Is your website mobile friendly? If not, it should be. A mobile-friendly website can increase engagement and boost your business’ sales!
The Pew Internet and American Life Project estimates that more than half of American adults own smartphones, one-third own tablets and most all are using their devices to go online. In the past year, mobile search grew over 400 percent and, according to Google, 67 percent of consumers are more likely to buy from a business if it has a mobile-friendly website. Your customers are searching via mobile and it’s in your best interest to “mobilize” your website to communicate with them more effectively.
Here are 9 tips to help you “mobilize” your website:
1. Test your site. There are a variety of tools you can use to see how your site looks on a range of different mobile devices, from Android phones to iPads. MobilePhoneEmulator, mobiReady and Screenfly are a few to try.
2. Start with the basics. Smartphone users are typically looking for directions, hours and contact information. Be sure to include that information at the top of your website’s home page, where it’s easy to find, and be sure to include a Google Maps link. It’s also a good idea to feature a “click to call” button on every page of your website so customers on the go can easily contact you from their smartphone.
3. Limit images. Mobile devices often have trouble loading large image files or loading pages featuring an abundance of images and this inherent lag time can frustrate prospective customers. In order to use images most effectively, be sure to select relevant images and use smaller, compressed image files that quickly load via mobile connections.
4. Design for touchscreens. Clicking on elements is more difficult on smartphone screens. To avoid user frustration and incorrect clicking, be sure all buttons and links are easy to use by surrounding them with plenty of white space and ensuring there is ample space between any live links.
5. Limit the amount of text users must enter. Since it’s often difficult to complete forms and enter information on smartphone and tablet screens, use dropdown menus and/or lists so users can tap a selection rather than manually enter information.
6. Cut down on content. Streamline your content so users can capture the key points of your message without having to browse through a lot of small text.
7. Simplify site navigation. If your standard website has a lot of menu options or tabs, consolidate them into a shorter list of navigation options for your mobile site. Focus on the choices mobile users are most likely to care about.
8. Make email messages mobile-friendly. Many users check their email on their smartphone or tablet so be sure that your email marketing is optimized for mobile use!
9. Think mobile when being social. Keep posts short so customers can quickly enjoy them on mobile devices.
If you need help “mobilizing” your website, contact us, we’d be happy to assist!
cmarieconsult.wordpress.com 