Back in 2014, mobile searches surpassed desktop searches, and search engine optimization was never the same.
What does this mean for your company?
First and foremost, it means that if your website isn’t mobile friendly, you will fall behind your competition.
In fact, it is expected that in the very near future, Google will switch to an entirely mobile-first index, meaning all your search rankings—both desktop and mobile—will be determined by the mobile version of your site.
It also means that you need to learn how to optimize your site for mobile users. And mobile users are an entirely different beast than desktop users.
Desktop users have time. They are likely sitting at home, at work or in a coffee shop. They’re willing to spend time researching.
Mobile users have no time. They’re on-the-go. Their intent is different—they’re looking up what they want, and they want it now.
If your site takes too long to load, they’re gone. If the page they land on doesn’t immediately satisfy their need, they’re gone. If your site looks complicated, they’re gone.
And you can’t afford to lose mobile customers. It’s estimated that 700% of mobile searches result in engagement within an hour. Still, those engagements don’t always result in purchases.
Why? Because most mobile sites have a horrible user experience.
For example, a mobile user might be searching for a new type of running shoes they heard about. They come to your e-commerce site, and put those slick sneaks into their cart and click ’Checkout,’ but then there’s a 17-step checkout process.
Do you think they’ll stick around to give you their credit card information? I know I probably wouldn’t. They’ll drop out of the funnel and go to a site that’s easier to navigate.
You’ve made the process too long, the copy confusing and the design messy. And no mobile user has time for that.
Your site needs to be optimized for an overall user experience if you really want to see an increase in engagements.
And responsive design—design that adapts to whichever mobile device it’s viewed on—is just the beginning.
Thinking of a website redesign? Learn why responsive design and mobile-friendliness should be top-of-mind.
Page speed, responsive design and user experience: What you need to know about mobile-first website design
- Page speed: To convert, searchers have to make it to your site
While getting searchers to your site is only half the battle, it’s a very important half.See, if no one ever makes it to your site, then no one can read about your awesome company and no one can convert.
Mobile users want your site to load fast.How fast is fast? Fast as lightning. Kidding. Sort of. According to Smashing Magazine, your above-the-fold content needs to load in one second or less to reduce the risk of bounces.To find out how your site adds up, use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. Just enter your URL, and the tool will rank your desktop and mobile versions out of 100 for speed. - Responsive design and copy that gets to the point
This is a given. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly—able to adapt to all mobile screens—then you will lose big when Google rolls out their mobile-first index.If your site is several years old, it might be more cost-effective to overhaul your site than to modify it to be responsive. Today, there are themes that automatically respond to all screen sizes and types.Still, your mobile site designer should put plenty of thought into how the site stacks on smaller screens, and how a mobile user might navigate differently than a desktop user.Generally, sparse, direct copy works best on mobile sites. Make it as easy as possible for your users to perform their intended action, whether it’s making a purchase or simply looking up your address.
- User experience: Now, now, now!
User experience and conversion optimization go hand in hand. If you want to generate leads, or increase sales and foot traffic, you first need to optimize your site’s mobile user experience.Mobile users don’t want to wait around for your site to load, and they certainly won’t jump through hoops to get what they want.They need an easily navigable experience with a streamlined conversion process. Instead of 5 steps to check out, see if you can get it down to 3. Instead of 6 form fields on your ’Contact Us’ form, get it down to 2.And don’t drown them in copy. Tell them what they need to know to convert, and then stand back and let them do it.
Convinced that a mobile-first approach is important?
We thought so. As mobile search continues to grow, you can’t afford to not have a mobile-friendly site.
Of course, you can’t re-code your site to be responsive and call it a day. You need a comprehensive digital strategy that will optimize for user experience, page speed and conversions.
Digital Strike can develop that strategy.
As your solution partner, we’ll develop a customized mobile-first strategy for your site so you can net more sales from mobile searchers.
To find out more about our solution-focused agency model, click here. Or, if you’re ready to talk to us, schedule a cost- and obligation-free consultation today!
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