Over 2 billion people are accessing the web from their mobile devices, a good reason why your website should be optimised for mobile. Whether you’re looking to improve your online sales, create brand awareness or increase traffic to your website, it’s important to understand the enormous potential the mobile market has to offer. We take a look at the top 5 reasons why your website is better off with mobile and tablet optimisation.
1. Increased Traffic
Global mobile traffic now accounts for over 50% of all Internet traffic. That’s a lot of traffic! Having a website that works on mobile allows more people to access and view your content. Most social media referrals are on mobile, so if your site can be accessed using a handheld device then there is going to be a higher chance of reaching out to the wider audience. Why would you want to miss out on all that traffic!
People aren’t just using their desktop at home to browse the web; people are now able to access the Internet on their way to work, when they are travelling abroad and even when they are out doing their shopping. This means there are more potential opportunities for users to connect with your site at any time. Having an online presence on mobile will inevitably increase your overall reach and total amount of traffic.
2. Higher Conversion Rate
Around $100 billion worth of transactions occurred on mobile devices in the US in 2015. This made up around a third of all U.S. ecommerce sales, which is staggering as it was up 38.7% from $75 billion in 2014. Mobile optimisation is critical if you are looking to generate more revenue online. Mobile users also behave differently and often want and expect more information faster. Studies have suggested that you are more likely to make impulse purchases and spend more on a mobile device than you would on a desktop.
Not having a payment compatible website for mobile is equivalent to closing your shop an extra day every week. It just means less potential sales. The more people viewing your website across all devices, the higher the overall conversion rate. It’s also important to allow customers to make payments easily as nothing will turn away a customer faster than a complicated payment system.
3. Enhanced Brand Engagement
61% of people have a better opinion of brands when they offer a good mobile experience and 41% have turned to a competitor’s site after a bad mobile experience. Mobile optimisation can improve website performance by offering a user-friendly experience and well designed navigation. Functionality is also something to bear in mind, as users would prefer swift page uploads and a simple, uncluttered layout. This will allow more of your readers or customers to engage with your content and share across other platforms. A well functioning mobile website with an easy to use payment system will result in an increase in brand loyalty and a higher chance of repeat business. 
4. Improved SEO
Google has announced that more than half of their 100 billion monthly searches are occurring on mobile which means more searches take place on mobile devices than on computers. This is important because if your website isn’t ranking on mobile search engines, then your potential customers aren’t going to find you! Mobile optimisation is essential for ranking in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. The recent changes made to search engine algorithms suggest that you are more likely to rank higher if your website is optimised for mobile. If your website has only been designed to function on desktop, then you risk not showing up in search engines on mobile, which could harm your business in the long run.
5. Reduced Bounce Rate
Mobile optimisation is ultimately about making it easier for users to read, watch, share or purchase your content on a handheld mobile device. If your website features too many ads, takes a long time load, has poor usability and functionality, then your bounce rate is going to increase. An easy to use mobile website means less people are going to leave your site resulting in a decrease in bounce rate. A lower bounce rate can mean good things. Firstly it means that your users are spending more time on your site, which means more of your content is being viewed and shared. Secondly it means there is going to be a higher chance of conversions within your site and an overall increase in revenue.
Conclusion
We hope you have enjoyed an insight into the world of mobile and how it can be beneficial to your overall online and digital objectives. Mobile is here to stay, for now. It’s growing every year and swathes of business are making the transition into mobile with the intention of utilising the vast quantities of additional traffic. The increase in mobile users in developing countries also presents a number of opportunities if you are especially looking to tap into the international market.
To get a website to work on mobile can be challenging and complex process depending on your overall requirements. If you are looking for any assistance with mobile and tablet optimisation, then please feel free to contact us.
