Mobile optimization plays a critical role in the user experience.
When users visit a website that isn’t optimized for mobile, they are much more likely to leave the website and go to a competitor.
It’s 2022. In the past decade, we have experienced a culture change in which more people use their smartphones to browse the internet. Today, more than ever before, people rely on mobile devices to perform Google searches, do online shopping, and more.
Have you ever experienced visiting a website on your phone, only to leave in frustration because it wouldn’t load?
If you don’t focus on mobile optimization when building your website, you could lose business, appear lower in SEO rankings, and diminish your online visibility.
The above is especially true for local businesses. Did you know that 46% of Google searches are people who are looking for local information? If your website is not optimized for mobile, users will go to your competitors. A competitor with a mobile-friendly website will always have a significant leg up over you.
Read on to learn more about why mobile optimization is essential for businesses.
The Importance of Mobile Optimization
Mobile optimization is one of Google’s key ranking factors. Websites that are not mobile-friendly typically have a poor user experience, another ranking factor that Google considers.
When users have a poor experience, they will leave a website. It reflects poorly on the business and its reputation. Here’s what else you need to know about mobile optimization.
1. More People Are Browsing the Internet on Their Mobile Devices Than Ever Before.
Mobile internet browsing has now surpassed desktop usage.
Because more people use mobile devices to browse the internet, you could fall behind if your website is not user-friendly. If a potential customer goes to your website and it fails to load or is hard to navigate, the user will merely move on to another website or business.
As more people continue to use digital devices, it becomes essential to build mobile-friendly websites.
2. Mobile Optimization is Critical for Local Business.
Local businesses are more likely to rank higher on search engines if they are mobile-friendly.
Because smartphones are very convenient and easy to use for people on the go, more people are using them to search for local businesses. Today, most people use their smartphones to perform a local search, putting you ahead of the game if you have a mobile-friendly website.
3. Google Prioritizes Mobile-Friendly Web Pages.
Mobile optimization is one of Google’s most significant ranking factors. Google also predominantly focuses on mobile-first indexing, which means it will first use a website’s mobile version when deciding on page rankings.
Google rewards mobile-friendly websites by giving them better rankings. If Google lowers your rankings, it will be much more difficult for people to find your website.
Mobile Optimization Tips
Mobile-friendly websites load quickly on smartphones. They provide a user-friendly experience for people using their mobile devices.
Here are some other mobile optimization tips that you should use on your website:
- Use a clear and easy-to-read font
- Use a larger text size
- Have clickable buttons or links that are far apart from one another
- Optimize your images
- Reduce redirects
- Avoid flash
- Simplify navigation
- Use a responsive web design
- Add Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
- Improve page speed
- Improve download speed
- Use Google Analytics to analyze mobile traffic
You can also use a mobile testing tool online to analyze how well a user can browse through your website on their smartphone.
For a business to succeed in the digital age, it must optimize its website for mobile use. If mobile optimization is not something you took into account when designing your website, it’s time to make a change. A poorly designed website will make you lose customers and money. Update your website today to make it mobile-friendly.