Like it or not, mobile devices are quickly becoming the preferred method of browsing the web and up to 50% of local searches are now performed on mobile devices.
In fact, currently in the UK alone, up to 8 million people access the internet every day using iPhones or smartphones. So, with just about every other user viewing the web (and possibly your website) via mobile phones, have you stopped to consider whether your website is mobile-ready?
Many of you may think that your website is mobile friendly, but how many of you have actually tested it by browsing your website from a mobile phone?
Statistics show that 80% of people will leave your website immediately if they have a bad mobile experience, so what changes can you make to ensure you deliver a good mobile experience?
be fast
Google claims that 60% of mobile web users expect a mobile site to load in 38 seconds or less and will not recommend a company with a bad mobile site. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that your website can load quickly. There are several plugins available (especially if you have a WordPress site) that can help you speed up your site.
have good navigation
Many mobile users typically use their thumb to navigate a website, so it is beneficial to have larger navigation buttons on your website to accommodate this. You’ll also need to make sure your site includes clear and effective ways to access important content. For example, you don’t necessarily need to have as many header, footer, and sidebars on your mobile site as you do on your traditional website. It is better to include only those that offer the most relevant content for mobile Internet users.
Less is more
It’s important to remember that most mobile screens are considerably smaller than those of traditional PCs, therefore much of the traditional website content will appear smaller when viewed on a mobile screen. With this in mind, it’s crucial to rethink the content and images you include on your mobile website. For example, make sure you include headlines that immediately grab readers’ attention and that your content, even in its shortest form, is still engaging to read.
Using fewer images is also better for a mobile-friendly website. Due to the reduced amount of space available, too many images will detract from the content. Reducing the size of images will also help reduce your mobile site load time by up to 90%.
When redesigning your website for the mobile web, you’ll also want to make sure you don’t have any banners that might obscure your content on a smaller screen.
Include footer link to full site
It’s important to continue to link to your traditional full-size website, as some people may want to see additional content on your traditional site.
Automatic detection of mobile devices
If your budget allows it, setting up automatic mobile detection that can automatically detect when to entertain a mobile user on your mobile-friendly site can be a huge advantage. In addition, it is also important to analyze your mobile audience to identify how many people are using the mobile web version of your site and of those people, what kind of mobile devices are they using? For example, more people use an iPhone than a Blackberry. This information will allow you to further develop your mobile website to better suit your audience.
Without a doubt, the mobile web is quickly becoming the most popular way to find content on the web. With the rapid growth in mobile web usage, it is critical for all businesses to ensure that they not only use mobile marketing to reduce marketing costs and increase revenue, but also have a website that is device-ready. Mobile for those people who browse the Internet from mobile devices. In a nutshell, when reshaping their website to accommodate mobile internet users, businesses need to keep in mind the major hurdles they must overcome, including a slower connection, slower screens, and smaller screen sizes.
The good news is that, as mentioned above, there are many ways to overcome these problem areas, including installing various plugins, to ensure your website is mobile-ready.