Is your website traffic decreasing? If so, then there might be one more issue that you still need to address; that is, the importance of having a responsive design today. In this smartphone age, a website that does not function properly on mobile is like a shop with a locked door.
Consider this: a potential client is trying to access your website on a smartphone only to find a small font, non-proportional images, and icons that are too small to press. This happens too many times, and the visitor has no choice but to go to another website that offers better mobile designs. There’s a good reason why that’s more than just a nuisance- it’s a huge thorn in your side to moving on and succeeding online.
However, there is a silver lining. There is a better way to turn around the online exposure that you have using the responsive website capabilities and address the growing mobile user base, which in turn increases their traffic considerably. In this article, we will be looking at the reasons for the fact that a mobile-friendly website design is no longer an option and how it can help unlock the true potential of your website.
The Rise of Mobile Usage
Mobile devices have transformed nearly everything in today’s globe. Mobile devices are no longer reserved for SMS alone, as is the case with previous, more simplistic mobile devices. Today, one can use a mobile phone to surf the internet, make transactions, and even relate to brands and services of their choice.
More customers are shopping the web and reaching out to brands on their smartphones and tablets rather than being stuck to their desktops and laptops.
Several studies highlight this significant shift towards mobile usage:
- A Statista report found that in Q1 2023, mobile devices (excluding tablets) accounted for 58.33% of global website traffic.
- Oberlo’s research shows that in 2013, desktops dominated with 82.98% of web traffic. The turning point came in November 2016, when mobile overtook desktop, accounting for 50.7% of internet traffic compared to desktop’s 49.3%.
- According to HubSpot, 33% of businesses have incorporated mobile-friendly website design into their marketing strategy, while over 54% have integrated it into their search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy.
These numbers highlight how mobile-responsive websites are becoming increasingly essential. Since an increasing number of individuals tend to use mobile devices to browse the internet, companies have to make sure that their sites are suitable for these users. How to design responsive websites is a crucial skill for developers and businesses alike. Not doing this will imply losing visitors as well as a chance.
This is a fundamental change in the way users interact with technology, and therefore, having a mobile site is now a basic requirement. It is a basic requirement for such businesses if they fully want to reach out to their target audience while remaining in business.
Why is it so Important for a Page to be Mobile-friendly?
A mobile-compatible website easily adjusts to any screen resolution and device. This ensures the ease of accessibility and pleasant enjoyment of anyone’s content, irrespective of a user’s choice of visiting the site. Let’s take a look at the main advantages of mobile-friendly design one by one:
Improved User Experience
The demand for mobile-friendly websites provides functionality over smart devices such as tablets and smartphones. This is because all the text is legible without any magnification, the buttons can easily be pressed with a finger, and the layout is user-friendly. All these factors work together to ensure that the audience remains attentive for a longer time and even interacts with the information to a greater extent.
Increased Conversions
When users interact on a smooth, mobile-friendly surface and do the actions you want them to do, expressed in different terms, they will act. This may translate to buying something, completing a particular task such as filling in a form or subscribing to a newsletter. With a mobile, adaptable design, there are no such barriers, and it is easier for the visitors to turn into conversions.
Competitive Advantage
Approximately 70% of the business owners have used an app or other accompanying device that is not centred on a business strategy. Make your website usable on mobile devices and put your site one step ahead of your competitors who have yet to go this far.
Improved Brand Reputation
If your business has an optimised mobile site, you can project a better image of the company. It indicates that you respect your customer’s time and how they will enjoy the service, thus improving or maintaining their reputation and loyalty.
Improved Search Engine Rankings
Search engines like Google place much emphasis on mobile-optimised websites. That is why having a mobile-optimised website improves your chances of appearing in search engine results and thus increases traffic to your website.
Search Engine Optimisation
Mobile compatibility has become an important consideration in search engine optimisation today. When determining your position in search results, search engines will pay attention to how well your website operates on mobile devices. This is why every SEO strategy should incorporate mobile optimisation.
