The fast rate of mobile adoption across the world has transformed the way people usually interact with websites. Forget sitting on a desk and navigating hundreds of search results with a mouse – the modern internet user wants instant search results, fast-loading webpages, and websites that are easy to navigate. If your business website isn’t good enough to address these needs, forget your business ambitions.
In 2020, over 2.87 billion people used mobile phones. The majority of them used their devices to use the internet. Given that most of these users have extremely short attention spans, the window of opportunity for websites to catch their attention is extremely small. Even the most useful website in the world will have a tough time attracting users if the website doesn’t load fast enough. On the other hand, businesses that optimize their websites will attract large chunks of this mobile-addicted population.
Google is Putting Mobile First
In 2021, Google will start indexing mobile websites before desktop websites. The search engine has been adamant about mobile-friendliness for more than five years. During this time, Google’s algorithm updates have compelled many businesses to create two versions of their websites – desktop and mobile. In 2021, mobile versions of websites will be indexed by the search engine first.
That’s why business websites need to heavily invest in optimizing their mobile websites in 2021, especially if they want their mobile-using customers to make purchases. A recent study about sales conversions on mobile websites revealed that 84% of users had experienced trouble completing mobile transactions. While this incredibly high number does put many businesses in a bad light, it also presents an opportunity.
Not many businesses are capitalizing on mobile conversions. Hence, the businesses that create mobile-responsive and transaction-friendly websites can benefit a lot. Although how websites perform on desktop devices is still important, taking the mobile-first approach should be every business’s objective.
Going Mobile First Will Lead to Higher Rankings
Google’s algorithms assess many factors to rank websites. But, in 2021, mobile usability will be the most important ranking factor. As stated before, Google’s algorithms will index mobile websites before desktop websites. So, to gain increased visibility, business websites must be mobile-friendly. After all, increasing business visibility on Google can lead to hundreds of leads every day.
On the other hand, businesses that don’t optimize their websites for mobile users will lose out to competitors who will. Making websites mobile-friendlier is especially important for small-scale businesses that depend on local searches. More users are using their mobile devices to look up businesses or service providers in their vicinities. These searches take place ‘on the go,’ so users don’t have much time to look through each search result. They usually select the first or second website on Google’s results pages.
That’s why the top digital marketing companies in London are helping their clients create mobile-friendly web designs, content, and website navigation experiences. Google’s algorithms will also evaluate the quality of user experiences each mobile website provides while creating its rankings. So, the more positive experiences users have while browsing a mobile website, the higher the website’s ranking will be in 2021.
Mobile Searches Lead to More Sales
When it comes to presale searches, mobile phones are the most used devices. In the past five years, searches on mobile devices for terms like “product review,” “near me,” and “best” have drastically increased. The equation is simple – the people looking to buy your products or use your services are using their mobile devices to look you up. From researching businesses to completing transactions to leaving reviews – entire shopping processes are taking place on mobile phones, and businesses that don’t have access to mobile users are missing out big time!
Voice Search and Mobile Phones
The practice of conducting Google searches using voice commands has become extremely popular in the last five years. Hence, businesses must make their websites voice search-friendly. Thankfully, being voice search friendly is a key part of every mobile optimization process. If a website is optimized for voice searches from mobile phones, it’s also optimized to attract searchers who use devices like Amazon’s Alexa to look up businesses, products, or services.
Businesses that Don’t Have Mobile Optimized Websites – How Will They Fare?
In 2021, if a business doesn’t have a mobile-optimized website or an app, it can’t expect much organic growth from internet searches. Many businesses are already suffering because of their inability to make the most of the large pool of leads mobile users provide. On the plus side, that also means that businesses have plenty of room for improvement in their mobile strategies in 2021.
Be it developing a SaaS app or creating a website that’s highly optimized for mobile phone users – there are efficient ways of improving the number of leads businesses receive from mobile users. Top digital marketing companies can help businesses achieve this lucrative goal.
