If you’re like most of the business owners we speak with, you probably have a long list of web design “to do’s” to help you get ready for 2017. You might be planning new content, a review of your pay-per-click ads, or even a fresh approach to social media marketing.
But, with a recent announcement from Google, there is one item you should definitely bump to the top of that list: to double and triple check to ensure that you have a mobile-friendly website.
This is advice we have been giving for some time. After all, smartphone and tablet users now make up a majority of all Internet traffic, and both search engines and social media platforms have both been emphasizing fast, mobile-compatible content for some time.
Now Google is taking things to the next level with the admission that they’ll start filtering all search results through a mobile-first algorithm. That means any type of web page that can’t be crawled, loaded, and displayed quickly and correctly on a smaller screen is going to be de-prioritized by the world’s largest search engine and most popular web portal.
That gives companies of all sizes a huge incentive to either switch to responsive web design or embrace a mobile-first approach to marketing. In case you needed a few other good reasons to make the change, here are a couple of things to consider…
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Mobile device users make up a majority on the Internet. So, if your website isn’t built in a way that works for them, you could be losing half (or more) of your target audience. Can you afford to take that kind of hit and send so many buyers to your competitors?
Mobile-Friendly Websites Attract Local Buyers
Lots of mobile web users are shopping for local products and vendors. That means bigger orders, better reviews, and long-term customer relationships. For that reason, you get a bigger bang for your marketing buck with a mobile-friendly website.
Mobile Compatibility Helps on Facebook and Twitter
Social media marketing is beginning to approach search engine optimization in terms of importance to small businesses. But, lots of your customers are going to be interacting with Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms through their mobile devices. So, you need your website to be ready.
Adding Mobile Compatibility Isn’t Expensive or Complicated
You don’t have to break the bank, re-create your entire website, or sit through lots of endless meetings in order to add mobile compatibility to your website. In fact, the process tends to be simple and straightforward. So, why wait any longer?
The Path Forward is Clear
The latest announcement by Google is just one in a long string that have all moved us towards a world where smaller screens are the top priority. Mobile computing has become more important with each passing month, and you can bet that millions more iPhones, iPads, Androids, and Galaxy devices are going to fly off the shelves this holiday season. Adding mobile compatibility your website isn’t about getting ahead anymore – it’s necessary just to keep up with the times.
When it comes down to it, there really isn’t any good reason to put off upgrading your website to a mobile-friendly platform any longer. Unless you want to throw your money away and lose ground your competitors, now is the time to take action. Call or email SmartNet Solutions today and let us get our team to work for you!