Faster Loading Times
Pages designed for mobile devices invariably prioritise the speed of loading as everything is geared towards the speed of the mobile networks, and the design includes optimised images, compact codes, and efficient visual layouts. This boosted speed enhances user experience, which may translate to better ranking in the search engines.
Increased Traffic
As access to the internet becomes increasingly mobile, it would serve the interests of the site to include a layout that is mobile responsive, as mobile users are increasing in numbers. Its chances of surprising mobile users and keeping them on the site are also high, leading to subsequent higher traffic to the different pages of the website.
Lower Bounce Rate
Ease of mobile navigation can prevent users from immediately bouncing off the said site. This decline in bounce rate indicates to search engines that the information provided is precise and worthwhile and can promote the rankings further.
Responsive Design
Responsive design is one of the most common ways of designing websites that are meant to be used on handheld devices. It allows any layout or design to fit automatically any screen size, providing the same level of experience on any device. How to design responsive websites in Figma has become an increasingly valuable skill for designers, as it enables them to create adaptable layouts efficiently. This technique is quite effective and inexpensive to implement.
Improved Site Speed
Designs that are created for mobile devices employ certain strategies for speed enhancement. This includes image compression, code reduction, and the use of a browser cache. It is acceptable to say that quicker websites enhance the usability and experience of users while optimising the website for search engines.
Improves Search Visibility
Websites that are optimised for mobile devices stand a higher chance of ranking on mobile searches. As the number of mobile searches keeps increasing, this kind of visibility will enhance your online image and help bring in more potential customers.
Lower Maintenance
A well-incorporated mobile-friendly design allows you to have only one version of your website; hence, there is no need for a separate version for mobile devices. This is much better than designing and implementing mobile and desktop sites, which reduces your upkeep costs and hard work.
Mobile-friendly Content
It is essential to produce mobile-friendly content. This requires using appropriate font sizes, shortening the text into smaller paragraphs, and adapting the images and videos to the right mobile dimensions. Effective content promotion helps to maintain the focus of mobile viewers.
Simplified Navigation
Mobile-optimised web design generally has more simple navigation menus that can be easily utilised in smaller screen settings. A simplified design aids the user in searching for items and finding the required content, improving the user experience on your website.
Cost-effective
Designing a mobile-optimised site is an expense that entails a one-off cost. However, it proves to be economical in the long term. You are put in a position to interact with a wider audience, enhance user experience, and increase conversions, among other aspects that are likely to have a positive effect on your profits.
Partnering with Make My Website for Mobile Success
Though it’s easy to have a mobile-compatible site, nowadays, it is no longer an advantage but rather a requisite. Since it leads to better user experience and higher conversion rates, as well as enhanced search engine optimisation and cost savings, there are evidently several advantages to designing for mobile devices.
More than creative and attractive designs of websites are needed to claim that a designer is proficient. These are some of the aspects that Make My Website can change for the good of your business.
We specialise in creating and designing interactive websites that are responsive to users, regardless of the reader’s device screen size. If you need assistance with mobile design principles with regard to understanding the theoretical concepts behind them, our team can offer you the following services:
- Design and build a responsive website that fits nicely to all screen sizes
- Enhance the speed and efficiency of your website performance on mobile devices
- Develop content that is interesting to your audience on their mobile devices
- Carry out mobile search engine optimisation techniques to increase the search visibility in mobile users
- Make sure that your website delivers a perfect experience irrespective of the device being used by the users.
When you join hands with Make My Website, you do not just build a mobile responsive website design – you build an engagement tool that brings in traffic, holds the visitors, and ultimately helps in the expansion of business in the mobile age.
Bad mobile designs should never be an excuse for a bad website. Reach out to us today and be on your way to getting a mobile-optimised site that will attract, engage, and turn your visitors into customers.