How Mobile-Friendly Websites Affect Your User Base

Having a website that functions appropriately on desktop and mobile platforms has never been more critical in digital marketing. As time goes on, more and more people are browsing the internet from a mobile device, and trends seem to suggest that this number is going to keep increasing. Over half of individuals with smartphones have discovered a new product or service while browsing on their mobile device. If any business is looking to increase their visibility, having a site that looks just as good on mobile as it does on a desktop is necessary.

Why Are Mobile-Friendly Websites Important?

People use their mobile devices now more than ever before. Over 56% of internet usage comes from smartphones and tablets. If a business has a site that does not properly work on mobile platforms, users will be quickly turned off of the site. Search engines such as Google recognize that users want to have access to websites with functionality on mobile devices and rank those sites higher as a result. Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly will help increase your visibility and generate more consumer interaction.

Not only are smartphones one of the primary methods of internet browsing now, but they also make it easier to contact and communicate with businesses and services. Many users prefer to reach out to companies through mobile platforms. If a site has a linked phone number or email, users only have to click the link on their smartphone to be in immediate contact with the company. While desktop users can write down or copy an email address or phone number, smartphone users find the “one-stop” access to be incredibly convenient.

Mobile-friendly websites and content are also more likely to be shared on social media platforms. Most social media users primarily access it through mobile devices. Therefore, they are more likely to share something they find while browsing the internet if it is also found on a mobile device.

How to Make a Website Mobile-Friendly?

When building a website from scratch, there are a few factors to consider. A mobile-friendly website needs to be responsive, meaning that the website itself responds to the device it is being viewed on and changes its appearance accordingly. While that alone may not be the only step involved in making a site functional on both desktop and mobile devices, it is a crucial first step.

Navigating through a website on a mobile device can often be tricky. There are two changes you can make to a website to aid users in this regard. First, make sure essential content and information are readily available on your website. This can include listing frequently asked questions about your business on the site’s homepage or including all necessary contact information on every page of content, so users don’t have to search for it on other pages.

Second, consider mobile users to design the website’s layout and any buttons or links. Small font links or buttons can often be challenging to click on while using a mobile device without zooming in, and some users may become frustrated and leave the page. Ensure links are large enough to click easily and far enough apart that other links are not accidentally selected to make sure mobile users have an easier time navigating.

It is also a good idea to remove any pop-up advertisements. While desktop users may also dislike pop-up ads, they can easily click out of them. Mobile users may have a much more difficult time getting rid of these ads. These ads can also have a harmful effect on the loading speeds of your mobile site.

How to Check if My Website is Mobile-Friendly?

There are many different tools that you can use to ensure your website is mobile-friendly, many of which are entirely free. Google runs a free service called Test My Site that allows users to analyze their mobile site’s performance and speed. Not only that, Google then compares that speed to the sites of other websites in your industry to ensure that you are performing as well or better than your competitors.

Google has another free tool called the Mobile-Friendly Test Tool. This tool provides a quick analysis that simply tells you if Google considers your site to be mobile-friendly or not. If your site fails this test, Google will list why so you can focus on improving specific issues that might prevent your site from running smoothly on mobile platforms.

Many paid services can help you improve your site, depending on the issues you run into, but the free Google tools are often a good jumping-off point. Business owners should also spend time exploring their site from their own mobile devices. Browse your site for a while and note any issues you run into to understand the user experience better. 

Contact Us

With the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, it can be challenging to navigate the field on your own. At Transparent Strategies, we make sure we are constantly up-to-date on the latest policies and trends across all search platforms and browsers so that we can make sure your marketing strategy is always the best option.

At Transparent Strategies, we have your best interests at heart. We focus on transparent and ethical marketing strategies that are completely catered to your business’s unique needs. Our company is different, and we believe that your marketing strategy should reflect that. Other marketing agencies will use generic “one-size-fits-all” marketing strategies to cut down on time and work they need to invest. We guarantee that we will build a complete plan from the ground up that works best for you. Never let a marketing company talk you into a campaign that doesn’t convert or wastes your money. We get results, and most importantly, you keep the data!