Two years ago, I wrote a blog about building a website “responsive” which means you can view a website on your smartphone or tablet/iPad as you would on your desktop. A website will change according to the screen it is being viewed on. This is down to the handy work of Ethan Marcotte.
Fast forward, and it’s now crucial that online businesses build a websites that is mobile, because of Google’s latest algorithm and the need to rank high is so important. We are now in the era of hyper-relevant and user-friendly search. It’s time to go mobile or go home.
As you can see below, Google revolutionised the way search was accessible online. In 1997 Google introduced their first ever ranking algorithm. Since then, they have come on leaps and bounds.
How Google Has Improved the Search Experience.
In 2005, Google introduced mobile web search, in 2008 they introduced their first mobile app making it easier to search, and in 2010, they introduced mobile place search; connecting websites with real life locations.
Did you know that 96% of Google’s users are frequently browsing websites that are not mobile friendly, yet 75% of them prefer mobile-friendly sites? YOU could be losing out on sales and returning customers if you are not optimising your website via mobile.
Lets look at the numbers.
Below you can see that the statistics speak for themselves. Mobile search has overtaken desktop search for the first time in history. There has also been a surge in users searching on their tablet and smartphone. While tablet only accounted for 1% of the search in 2014, expect this number to increase as we move toward the end of 2015, and into 2016.
What Does “Responsive” Really Mean?
As the person designing the website, responsive means building the site using coding that allows the website to adjust screen size based on what device the site is being viewed on. Think about what your customer’s wants and needs are. They want a consistent and easy to use website journey on any device. Stay brand consistent so that wherever your customer is coming from, they know your brand and the experience you offer them.
Is your website mobile friendly?
See full infographic here.
Ready to produce game-changing digital results in your business?
Subscribe to receive cutting edge insights on digital leadership and transformation- straight to your inbox
We do not sell or share your information with anyone.