If you’re between the ages of, say, 13-60, your morning routine probably starts a little like this: wake up to the sound of your alarm (most likely set on your phone), check texts, have a quick scroll through social media, then (and only then) get out of bed to head into the rest of your day.
…But don’t be silly! It doesn’t stop there. Throughout the next 16 or so waking hours, you intermittently refer back to your smartphone to get updates from friends, check the news, and otherwise keep your mind entertained during down times. In short, smart phones have become embedded into our day-to-day lives at an incredible speed, and, given that our society’s thirst for convenience is unlikely to slow down anytime soon, neither will our reliance on mobile devices.
Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that mobile optimization of websites has emerged as a key focus of small and large businesses alike — potentially even more so than web optimization on desktops and laptops. So, what does this mean for your company? That’s what we’re here to unpack.
Mobile Madness
As we mentioned above, we’re in the midst of an Age of Convenience. Think about it: We can shop trending swimwear, binge watch our favorite Hulu shows, and order a five course meal to our front doorstep with a couple taps on our phone screens. Ultimately, our smartphones have made their way into the top spot of our list of items to have before we dare to leave the house. And as a business owner, you have to start asking yourself how this change in human behavior impacts customer behavior, and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Every company’s answer will look a little different, but the reality is this: If your website isn't optimized for mobile, you're essentially locking the front door to your digital storefront and throwing away the key. Today's consumers demand a seamless browsing experience, whether they're scrolling through Instagram during their morning commute or hunting for the perfect gift on Cyber Monday. And if your website takes too long to load or looks wonky on their smartphone screen, you can bet they'll bounce faster than you can say "404 error."
“…But how exactly does web optimization keep potential customers satisfied and coming back for more?” Let’s get into specifics.
4 Key Benefits of Web Optimization
- Improved User Experience: Nothing kills sales faster than a glitchy website or buttons small enough to assume the company hired a mouse as a web designer. By ensuring your website is sleek, speedy, and easy to navigate on any device, you'll keep your customers happy and coming back for seconds.
- Increased Visibility and Traffic: Ever heard the phrase "out of sight, out of mind"? Well, it couldn't be more true in the digital realm. With mobile optimization as a tool in your digital marketing tool belt, you'll experience a meteoric rise in search engine rankings and get more eyes on your game-changing products and/or services.
- Higher Conversion Rates: In business, we love a good bottom line, so here’s yours: If your website isn't optimized for mobile, you're leaving money on the table. It’s as simple as that. With mobile optimization, you'll streamline the buying process, making it easier than ever for customers to whip out their credit cards and “Add to Cart.”
- Competitive Advantage: In the cutthroat world of business, it's survival of the fittest. And if you're not staying ahead of the curve — regardless of which part of the business it is — you might as well stay at home. This is especially the case when it comes to your brand presence. You’ve either got to ride the wave of technological change or let your resistance to it be the anchor that keeps you stuck for good.
So, What Now?
As small business owners wearing a dozen different hats, it may feel tempting to push mobile optimization way down on your to-do list and chock it off as a task for “bigger companies with a a lot more brand exposure.” But we’re here to tell you that this simply isn’t true. In fact, this web optimization helps you unlock the momentum your small business needs to bring your operation to scale quicker and more successfully. Knowing this, the question then becomes: How can I add this huge project to my already stacked plate of responsibilities? The answer is: Don’t. Embrace the magic of staying in your lane and pass the task onto someone else who can do it better. This not only ensures a higher probability of a job well done but also clears up space for you to focus on the parts of your business where your abilities shine. Whether it’s prioritizing customer care, designing products, or brainstorming your next big idea, outsourcing web optimization is the key to your next spurt of business growth.
The Money-to-Mobile Pipeline
Whether you like it or not, humanity’s reliance on mobile devices isn’t slowing down anytime soon, if ever. So, you might as well stop trying to resist the change and lean into it instead. When you hire a web designer to develop a seamless, glitch-less, and aesthetic-looking interface, you can not only put more eyes on your incredible products/services, but keep customers coming back for round two (and three and four and five…) — all without experiencing small business owner burnout. The time is now to embrace the mobile revolution, seize the (pay)day, and watch your business soar to new heights.