Mobile Matters: How mobile usage is changing the way we do business

It's no secret that mobile devices have changed the way people access the internet. We’re a nation addicted to our phones, and we're using them increasingly more often to inform our buying decisions, perhaps more than you realise.

According to recent studies, more than half of all internet traffic now comes from mobile devices. This means that businesses must pay attention to how their website looks and functions on a mobile device.

Whether it’s a quick Google search for local restaurants in the area, or researching a business's website before giving them a phone, mobile usage is increasingly affecting customers’ purchasing habits.

This leads us to the simple fact that if your business' website is not properly designed for mobile, you risk losing a large percentage of potential sales and customers.

In this edition of Inside Track, I’ll dive further into the topic of mobile-friendly websites, highlighting some of the key facts and figures to show why optimising your website for mobile is critical in 2023.

Mobile users and their online behaviour

Mobiles are everywhere. And more importantly, people use their mobile phones everywhere they go.

Although unimaginable 50 years ago, people now have a device that allows them to instantly research, find and purchase products no matter where they are in the world.

Understandably, this has changed, and continues to change, the retail landscape. More and more people are buying through their mobile, and even those who aren’t making the final purchase via mobile are still using their smart devices to inform their buying decisions. (i.e. reading reviews, comparing prices, researching retailers.

Let’s look up some facts that back up this stance:

• In 2021, over 54.8% of global website traffic was generated through mobile devices (Statista, 2021).
• Almost six out of every ten shoppers say that being able to purchase products on mobile devices is a key factor when it comes to choosing brands or retailers to buy from (Google, 2019).

• Over half of global online shoppers (50.9 percent) make purchases using their mobile phones at least once a week. (DataReportal, 2023)

These statistics show that mobile devices play a significant role in consumers' online behaviour and purchasing decisions.

If your website isn't optimised for mobile, you risk losing potential customers to your competitors who do have a mobile-friendly website.

10 MIND-BLOWING STATS ON MOBILE USAGE

The impact of mobile usage on in-person buying

What is more, mobile phone usage impacts on more than just online buying. More and more people are using their smart devices to research local shops, cafes, restaurants and bars before visiting them in person.

I’m sure you can relate?

The two below stats back up the stance that having your website optimised for mobile will have a significant impact on the likelihood of potential customers visiting your business in-person to make a purchase:

• 72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within five miles (HubSpot, 2022).
• 61% of mobile users are more likely to contact a local business with a mobile-friendly site (Bright Local, 2015).

It's clear to see that having a mobile-friendly website will not only help grow your online presence and sales, but will also bring more foot traffic to your store, café, office or restaurant.

Therefore, mobile websites aren’t just important for online retailers, they are also essential for local businesses.

The Importance of optimising your website for mobile

Whilst mobile users can bring huge amounts of business, it’s important to note that they behave differently than desktop users.

Mobile users tend to have shorter attention spans and are more likely to browse quickly, looking for quick answers or solutions. Mobile users also tend to be more impatient and are more likely to abandon a website if it takes too long to load or is difficult to navigate.

In fact, a 2020 study by Deloitte found that a 0.1-second drop in mobile load time correlated with an 8.4% increase in conversions among retail customers, highlighting just how essential it is that your mobile website loads fast if you want to keep your customers on-site.

This brings us nicely onto my next point: Mobile optimisation is more than just making your website look good on a smaller screen. It also needs to be well-built, fast and functional.

Here are some additional reasons why making your website optimised for mobile is crucial for your business:

• Mobile usage is on the rise: More and more people are using their mobile devices to access the internet, and this trend is only going to continue. In fact, over half of all internet traffic now comes from mobile devices (Statista, 2022).
• Improved user experience: A mobile-optimised website provides a better user experience, leading to increased engagement and conversion rates.
• Better search engine rankings: Google favours mobile-optimised websites in their search engine results pages (SERPs). If your website isn't optimised for mobile, you may be missing out on potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours!
• Competitive advantage: If your competitors haven't optimised their website for mobile, you can gain a competitive advantage by providing a better mobile experience for your customers.

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How Inspire can help

At Inspire, we understand the importance of making sure your website operates smoothly on mobile devices. For every website project we undertake, we ensure that it is fully optimised and functional for mobile, tablet and desktop.

Other ways that we can help when it comes to creating mobile-friendly websites are:

• Mobile optimisation audit: We can analyse your website's mobile responsiveness, speed, and overall user experience to identify areas for improvement.
• Mobile-friendly website design: We can design a mobile-responsive website that provides a seamless user experience across all devices.
• Mobile SEO: We can optimise your website's content and structure for better search engine rankings on mobile devices.

Mobile optimisation is crucial for any business looking to succeed in our modern, online world.

By optimising your website for mobile, you can provide a better user experience, rank higher in search engine results pages, and gain a competitive advantage over your competitors.

If you would like to find out more about making your website more mobile-friendly, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly and I’ll be happy to provide you with no-obligation advice on the subject.

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If you want any specific advice about anything digital, I'm here to help. Give me a call on 01738 700 006 or drop me a line and I’ll get right back to you.