Having a Mobile Friendly Website is No Longer Optional – It’s a MUST

The original iPhone was released on June 29th, 2007. Although the iPhone was far from being the first mobile device, it did change the mobile landscape forever. Prior to the iPhone, using the Internet away from a desktop or laptop was limited to watered-down webpages that rendered as text. But because the iPhone included a full online browsing experience through Safari, it kicked off an explosion in the mobile web.

Mobile’s Evolution Over the Last 9 Years

While the mobile web as we know it today is less than a decade old, it’s already gone through several evolutions. The first was the app gold rush. In addition to the Safari browser, Apple also launched the idea of apps with their device. This led to developers and businesses rushing to create apps. However, it became clear that most people don’t want to use a dedicated app for every business they’re interested in. This is supported by recent research which shows that most people use less than a half dozen apps on a regular basis.

Since it doesn’t make sense for most small to medium businesses to have a dedicated app, there was also a time during the last nine years when the focus was on having a separate mobile website. The reason that the trend has come and gone is there were several major problems. Not only did it create an often frustrating experience for website visitors, but it also required businesses to manage two different websites.

Why Responsive Design is The Best Solution for Mobile

Multiple studies have confirmed that mobile is now the most common way that people of all ages search online and visit websites. So even though it doesn’t make sense for most businesses to have an app or separate mobile version of their website, having an optimized mobile presence is a MUST!

The option that has emerged as the best mobile solution for businesses is responsive website design. With this approach, a website will automatically resize to a screen of any size. That means a site will load quickly, look great and offer full functionality on any mobile device, tablet or standard computer. And unlike the previous approach of having two versions of a website, responsive design is done through one set of code, which makes it very easy to manage.

How do you know if your current website has an optimized responsive design and is fully mobile friendly? The best way is to use Google’s free mobile-friendly test tool.

What If You Don’t Pass the Mobile-Friendly Test?

If you don’t pass Google’s test, it almost guarantees that your site isn’t ranking as well as it should for mobile searches. It also means that visitors who do come to your site via a mobile device are more likely to abandon it due to a less than optimal experience.

Since those issues mean your business is missing out on potential revenue every day, you need to fix them as soon as possible. That’s where Web Strategy Plus can help. With our responsive web design services, we can fully update your site to ensure it’s completely mobile friendly.

To get your site’s mobile problem solved as soon as possible, contact us now for a free consultation and quote!

10 Things Every Small Business Website Needs

If you want a website that not only looks great but is also capable of generating new leads for your business, make sure your site has all of the following ten traits:

An Easy to Remember URL

You don’t want multiple dashes or numbers in your website URL. Instead, it’s important to have a simple address. Since you will say it over the phone and may put it on marketing materials like posters or even billboards, you want something that can be typed in without any issues. Ensuring your address is easy to remember is also why it’s best to stick with .com, .net, or in some cases, .org.

Clear Navigation

When it comes to navigation, simplicity is always best. You want to be sure that regardless of where someone is on your site, they’re only a single click away from your main pages.

A Clear Explanation of You and Your Business

People should know exactly what you and your business are about within a few seconds of finding their way to your site. Failing to include this information can cause visitors to lose trust and hit the back button.

Prominent Contact Information

When it comes to perfect website design for a business, your contact information needs to be readily displayed. Even if you’re hesitant to include a phone number, doing so will help inspire trust among visitors. That’s true even if they never call you.

Real Testimonials

Continuing the theme of ensuring that visitors to your site trust your business, you should have real testimonials that customers have sent you. If possible, include people’s pictures next to their testimonials. Another option is to link to their social media profiles.

Use Quality Pictures and Subheadings

Since online readers like to scan, be sure to break up any big chunks of text on your site by utilizing relevant images and informative subheadings.

Tell Visitors What You Want Them to Do

In order to convert visitors into actual leads, you need to tell them what they should do. So whether that’s submitting a contact form or giving you a call, be sure your site makes that desired action crystal clear.

Regularly Add Content

Whether it’s news updates about your business or informative blog posts, regularly adding new content will help you engage visitors and bring in more search engine traffic.

Take Advantage of Google Webmaster Tools for SEO

The best way to ensure your site is accessible and doesn’t have any SEO issues is to sign up for a free Google Webmaster Tools account. This will provide you with reports, as well as alert you to any issues that need to be addressed.

A Reliable Host

If your site is down, it’s not going to help your business. That’s why it’s vital to carefully research your options before committing to a specific host.

A Professional Web Design Company Can Provide the Perfect Small Business Website

If you want to ensure your website has all ten traits, your best option is to let a professional team create or redesign your website. By working with experienced professionals, you will get a website that’s fully optimized to generate as many targeted leads as possible for your business!

Do you need a better website for your business? Web Strategy Plus offers a free quote or consultation to help you identify the areas of your marketing plan that need improvement. Learn More