It is has been clear for some time that mobile devices such as smartphones have been gradually taking over the internet. It was estimated in 2019 that almost half of the world’s total web traffic was via mobile devices and this proportion is only set to become greater in the future. The large majority of internet users rely more on mobile devices than their desktop counterparts, which means that every company and organisation needs to think carefully about how their website works and looks on a screen that is smaller. Despite this, however, many companies and organisations still haven’t optimised their websites for use on smartphones and tablets.
Why it is so important?
Having a website that is optimised for mobile use is vitally important to how people respond to your website and achieve your business goals.
Ease of use
Being able to navigate a website effectively on a small screen is very challenging without mobile optimisation. Being able to clearly read text, easily scroll and view information (such as hi-res image) while being able to easily make purchases, can be the difference in whether a visitor stays on your website or makes a purchase.
Search Engine Optimisation
The most important reason why you should optimise your website is for the purpose of search engine optimisation. Google now favours mobile sites with so-called ‘mobile-first indexing’. This is how Google now makes the mobile version of a website the starting point for what Google includes in its index and the foundation for how its algorithms determine search ranking. Though a conventional desktop website can still be included in their indexing, the lack of a mobile-friendly experience is very likely to impact negatively on its ranking. Ask yourself how long you stay on a site that doesn’t work well on a phone when you need it?
Having a website that has a positive customer experience will be rewarded by Google in its rankings. Websites that are mobile responsive will also usually load faster, which will result in a greater customer experience too. Google also pays attention to how long a visitor stays on your website, so a mobile optimised site will ensure that a customer will be able to find the content they are looking for. This means that the website won’t be penalised for a high bounce rate as people bounce off your site to another more mobile friendly.
When revamping your website for mobiles, choosing a responsive framework can be key. Frameworks that are mobile-first mean that you can design a responsive front-end and back-end interface that is suited to mobile screens. Another benefit is that the framework will use a grid-based content structure with columns and rows. This can be used for designing content and app interfaces easily by defining each section of your website for large, medium and small screen sizes; the choice is specified.
With an estimated 60% of all users first visiting a website on a mobile device, can you risk not optimising your website for mobile, whilst others invest in theirs? It takes only a few costly seconds to repeat a search and to move on to your competitor’s site!
The Design Hive
The Design Hive is a design agency that specialises in building strong brands via a wide range of design, digital and print services. Based in Highbridge near Burnham-on-Sea, The Design Hive is made up of a team highly motivated and qualified staff, dedicated to providing the perfect bespoke design solutions to any project, large or small. If you have any questions about our services or would like to talk to us, please phone us on 01278 783 273 or email us via info@thedesignhive.co.uk.
