Due to the increase in mobile phone use across the globe, there has been an upsurge in the percentage of web traffic coming from different mobile devices. Having a mobile-friendly website is, therefore, a worthwhile effort as it can put you way ahead of your competitors. Below are some of the main benefits of having a mobile-friendly website:
1. An Increase in Mobile Phone Use
With over three billion mobile phones currently being used across the globe, we are heading towards a time when most people’s first experience with the Internet will be through mobile devices. This means that businesses and other website owners have no option but to adapt to this trend. With responsive websites, mobile phone users will be able to access the relevant information and even perform certain tasks with ease.
2. It is an Inexpensive Option
Considering that mobile screens are much different from computer screens, mobile friendly website designs must also change accordingly. Fortunately, it is a cheaper process and less time consuming. Moreover, users find it to be convenient as it takes up lesser data bundles compared to accessing conventional websites.
3. GPS Use
GPS is a very important technology that is used by so many mobile phone users to find certain things and directions. In fact, most people use it to locate nearby businesses and services. If your business does not have a mobile friendly site, you are likely to be losing such customers in your area.
4. The SEO and Google Algorithm Factor
Having a mobile friendly site also helps in Search Engine Optimization. It does so by improving rankings on the mobile-friendly search engines like Yahoo and Google. Moreover, Google’s algorithm currently rewards mobile friendly sites. For instance, on April 21, 2015, Google made a significant change in the way websites are ranked. The change is based on whether a blog, website or landing pages are optimized for mobile devices. This is bound to significantly affect the search traffic of different websites.
5. Compatibility with Different Platforms
Rather than producing applications that perform similar functions, having a mobile friendly website will save you this hassle. Moreover, the option is less expensive, and you will not need to make different applications for different platforms.
6. The 2D Bar Codes
This is another great bonus that comes with the mobile friendly sites. 2D bar codes resemble regular bar codes, although they are capable of doing a lot more. For instance, they may be used for discounts. The customer just needs to take a picture of such a code using his/her cell phone and get instant access to the details as well as reviews of that particular product. This enables the individual to make an informed decision before purchasing the product.
7. Better User Experience
In the past, it was hard to make a good mobile site and give users a remarkable experience due to low bandwidth as well as server speeds. This has significantly changed in recent times. It is now possible to make a topnotch mobile site, with an enriching user experience.
Choosing Your Mobile Optimization Approach
Just in case your web content is not optimized for mobile, it will be extremely important to make the necessary changes due to the new Google algorithm. Note that even the most outstanding landing page can witness drastic diminishing returns if it is not optimized for mobile. To be protected from these changes, you need to move your content to three main setups or configurations that Google recognizes as mobile friendly. They include:
I. Responsive Design
This is Google’s number one recommended design pattern. This option is the most preferred as it does not create two different copies of the same site. This means that users only have one single URL to visit. It is upon the website to adapt to the type of device being used.
II. Dynamic Serving
Just like the responsive design, the dynamic serving approach will keep the same URL. It is only the HTML that changes. The setup uses user-agents so as to “sniff” out the type of device a viewer is using and dynamically serve up the most appropriate view.
III. The Mobile Website Option
This earliest version of mobile optimization involves the creation of a separate mobile website. Whenever a new user visits the website, the configuration detects the device and redirects them to the most appropriate website using redirects.
Although most people dread Google algorithm changes, mobile optimization is a good one, both for Google users as well as marketers. Optimizing your website to suit the way people access information and even shop will meet the needs of different customers. This will reduce the friction on your website and in turn, lead to more revenue for your company or business. To get the best results, you need to a topnotch company with experience in SEO and web optimization. If you are looking for such a company, you can contact us, Virtual Surge. Virtual Surge is a company that is renowned for exceptional social media, reputation management and web design solutions.
To find out if your website is mobile friendly, test it by visiting this link: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/