobile Optimised Websites
Did you know that Google ranks mobile-optimised websites higher in search results? If your website isn’t optimised for mobile, you could fall behind competitors in search engine rankings, meaning it will be more difficult for potential customers to find your site. But don’t worry, we’re not here to tell you off, we’re here to help! And here are some practical tips to condsier when optimising your website for mobile…
How to Optimise Your Website for Mobile
Now that you know the core reasons why mobile optimisation is important, let’s cover a few key tips to get you started on how to make your website more mobile-friendly:
- Use a Responsive Design
A responsive website adjusts its layout to fit any screen size. This means it will look good and function on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Test on Multiple Devices
Check how your website looks and works on different devices. This can help you spot any issues and fix them.
- Optimise Images
Large image file sizes can slow your website down, especially on mobile. Compress images and use modern file formats such as WebP, SVG, and AVIF.
- Simplify Navigation
Make menus easy to use and ensure that buttons and links are large enough to tap with a finger.
- Prioritise Site Speed
Use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to identify ways to make your website faster
In conclusion, mobile-optimised website is essential for all businesses in today’s digital world. It helps you reach more people, improve their user experience, and stay competitive in the market.
If you need help building and optimising your website Flex Digital is a Bristol-based digital marketing agency, and our friendly team of experts is here to help. Book a free consultation call today.