Websites that aren’t mobile-friendly annoy users and that’s bad business. Consumers are doing more on mobile devices, including shopping and product research; when they do, users look for content to meet their on-the-go needs.
A recent Google survey of mobile users found that 72 percent of mobile users say it’s important to them that websites are mobile-friendly, yet 96 percent have visited a site that doesn’t work well on their device.
Almost three-quarters of respondents said they are more likely to revisit a mobile-friendly site. Users are five times more likely to abandon the task they are trying to complete if the site isn’t optimized for mobile use, with 79 percent saying they will go back to search and try to find another site to meet their needs.
Consumers are more likely to buy online when the site meets their mobile needs. Unfortunately for e-commerce stores, 61 percent said they are likely to leave if the site isn’t mobile-friendly.
Worse still, many fans of the brand are disappointed in the company itself if the mobile experience doesn’t meet their expectations. Fifty-five percent of respondents agreed, “A frustrating experience on a website hurts my opinion of the brand overall.”
So what, exactly, are consumers looking for in a website accessed from a mobile device?
- Site speed - loading time of 5 seconds or less
- Big, mobile-friendly buttons
- Limited scrolling and pinching
- Quick access to business contact information
- “Click to call” access to phone the business
- Links to the company’s social media profiles
Usability and design features matter. Mobile users indicated they are most looking for (in order of priority):
- Information in just one or two clicks
- A search bar that is easy to find and use
- A site that fits the small screen
- Clean and efficient design
- An option to visit the non-mobile site
- The ability to save information for later
- Big, finger-friendly buttons
- Non-scrolling forms with a limited number of fields
- A “click to call” button
- One-direction scrolling, either horizontal or vertical, but not both.
Consumers seeking retail information are looking for things they can act on immediately. They still prefer to do deep research, read reviews, and make big purchases on desktops; making contact and taking action are their priorities when mobile consumers are on the go.
Google’s survey involved 1,088 US smartphone Internet users and was performed by independent market research firms Sterling Research and SmithGeiger in July 2012.
so does your business have a mobile-friendly website? If the answer is "no" or "not sure" contact Network For Solutions today!
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