Why Optimize Websites For Mobile?
Mobile-optimized sites are encouraged by search engines and also provide new users with easy access to the information they need.
Mobile optimization has always been surrounded by a certain amount of misconceptions and questions due to the massive growth in mobile device usage across various demographic segments. However, it is important to understand that mobile optimization is always changing and striving for the best, so it never stays the same. There is always more to learn about this process, and here’s what you should know for now.
What Is Mobile Optimization?
There are a huge number of different definitions on the Internet regarding what mobile optimization is, but today we will look at the simplest of them. Mobile optimization is a kind of changing your site to make it as convenient as possible for use on mobile devices. No one knew that mobile devices would become such an integral part of our lives, so in the past, most sites were developed only for desktop screens.
However, why would sites optimized for computers be inconvenient for phones? There are several reasons:
- Compatibility with mobile browsers is not universal, thus not all types of code are displayed for all browsers.
- The smaller size of the phone screen makes it difficult to view full size pages designed for computer screens.
- Viewing images and reading text are also a challenge as they are made for the big screen.
- Desktop sites often have small buttons that are difficult and inconvenient to press with your finger when you visit a particular site from your phone.
- A variety of different types of devices complicates the search for the optimal solution.
This is exactly what mobile optimization should do – solve these problems.
Why Optimize Websites For Mobile Devices?
Some people still don’t understand the need for mobile optimization. After all, since most users still visit the site using a computer, what’s the point? And even if they need to use the site through their phone, they can do it anyway, right?
However, everything is not so simple. There are always new users who can visit a site on a phone and be disappointed by the fact that it’s optimized for mobile devices.
Also, mobile optimization has a large number of more specific benefits, such as:
- SEO. You probably know that many search engines, such as Google and others, want every site on the Internet to be as mobile-friendly as possible. That’s why they take steps to do their best and encourage optimized sites (as opposed to those that don’t have mobile optimization). Thus, you should really consider that by optimizing your site for mobile devices, it will be able to rank higher in Google search results. After all, any site is interested in increasing traffic, right? What’s more, if you choose to do so, you’ll also get a badge that will tell users that the site is optimized for mobile devices, which will lead to a greater level of trust.
- Need. Even 10 years ago, people visited websites only through desktop computers, but look where we are now! Most people book hotels, buy tickets, order groceries or buy goods using their phones, so the growing importance of mobile phones should not be underestimated. Many experts predict that mobile devices will continue to gain popularity over the coming years, which means you will continue to miss out on certain benefits until your site is optimized.
- People who use your site through the phone. Even if a lot of people use your site on desktops, those users who do it on their phones are important too. Thus, if a new user visits your site using a phone and is frustrated that it is not user-friendly, they most likely won’t visit it again. Instead, it will find a site with mobile optimization and go to your competitor who has already taken care of solving this problem. In this way, you risk not only a few customers or users, but also the reputation of your site.
Is the Trend of Mobile Phone Usage Continues to Grow?
From 2007 to 2014, the number of desktop users exceeded the number of people who use mobile devices, but mobile phones have continued to gain popularity all this time. And finally, in May 2015, Google said that for the first time in history, mobile search overtook desktop search. Since then and to this day, mobile devices are ahead of desktop computers and only continue to gain popularity. On the contrary, the use of computers in everyday life is becoming more and more obsolete.
However, why is the trend of using mobile phones continuing to grow? The fact is that previously mobile phones were considered only a means of communication, and Internet access seemed to be something new and difficult for most people. Only a small part of the population was involved in the use of the Internet on the phone due to low speed and uncomfortable use.
However, after some time, mobile phones began to actively develop and receive a large number of interesting features, such as fast Internet, voice search, touch screen, and more. Of course, these improvements paid off as many people began to see the convenience of mobile devices. Since then, many companies have continued to invest in mobile technology and claim that it will become more and more popular.
Google And Mobile Optimization
Google currently has the biggest impact on the growth trend of mobile usage. An interesting fact is that the company provided “voice search” back in 2002, and now it is one of the main elements of development. So for now, local search is integrating with mobile, voice search has become more intuitive, and Google has started to encourage sites in search with mobile optimization.
In April last year, Google warned of a massive update that would encourage mobile-optimized sites, which was very unusual as more often than not, updates from Google are surprises. But now such a giant as Google boldly claims that our future is behind mobile optimization.