If you have a smartphone or tablet, chances are you’ve searched for a website on your device while on the go or, let’s face it, on your couch. You may have noticed one of two things: either your experience was successful or the site was completely unusable, so you clicked away. Now imagine if that was your site that your potential customer clicked away from. Being mobile-friendly is no longer optional; it’s a requirement. Here are three reasons why.
1. Higher Search Engine Rankings
The higher your search engine ranking is, the more traffic your website will receive. In April 2015, Google changed the way it ranks websites to include responsive design as a factor. If a website does not have a mobile version, it is pushed down the search results list. BCI Media Services understands how important this can be, which is why we offer both WordPress and HTML responsive website design as part of our Website Development packages.
2. How Are Consumers Searching?
The higher your search engine ranking is, the more traffic your website will receive. In April 2015, Google changed the way it ranks websites to include responsive design as a factor. If a website does not have a mobile version, it is pushed down the search results list. Making sure your website is designed to be responsive, for example working with a WordPress site, is a cue Google will look at when determining the rank of your website in the results.
3. Consumer Expectations
Like the example above, customers now have a low tolerance for sites that aren’t optimized for smart devices and will click away without second thought. If your business relies on reaching people via the Internet, your site should serve consumers based on their expectations. On top of being mobile-friendly, the site also needs to feature easy navigation, great content, and fast loading pages.
Being mobile-friendly doesn’t have to be a daunting task, especially if your site uses an e-commerce platform, as many are responsive as a default. Check your site on your phone or tablet and experience it as a customer would to see if you’re serving them the best way possible.