Make no mistake. The fact that you can access your website on your mobile device doesn’t mean its mobile friendly. If you have ignored the opportunity to make your business site mobile-friendly, I have bad news for you. As of today April 21st, Google’s search algorithm will favour mobile-optimised sites.
In a blog post announcing the changes way back in February, Google promises that they will “have a significant impact in our search results.” The end result, Google says, is to make it easier for users “to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.” Organic search traffic for your business is about to tank if you are not optimised for mobile yet. But the good news is, you can still do something about it.
Google has provided companies with a guide to creating mobile-friendly websites. You can also take this Google mobile-friendly test and fix potential issues with your site. This test will analyze your URL and report if your business site has a mobile-friendly design.
It’s never too late to consider building a mobile-friendly site. Hurry, because you have no time to waste. Change is here and only mobile optimised sites will benefit. You don’t want to be in the wrong books of Google. It will be bad for your business. If you depends largely on Google search to attract customers, now is the time for pay attention to your mobile site. Here is how to understand the full value of mobile for your business.
Here is why mobile friendly site is more important than you think.
HubSpot noted that 20% of all google searches are conducted from a mobile site. Without a website that is specifically optimized for a mobile device, you will be losing customers. If you thought you were not getting enough customers from mobile search, it’s about to get worse if your business site is not optimised.
Build a website that showcases your business on every screen from smartphones and tablets to computers. Your customers expect a great browsing experience regardless of what device they use.
Mobile-optimized website is particularly a priority in e-commerce website, as it demands for better user experience – failing which you are sure to face shopping cart abandonment and consequently lose business. Mobile users while shopping are more likely to buy a product or service if your site is optimized for mobile. The experience is way better than an ordinary and traditional website. User experience is everything on mobile devices. Give your customers the best experience if you want their business.
Responsive business site is your best option.
Chances are, your users probably aren’t only accessing your site from a smartphone. They might be using an iPad, a Kindle or one of the many new devices that are popping up everywhere you turn. As new devices of various sizes emerge, you’ll want to make sure you’re keeping up and given your customers the best mobile friendly experience at all times.
One way to overcome the hurdle of creating a different site for mobile devices is by choosing a CMS with “responsive design” instead of simply a “mobile optimized” site. Responsive design means that you only have one single domain, ”www.yourbusiness.com,” and when you edit it once, it updates and adjusts to appear optimally on every device. Responsive sites are the best bet for most small businesses. A responsive site allows you to reach the most active Web audience.
“Responsive web design” or RWD means that the page uses the same URL and the same code whether the user is on a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone – only the display adjusts or “responds” according to the screen size. Google recommends using RWD over other design patterns.
One of the benefits of RWD is that you’ll only need to maintain one version of your site instead of two (i.e., you won’t need to maintain the desktop site at www.example.com and the mobile version at m.example.com – you’ll maintain only one site, such as www.example.com, for desktop and mobile visitors).” Google
There are now lots of free and premium resources out there to make it easy for you to build a responsive site. DIY platforms like WordPress now make it insanely easy to create a responsive website in minutes. Just be sure the theme you use is labeled responsive. Alternatively, if you have the resources, you can hire a professional designer to create a good custom mobile friendly or a complete responsive website for your business.
“The advantages of a responsive site—elegant display and full functionality on any device, enhanced search engine optimization and single site management—make a responsive site the best investment for a business that really wants to be a player in the mobile era.” says Mobile expert Jody Resnick, CEO of Trighton Interactive.
When designing for mobile, stick to simpler page designs, large font sizes, critical information placed “above the fold,” and big, touchable buttons.
Once you get the technology right, turn your attention to creating great epic content that educate and inform your customers. Don’t just promote your product, educate your audience.
Multi-screen vendors can help you while you focus on your core business.
If you can’t handle the optimisation of your site in-house, some of these free tools and apps could help you. The tools include some of best WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) mobile design solutions at the moment. They are also reasonably priced if not free.
Other muti screen companies can also help you optimise your business’s website for seamless functionality across all devices. Check out these Google resources too if you need to know a lot more about what to do, your options and how best to go about optimising your site for multiple screens.
Other free tools for creating a mobile-friendly site in minutes.
1. Google Mobile Optimizer changes your regular Website into a mobile Website in the quickest possible time.
2. Mippin is yet another useful and free tool to help you with creating a mobile version of your Website.
3. Mobify runs on a freemium model and offers you a user-friendly and intuitive GUI or graphical user interface. This tool helps you create your Website in just a few minutes.
4. MobilePress is a nice free WordPress plugin, which helps you generate a mobile version of your WordPress-powered Website with ease.
5.Wirenode is a tool used by several leading establishments to develop mobile versions of their own Websites.
In the meantime, before you go ahead to optimise your business site for mobile devices, take these actions.
Rather than creating two separate websites (a traditional site and a mobile site), create a single site that will render correctly on both computers and mobile devices. It’s the best way to build a future-proof business site.