A Mobile Friendly Website is a Must

Updated January 13, 2023

Some businesses are poo-pooing the need for a mobile friendly website thinking the trend hasn’t hit mainstream. Well, think again. ComScore, an agency specializing in mobile trends and consumer behavior, reported that the scales have tipped with smartphone penetration surpassing the 50% mark. It should be a wake-up call to businesses still saddled with a non-responsive website.

The Mobile Trend

If the growth rate of mobile device users continues on its projected trend, it is not out of the question to assume that in the very near future, approximately 30% – 50% of website traffic won’t be able to view it correctly. This issue is compounded, especially if your competitors are exploiting this market advantage and have launched (or are in the process) a mobile friendly website already. Check your Google Analytics to determine what percentage of current traffic is mobile, and monitor this number monthly.

The number of mobile device users is increasing quickly, and there is no slow down on the horizon. Over the past 3 years, the number of mobile users accessing the internet doubled each year. On any given day, approximately 70% of Americans use their mobile devices to access the internet. In Japan that number jumps to practically 90%.

It’s no surprise that consumers use their mobile devices while they are “out and about.” They search for information about movies, hotels, clubs, restaurants, and other businesses. If you own a business that has anything to do with food, entertainment, social life, or whose business model is to use your website to drive customers to a physical location, you are most assuredly losing business if you do not have a mobile friendly website.

Mobile Friendly Websites No Longer Optional

Most smartphones and tablets possess browser capabilities that allow them to open any standard website. Remember, people accessing your website on a mobile device are most likely not using traditional computer peripheral tools (e.g., keyboard and mouse) to navigate your site. They are likely using their fingers or in some cases a stylus. Mobile users are interested in slightly different information than those who access your site from a laptop or desktop computer. For example, if you own a restaurant, information like hours of operation and driving directions are more important than the restaurant’s history.

When assessing mobile friendly website designs, we highly recommend a responsive theme. It’s infrastructure is agnostic to the type of device. Meaning, it doesn’t care if it’s an Apple iPod with a large screen or Nexus 7 with a 7” screen. It’s based on percentages, so your design renders regardless of the operating system and device size.

Like it or not, it’s time to go mobile. Or, be prepared to get out of the way.