A mobile-friendly website is no longer an option - it's a must for every business

Written on the 15 April 2015 by Snap Marketing

If your business website isn't mobile friendly, Google has made it clear that your page rank will drop in favour of those sites that are optimised for smartphone and tablet viewing. For most businesses, losing page rank means losing money.

This is one of the many Google algorithm updates where they have clearly stated their intentions so businesses have been warned to take it seriously. The question you need to ask yourself is:
"Is my content properly optimised for mobile search?"

It's easy to find out test your website here: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

If you don't pass, you need to do something now. And there are more reasons to have a mobile-friendly site than keeping Google happy it also keeps your customers and potential customers happy.

A mobile website is:

• A more user-friendly option
• Loads faster (when load speed is slow, people disengage and go elsewhere)
• Simpler to navigate
• Easier to use
• Everything users need is one click away

Six more reasons why you need a mobile-friendly website

Experiencing the wrath of Google is best avoided for any business. However there are a number of solid reasons why your website must be mobile-friendly (no matter what business you're in):

1. 91% of adults keep their smartphones within arm's reach (Source: Morgan Stanley). That makes them even more prominent in a person's day-to-day life than a desktop or laptop computer.
2. More than 1.2 billion people worldwide use the internet via their mobile.
3. Mobile accounts for half of all ecommerce traffic (40% mobile, 10% tablets).
4. Mobile commerce is growing three times faster than overall commerce.
5. Up to 97% of shopping carts on a mobile are abandoned. Poor usability is one of the main reasons. What's more, almost 50% of these people say they will go to a competitor's site if they're not happy with the experience.
6. And here's a big one - according to a recent comScore report, users are now spending the majority of their time consuming digital media on mobile applications.

What, exactly, is a custom mobile website?

A custom mobile site is literally a custom-built website that can be viewed properly on a smartphone. It allows users to easily navigate around a website and find the information they need important information such as contact numbers, address and products or services.

"But, I can't afford it"

Actually, you might be surprised at how affordable it can be. Just call your local Snap Centre, who can build a custom mobile website that suits any budget.

Finally, just consider the cost of NOT having a mobile-friendly website it's to the benefit of your business that you do it sooner rather than later.