The Importance Of A Mobile-Friendly Website In 2021
Today, having a high-quality, responsive website is only half the battle when it comes to getting website traffic. We’re living in an increasingly mobile age and that means businesses need to invest in a mobile-friendly web design
You can no longer assume that all (or even most) web users are browsing the internet on desktop computers – because that’s NOT THE CASE. Instead, people are using their own individual mobile devices for primary browsing in staggering numbers, and that means that optimizing your site for all that mobile browsing is essential.
What Is Mobile Optimization?
In a nutshell, mobile optimization involves taking the necessary steps to create mobile-friendly website design. Mobile-friendly design means that the website will function and perform well regardless of the digital device it is viewed/used on.
From the smallest cell phone to the most powerful tablet or computer, your user experience needs to translate. This involves the incorporation of certain features like scaling your website to match a user’s screen size or altering portions of the site completely for small screens.
As devices and user habits evolve, mobile optimization is increasingly necessary. It ultimately helps attract and retain customers by making a company’s website universally accessible, rather than focusing on one platform and neglecting another. And, since more and more web users are utilizing mobile devices, not accommodating them risks alienating your business’ audience.
Defining Mobile Device
Most people believe they know what counts as a mobile device: cell phones, tablets computers, e-readers. But, the line between traditional desktops and mobile devices is beginning to blur, not just from a design point of view, but from the software optimization aspect, too. This is most evident in modern laptops.
While desktop computers are still useful, according to the latest statistics, laptops have overtaken them in terms of popularity. Affordable, portable and comparable to desktops in terms of performance, laptops have become the go-to computer. (It’s now normal for most, if not all, members of a household to have their own laptop, as well as a variety of other mobile devices.)
What’s even more interesting is that laptops are evolving to be closer to mobile devices than computers. Dedicated web-books, netbooks, and laptop/tablet hybrids (like the Microsoft Surface) are considered mobile devices, despite “technically” being laptops. Why is this important? Because the software installed on these devices (generally) uses mobile apps as opposed to traditional programs.
This means that websites cannot afford to NOT cater to mobile users, because by NOT optimizing for mobile use, your business may also be alienating most laptop users. Give your visitors the quality experience they expect! Incorporate mobile-friendly design.
The Phenomenon of Second Screening
According to a recent study from Nielsen, “second screening” is now habitual and considered totally normal. This is the practice of someone watching TV passively, while also using their mobile device to browse social media, mobile websites and apps.
With more people second screening, attention is divided. And, with attention splitting up between multiple tasks, it’s important to have a mobile website with responsive design and clear, simple navigation to ensure you’re retaining visitors and removing points of friction.
How Search Engines Are Adapting
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential, now more than ever, and doing it well is the difference between success and failure for many businesses that operate online. There’s so much more to SEO than backlinks and keywords!
Today, search engine results pages (SERPs) from Google or Bing are also factoring mobile optimization into their ranking systems, especially in mobile search results.
That means websites without mobile-friendly design risk falling behind their competitors in search rankings. Businesses that were once successful, may find themselves losing ground online without knowing why until it’s too late.
Reach a Wider Audience
Not having a website that is fully optimized for mobile use risks not being seen much (or at all) by mobile visitors.
A significant portion of the population uses mobile devices as the primary method of web browsing. This pattern will continue to grow, and as it does, opportunities for traffic and conversion will only increase for those who have taken the time to make sure their website is fully prepared.
Consider the increase in remote workers in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 global health crisis. The worldwide mobile audience is now larger than ever, not to mention full of professional people who are living a very different lifestyle – one geared around mobile devices.
The rise of the remote worker was already well underway even before 2020, but the changing needs of businesses and business people all over the world have expedited its progress. Mobile working may well be here to stay, and websites need to pivot and update to meet this new demand.
Mobile Optimization Helps Build Credibility
There’s nothing more frustrating than visiting a website on a mobile device (such as a smartphone or tablet) to discover it’s not a mobile-friendly website. In this day and age, such optimization is expected! People assume a webpage will be just as responsive on their iPhone as it is on their iMac. And, a website that is not optimized for mobile will simply cause visitors to lose faith in or question the credibility of the brand.
This is dangerous for any business aiming to attract more web traffic. A company that hasn’t bothered to update its website for mobile users will seem behind the times, lazy or ignorant.
By comparison, a company that has taken the time to create a mobile-friendly platform will not only deliver a smoother and less frustrating experience to its customers, it will also appear forward-thinking, credible and advanced.
Putting It All Together
Both websites and software are being geared for mobile phones, tablets and computers. With innovations such as 5G, that trend’s only going to grow exponentially in the next few years.
It’s more crucial now than ever that you make your website mobile-friendly. Web users will not waste time on websites that frustrate them through unintuitive design and slow speeds; they will simply move on to your competitor.
How Do I Make A Mobile-Friendly Website?
Every website is different and may require a varying degree of work to make sure it becomes fully optimized for a mobile experience. Some sites simply need minor adjustments while others require a complete overhaul to become mobile-friendly.
Whatever the case, changes should be made to benefit the website (and the owner) in the long term. Unfortunately, many websites were designed years ago and have never been updated, leaving the owner or webmaster unsure how to go about adapting their site’s desktop version to mobile.
The good news is that iSynergy is here to help! We specialize in a range of optimization techniques for small to medium businesses that need support crafting or updating a platform and turning it into a mobile-friendly website.
From tailoring your SEO or digital marketing strategy to web design and optimization, our dedicated team can help identify your needs and be there alongside you to watch your business grow and succeed. Contact us today to get started with an initial consultation.
