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Over the last few years the smartphone has become one of the most important tools that a person can have at their disposal. The ability of such devices to connect to the internet opens up a whole new world of possibilities, which the savvy business owner can take advantage of.
As such, it is important to ensure that you have a mobile friendly website so that you don’t lose out on potential customers. Learn the how and why to ensure your website displays properly on a smartphone or tablet.
Google’s Mobile Friendly Algorithm
Google is the largest search engine in the world, so your SEO efforts need to be focused on making gains in their search results.
The company recently announced that they are placing more importance on mobile and have released a Mobile Guide and Test that will tell you if your website is mobile friendly. Google has also indicated that websites not mobile compliant will see their overall rankings drop in the search results.
If your website that is fully functional on smartphones and tablets, you can be sure that you will be missing out on potential visitors and conversions.
Mobile Search Traffic Passes Desktop
Over the last five years or so there has been an increasing trend where smartphones are used to access the internet rather than regular desktop computers. This year that trend has resulted in the majority of searches conducted now being done using a mobile device.
Google announced the shift and recognizes that today’s on-the-go searcher expects sites to be mobile friendly,
Because of this, an increased focus on mobile search is absolutely essential if you want to get the most out of your website.
Click To Call
One of the main goals for your website should be to encourage visitors to contact you about your services, or make a purchase if you have an online store.
Using a cell phone to browse an older, non-mobile site makes this more difficult.
A unique feature of mobile sites is being able to add a ‘Click To Call’ feature. By simply tapping your phone number on the screen, a mobile user can call your business from your mobile website rather than having to jot the number down and call later. A recent survey has shown that more than 40% of people now use this function. Having “Click To Call” programmed as a feature on your mobile site will will help your site achieve more conversions.
Information On The Go
Making sure that all of the information a potential customer might need is made available to them at all times is an excellent way of upping your conversion rate, as it shows the customer you care about helping them and also provides them with all of the tools they need to make a decision.
If you don’t have a mobile website then you are taking away one of the most commonly used methods of gaining information away from the customer. If the customer doesn’t get the information they need from you, it’s very likely that they will simply head elsewhere.
How Do I Know If I Have a Responsive Website?
The best way to find out about the current state of your website is to test it using Google’s Mobile Guide and Test. You’ll know within a minute if your website is mobile friendly. Google’s tool also provides advice on what needs to be improved.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]