Are you taking advantage of the mobile world?

13 April 2017 | | Blog

Over the past few years, we have seen a significant switch from the use of desktop computers to mobile devices, which has influenced the way Google and other search engines index and rank sites. The overall number of searches coming from a mobile device now outnumber searches on a desktop, with mobile devices currently accounting for over 60% of the traffic.

Mobile-friendly design and page speed are the fundamental components of a mobile-optimized website.

Google has a number of tools for testing for mobile usability and, beyond that, Search Console has a mobile usability report that details problems on a page-by-page level.

You should utilize these tools while developing your new site and use Search Console to keep tabs on problems throughout the life of the site.

Being mobile-friendly does not just mean that your website can be viewed on mobile devices. A mobile-friendly site should be designed specifically for smaller screens, allowing easy navigation via larger touch-screen buttons, and only display relevant information and content for the users’ needs.

Page Speed

Page speed is important on all devices, but it can be critically important on mobile when users are out and about looking for quick answers. A page that may load relatively quickly on a WiFi network may not be quite so snappy on a mobile data network. 4G has delivered some great speed improvements, but coverage (in the UK, at least) is not something that can be relied upon.

There are, however, a range of best practices for improving page speed and, once again, Google has come to our aid with the PageSpeed insights tool. This enables us to easily assess how fast our pages load and get some pointers on what we can do to improve.

Why do you need a mobile-friendly website?

There are a number of different reasons why your website should be mobile-friendly. These include:

  • Improved mobile search rankings. Google’s new update has begun to penalize sites that aren’t mobile-friendly by boosting the mobile rankings of mobile-friendly website. If you want to be found in mobile search results, now is the time to update your website.
  • Better user experience. Even if you don’t think mobile searches are important, a non mobile-friendly site can lead to a less than stellar experience for both current and potential patients.
  • Quicker speeds. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile use, it can load slowly and may even drive people away. A mobile-friendly site will offer a much faster option for viewers.

Basic mobile optimization

  • Responsive design
  • Page speed
  • Hosting speed

Homepage and site navigation

  • Keep calls to action front and center
  • Keep menus short and sweet
  • Make it easy to get back to the home page
  • Don’t let promotions steal the show

Site search

  • Make site search visible
  • Ensure site search results are relevant
  • Implement filters to improve site search usability
  • Guide users to better search results

Commerce and conversions

  • Let users explore before they commit
  • Let users purchase as a guest
  • Use existing information to maximize convenience
  • Use click-to-call buttons for complex tasks
  • Make it easy to finish converting on another device

Form entry

  • Streamline form entry
  • Choose the simplest input method for each task
  • Provide a visual calendar for selecting dates
  • Minimize form errors with labeling and real-time validation
  • Design efficient forms
  • Usability and form factor

Optimize your entire site for mobile

  • Don’t make users pinch to zoom
  • Make product images expandable
  • Tell users which screen orientation works best
  • Keep your user in a single browser window
  • Avoid “full site” labeling
  • Be clear why you need a user’s location

A mobile-friendly website is an essential for every marketer to develop a successful SEO strategy. If you would like any further information then please give the Dental Design team a call on: 01202 677277

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