Why Is It a Good Idea to Have a Mobile Friendly Website?

You want to provide the best user experience possible, and that means creating a mobile website that is visually appealing, easy to use, and consistent with your brand image. Browsing a desktop website on a smartphone or other mobile device only leads to frustration and negative impressions. To make a positive impression and have the best chance of meeting your business goals, you need a mobile-friendly website. Not convinced? Here are 6 reasons why having a mobile-friendly website is essential:

1. Mobile Internet Usage is on the Rise
Smartphones and other mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular for surfing the Internet. In fact, mobile Internet surfing has surpassed use of the Internet on personal computers. According to Nielsen, adults in the United States spend about 7 more hours using the Internet on their smartphones than they do on their PCs. That's a big deal for companies that don't have mobile-friendly websites. Basically, these companies aren't putting their best feet forward, and as a result, they risk losing customers.

2. Appearances are everything
Your website's visual appeal plays a major role in the success of your company. Think of your website as your store's window. If your target customer looks in your store window and sees a messy, unattractive display, he is likely to move on. The same applies to the mobile version of your website. At best, a messy, unattractive mobile site will prompt your target audience to assume you're new to the business. At worst, it will make your audience believe you have no idea what you're doing.
In addition to using eye-catching graphics and colors that suit your industry and brand, opting for an adaptive or responsive design ensures the most attractive appearance for your mobile site. With an adaptive design, your site will adapt to provide the best page presentation based on the capabilities of the device a visitor uses to browse your site. A responsive design, on the other hand, involves the creation of a site that will look its best across many different devices. This option sometimes even provides visitors with ways to adjust the content to their specifications, such as including tools to make the text larger or smaller.

3. Your Brand Identity
Branding is a major part of acquiring new customers and keeping those you've already won over, so your website, ads, signage, and paper documents should consistently promote your brand. Your mobile website should mirror the desktop version, so that your visitors experience the same look and feel no matter how they choose to access your site. A consistent experience boosts engagement and helps establish trust and confidence in your brand. In fact, Internet users are more likely to purchase from a business with recognizable branding that is the same regardless of how it is viewed.

4. Accessibility Matters
You wouldn't expect your customers to struggle with a complicated, slow-to-load, or difficult-to-navigate desktop website, so why accept that when it comes to your mobile site? When your customers navigate to your mobile site, they expect to see clear images and text. Likewise, they want to be able to use all the functions your website offers, including enlarging images, clicking on buttons, and filling out forms without a lot of hassle. If they can't, your customers may get frustrated and navigate over to a more mobile-friendly website. Keep in mind that many companies have come to recognize the value of a mobile-friendly site. If yours lags behind, your customers have plenty of other places to go.

5. Speed
Besides usability, mobile users want speed. Today's Internet users are busier than ever before, and they're unlikely to sit around waiting for a mobile website that takes a long time to load or is difficult to navigate. The good news is that mobile-friendly websites load faster on mobile devices than desktop versions. For your customer, this translates into less time waiting and a more satisfying overall browsing experience.

6. Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization is just as important in the mobile arena as it is for desktop websites. If your target market can type in a search term and easily find your website, you'll have more visitors, and most likely, more customers. When it comes to mobile-friendly search engines, it's the mobile websites, not the desktop versions that rank best in mobile searches. Likewise, there are many mobile directories that will list your mobile-friendly site, providing additional ways for your audience to find you.
Having an attractive, easy-to-navigate mobile website is key to not only encouraging your target market to use your business, but also to enhancing your brand image. If you want your customers to have positive feelings about your brand and an easy way to take advantage of all your products and services, creating a mobile-friendly site is the best option.