Have you ever pulled up your company’s website on a smart phone or tablet? How does it look? Is it easy to navigate? Does it pop right up or take agonizingly long to load? According to thinkwithgoogle.com, 40% of users will abandon a webpage if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Does your site make the cut?
Mobile is nothing new, but it’s increasing importance is what has made it something big to consider for 2016. If your website isn’t already mobile-friendly, that’s clearly where you need to start. This used to be a bonus option, but now it’s absolutely essential. Last year, mobile finally overtook desktop as the primary screen for social media users (via Adwords blog) and now 80% of internet users own a smartphone. Things like Smart TV’s and watches are also adding to the necessity of mobile compatibility.
In fact, according to USAToday, 14% of users wouldn’t even consider doing business with a company that doesn’t have a mobile site or app. How many times have you tried to access a website on your phone or tablet that either loads too slowly or isn’t mobile-friendly? Most of the time, users give up and move on to a new website or brand. This should never happen to you.
So what can you do to improve your site’s mobile compatibility? Cutting down on things like elements and number of images. If your site is based on a platform like WordPress, there are often plugins and special themes that can help you create a mobile-friendly site. An experienced web designer can also help you out and are usually worth the investment.