Why Your Site Should Be Mobile Friendly

Why Your Site Should Be Mobile Friendly

Looking forward to the year that Google starts officially operating its mobile-first index? Surprise! It's this very year! For companies, that means that they need to have a mobile responsive website. This isn't just an advantage over competitors anymore. It's in fact now a requirement.

Consider the standalone fact that more than 60 percent of Google searches happen from mobile devices, and it's scary enough. Worse yet, particular sectors or niches have mobile search numbers close to 3 out of 4 users. Can anyone really blame Google for emphasizing mobile-friendly websites and designs?

Mobile technology is definitely changing how users are searching things and engaging with the Internet. Google says that right now 1 in 5 mobile searches are actually voice queries. Failing to invest in this new mobile world will definitely line someone's pockets - your competitors!

If that doesn't motivate you enough, there are even more points to consider in arguing that mobile-friendly website design is more requirement than option at this point.

The Battle Between Mobile And Desktop Users

More than half of global search volume starts from mobile technology. Less individuals make use of desktops and many companies can't satisfy all their customers with a desktop website version. Smartphone technology makes things more intuitive and accessible, and that's true across the demographics. Your unoptimized site is turning down more than half of potential traffic.

Your Audience Is Growing Its Mobile Time

A typical person spends several hours each day engaging online using their smartphone or tablet. Free of a desktop, they're not restricted to chair and monitor time. So, they can go online anytime they need to. That might be in their living room, in line, or when out and about and needing information about an area business they might need or want that very day.

When you consider all this, it quickly becomes obvious that a site that is optimized for mobile increases your chances to engage customers and prospects. However, all this time spent on mobile technology tells you something else you should know. These consumers are not very patient.

Mobile users don't typically wait for more than 2 seconds to see a site load. You'll get three if you're lucky. Why would they wait? It's so easy to hit a back button and load something else that is optimized for mobile speed.

Mobile Optimization Is Crucial To Getting Local Traffic

Any business relies on local search results, but it's even more critical for a small business or anyone just getting going. Sadly, many of these new or smaller businesses aren't quick to get on board the idea of responsive website design.

A big reason that mobile optimization proves so crucial for getting local traffic is simply because Google has wound up replacing the Yellow Pages of yesteryear. If somebody wants to look up a local business, they don't grab a phone book; they grab their phone! What shows up in their search results and where it shows up versus who doesn't register often determines who they are going to spend money with.

Consider, for instance, that you're a local bar. Some friends want to go out for drinks but don't know where to go. They search on their phones for options. Your establishment shows up as one of three possibilities within 5 miles.

You're new to this group, so they'd like to know your drinks and prices first, meaning they check out your website. If your site is slow to load or the menu is hard to read on small screens, they're not going to assume they're getting good service much less a good time in your bar. The other bar down the road sees its parking lot fill up yet again.

It's a shame your site wasn't already responsive enough, because half of the Internet users that use their smartphones to look up a local business wind up spending money at that business the very same day.