It’s a fact: mobile now accounts for over half of all digital media consumption. We’re all online, all the time. 4G means that we’re always connected and we expect to be able to access any site or app from our mobiles. And rightly so.
With the rise in mobile usage, it’s now more important than ever for businesses to make sure that they’re optimized for mobile devices. Having a responsive site that loads quickly (and doesn’t eat up too much data) is essential.
Why is it Important?
Everyone Has One
When was the last time you met someone that doesn’t own a smartphone (except maybe your grandma)? 1.2 million people are accessing the web via mobile and 80% of all internet users own a smartphone. A company website that isn’t optimized for mobile is going to miss out on direct or even indirect business by simply not being in the race.
Consumers Are Impatient
We want info and we want it now; we don’t want to wait until we get home and boot up the computer to look at a website. Also, more than 83% of people expect a site to load in 3 seconds or less. This means that, although mobile users like rich media, if your site takes too long to load, they’ll give up and move on to a competitor’s.
Google Likes Mobile
It’s also essential to have a mobile optimized site if a business wants to up their SEO game. Google’s algorithms favor sites that are responsive and dish out significant penalties for sites that fail to meet standards. If that’s not a convincing argument, we don’t know what is.
Industries That Are Doing It Right
The Gaming Industry
The number of gaming apps in the app store is absolutely staggering – from arcade games and strategy games to mobile casinos, there’s something for everyone. The iGaming industry, in specific, is booming, with casino websites optimizing their offerings down to the smallest detail. As a case in point, a number of Casino Slots providers in Canada have taken this approach. Their customers can play online slots for real money on any screen of any size; from their desktops to their mobiles and everything in between.
The Retail Industry
In addition to gaming, people just love to shop online. How many times have you bee in store, seen something you love, then immediately pulled out your mobile to compare prices online? Or perhaps you just love shopping from the comfort of your couch. Either way, modern retail sites from innovative brands are always super mobile friendly. It’s not just about the site; retail stores such as ASOS make sure they have native apps that allow customers to browse and buy from their mobile device at their convenience.
The Travel Industry
Another industry that’s largely on board with optimizing for mobile is the travel industry. You can check bus times, book train tickets and order a cab all from your mobile while you’re on the go. Some travel companies opt for a very efficient mobile site, although most go down the route of a native app. This not only makes it easy to order your Uber but encourages repeat business as customers already have the app downloaded. Smart, right?
What Are You Waiting For?
If your business isn’t making the most of mobile technology; if your site isn’t responsive or perhaps not at all mobile friendly, you’ll get left behind. Take a leaf out of the book from the gaming, retail and travel industry and get optimizing.
