5 Tips for Aligning Your Website with a Mobile-First World
|You’ve probably heard that we are now living in a “mobile-first world” on the internet. The rumors are true – the internet has officially become a mobile-centered experience. Even Google has officially implemented mobile-first indexing.
“Mobile-first” has officially become a way of life in the IoT world and if you want your website to survive, you’ve got to adopt a mobile-first mindset. Not sure where to start? Here are 5 tips to align your website with a mobile-first world.
1. Consult with UX/UI experts
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) are two of the most important aspects of a mobile-first website. This was true before the world became mobile-centered and it’s especially true now.
In an article titled The Bottom Line: Why Good UX Design Means Better Business, Forbes contributor Goran Paunovic discusses the impact of strong UX/UI on conversion rates. Paunovic cites a study from Forrester Research that found a well-designed user interface can increase conversions by up to 200% while better UX design can skyrocket conversions by up to 400%.
Don’t try to design your own UX/UI features without at least consulting with an expert. Better yet, hire a professional design company with extensive experience in UX/UI. If you use reputable nearshore developers, you’ll not only save money, but you’ll be in the approximate time zone for optimal communications and a speedy delivery.
2. Buy all WordPress themes from professional developers
To accommodate a mobile-first world, WordPress developers create themes so that the mobile and desktop versions are nearly identical. The only difference is menu placement and how elements are laid out.
You want the desktop and mobile version of your website to look identical so that users have a consistent experience across all devices. Small differences are expected, like using a hamburger menu on a mobile site. However, desktop users have become accustomed to using the hamburger menu as well.
3. Build your website for mobile users first
Numerous studies have shown that at least 40% of internet users only browse the web on a mobile device. A large percentage of mobile users exclusively use a mobile device to shop, make payments, watch YouTube videos, and browse the web. This means your energy should be spent perfecting your mobile website design first. When mobile users can navigate your site easily, so can desktop users. Building separate mobile/desktop websites is unnecessary.
Today, building a separate site optimized for mobile users is no longer standard practice. Instead, businesses and individuals are expected to build one website that is optimized for mobile devices first. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a separate mobile version of your website if you need to present a slightly altered experience for mobile users. However, those differences should be minor changes and not an entirely separate mobile design.
4. Hire a professional SEO company
Regardless of what you may have seen on YouTube and other social media platforms, true search engine optimization (SEO) is not a DIY weekend project. While some SEO components are easily implemented by anyone, the majority of SEO work requires extensive knowledge and experience.
SEO is more than “gaming the system” of the search engines to get ranked. That’s how it used to work, but not anymore. SEO is now inextricably combined with high-level marketing strategies and can’t be separated as it was in the past.
You also need to know how to collect and analyze data in order to make new decisions based on that data. If you don’t collect data properly, or you misinterpret that data, your decisions can do more harm. Part of this is having a firm grasp on Google’s mobile-first indexing methods. While nobody knows the exact algorithm formulas, experienced SEO firms have the experience required to make the right moves.
If you’re not working with a professional SEO agency, you’re not getting the full benefits of search engine optimization.
5. Test early and test often
Whether you already have a website published or you’re working on launching a new site, test your site early and often for mobile compatibility and functionality. Your mobile users should be able to do everything your desktop users can do regardless of their device.
Will your site be ready for an increase in mobile users?
Although the number of mobile-only internet users has yet to exceed 50% of all internet users, that’s quickly changing. Make sure your website is ready for a big shift into the next phase of our mobile-first world.