Mobile-friendly website
More and more people are no longer viewing websites solely from their desktops, but rather via smartphones, tablets or even smart TVs. In 2015, search traffic via mobile phones in the Netherlands overtook traffic via desktop PCs. And since February 2015, Google's mobile searches only show mobile-friendly website that work well on mobile devices.
Why choose a mobile-friendly website?
Mobile-friendliness is incredibly important because it ensures a better user experience (UX). A website that works well on smartphones and tablets makes it easier for visitors to navigate, read and interact with the content. This creates more engagement and less frustration, ultimately leading to a more positive experience for your users.
In addition, mobile-friendliness plays a big role in search engine optimisation (SEO). Search engines like Google prioritise websites optimised for mobile devices, allowing you to rank higher in search results. This not only ensures greater visibility, but also greater reach, as more and more people are accessing the internet via mobile. Moreover, optimised websites improve loading times, especially on mobile networks, which reduces the chances of visitors dropping out due to long waiting times.
Furthermore, a mobile-friendly website contributes to increased conversions and higher customer satisfaction. Visitors who can make a purchase or find information without difficulty are more likely to return. This gives your business a competitive advantage, as you show that you are moving with the times and responding to the needs of the modern user.
Why a mobile-friendly website is important, in a nutshell:
- More and more people are browsing on mobile.
- Mobile-friendly websites rank better in Google.
- So you reach more people with a website that works well on all devices.
- Your company comes across as modern and relevant.
Why is a mobile-friendly website important?
A mobile-friendly website provides a better user experience for visitors accessing the site via smartphones or tablets. When the site adapts to different screen sizes, users can easily navigate and read the content without needing to zoom in or scroll.
Search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly websites. Since 2015, Google has used a mobile-first index, meaning that websites optimized for mobile devices rank better in search results. This leads to more organic traffic and better visibility.
The number of mobile internet users has significantly increased in recent years. A large portion of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. A website that is not mobile-friendly risks losing a substantial part of its potential audience.
Mobile-friendly websites are often optimized for faster load times on mobile devices. This is important as mobile users tend to be less patient and more likely to leave a site if it loads too slowly. Faster load times improve the overall performance of the site.
Users who have a positive experience on a mobile-friendly site are more likely to make purchases, get in touch, or take action. This can lead to higher conversion rates and more satisfied customers.
In many industries, mobile-friendly websites have become the standard. If your website does not function well on mobile devices, you will fall behind competitors who have optimized their sites for mobile users.
How to make your website mobile-friendly?
Use responsive design, where the layout and content of the website automatically adjust to the user's screen size. This ensures the website looks good and is user-friendly on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. Use techniques like:
- CSS Media Queries: These allow you to apply different styles based on the user's device or screen size.
- Flexbox and Grid Layouts: These modern CSS techniques help design flexible and adaptable layouts.
Mobile users want quick access to website content. Here are some ways to improve load times:
- Compress images: Use optimized images with smaller file sizes without losing quality.
- Minimize heavy scripts: Avoid unnecessary JavaScript and CSS files that slow down load time.
- Browser caching: Use caching so users can load the website faster on their next visit.
- Important content as HTML: Avoid offering important content, like a restaurant menu, via large PDF files. This slows down load times on mobile devices. Instead, use a fast, mobile-friendly HTML version to improve user experience.
Ensure navigation is simple on smaller screens:
- Hamburger menu: Use a hamburger menu (a compact menu icon) to call up the menu when needed, without taking up screen space.
- Large, touch-friendly buttons: Make sure buttons are large enough to be easily tapped with a finger without users needing to zoom in.
- Clear and concise navigation options: Keep the navigation menu simple and easy to understand.
Text should be easily readable without the need for zooming:
- Large font size: Ensure a font size large enough to be readable on smaller screens.
- Adequate white space: Give elements like text, buttons, and images enough space to avoid a cluttered and overwhelming page.
Design your website initially for mobile devices (mobile-first approach). Then scale the design up to larger screens like desktops. This helps you build a website that prioritizes the mobile experience, which is increasingly important.
Test your website on various mobile devices and screen sizes to ensure everything functions properly. You can use tools like:
- Google's Mobile-Friendly Test: This allows you to quickly see how mobile-friendly your website is.
- Browser Developer Tools: These let you simulate how your website looks on different screen sizes within your browser.
Ensure that pop-ups and ads don't disrupt the entire mobile experience. Google negatively evaluates websites that use intrusive pop-ups on mobile devices.
Make the website interactive by supporting touch and swipe gestures, such as swiping through images or scrolling through content.
Ensure you have a structured mobile sitemap so search engines can properly index the mobile version of your website.
How we make your website mobile-friendly!
We design and develop websites that automatically adjust to different screen sizes and devices. This ensures your website looks and functions optimally on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
We improve your website's speed on mobile devices by:
- Compressing images: Reducing file sizes without losing quality.
- Optimizing code: Removing unnecessary or outdated code and extensions for more efficient performance.
- Using server caching: Popular pages load faster through server cache, avoiding rebuilding them from the database.
- Using browser caching: Ensures pages load faster on repeat visits.
We adjust your website's navigation structure for mobile use by:
- Using hamburger menus: Compact, space-saving menus that are intuitive for mobile users.
- Large and touch-friendly buttons: Makes it easier for users to navigate without accidentally tapping the wrong button.
We ensure that all interactive elements, such as forms and CTA buttons, are easy to use on a touchscreen. This includes providing enough space between elements and using appropriate font sizes.
We restructure and optimize your website's content for mobile display by:
- Avoiding large files like PDFs: Important information, such as a restaurant menu, is placed directly on the website instead of as a downloadable PDF. This improves load times and user experience.
- Readable fonts and layouts: Text is designed to be readable without zooming on smaller screens.
We thoroughly test your website on various mobile devices and browsers to ensure compatibility and optimal functionality. Any issues are identified and resolved.
We add mobile-specific features to your website, such as:
- Click-to-call buttons: Makes it easy for users to contact you directly.
- Integration with maps and navigation apps: Useful for physical locations that can be visited.
We optimize your website for mobile search results by providing mobile-friendly sitemaps, helping search engines index your mobile content better.