As Evan informed us in his most recent blog post 3 Signs It's Time for a Website Makeover, more than 50% of online searches are performed on a mobile device. But that's not the only astounding mobile statistic out there. Consider the following:
- There are over 1.2 billion people accessing the web from their mobile devices
- 80% of all internet users use a smartphone
- Smartphone usage increased 394% between 2010 and 2014
- In March of 2o15, the number of mobile-only adult internet users exceeded the number of desktop-only internet users.
So clearly it's no secret that mobile has taken over the world. And if you are anything like the HIVE team, your phone is never further than an arm's reach away. So it makes total and complete sense that you would want (or, in our opinion, need) a mobile optimized website.
Yes, mobile is king when it comes to internet usage. Your customers are there. They are looking for you. And you need to be there when they come calling. But that's not the only reason to have a mobile optimized site...there are two other major reasons you cannot afford not to:
1. Google says you have to (and, trust us, you don't want to disobey Google)
Let's face the fact...Google basically owns the internet And, based on the stats above, the internet is mobile. Google has recognized this and taken steps to make it even more important for your site to be mobile optimized. In fact, they found mobile so important that in 2015, they released a new algorithm that favors mobile responsive sites. Check out this HubSpot blog post to learn more.
At it's most simple, if your website is not mobile optimized, there's a really good chance your Google ranking results are suffering because of that. And we all know just how important Google rank is in our current world where 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. You cannot afford to lose the traffic that comes from Google and a mobile optimized site is now just as important as strong SEO practices. And you can't afford to get on Google's bad side either.
2. Your customers will thank you
We've already shown you that your customers are using their mobile devices to access the internet. But they can access sites that aren't necessarily mobile optimized sites, so why take that next step? It's all about user experience. How many times have you gone to a website that you have to zoom into and scroll around to find the information you need? Not the cleanest experience you could have, right? And sometimes the sheer amount of content on a full website can be frustrating to customers looking for something specific. A mobile optimized site allows you to prioritize the content that a mobile user might be looking for and help make sure they find it quickly and easily.
Ultimately, if you haven't already jumped on the mobile site bandwagon, there is a chance you're already being deprioritized by Google and you might be frustrating your customers who are trying to find information about your business. Implementing a truly mobile optimized site will not only make Google and your customers happier, it will make your business more successful.
