5 reasons your website (still) needs to be mobile responsive

We’re still coming across websites that are static, unfriendly, unresponsive to mobile. Not just every now and again, but frequently. Enough not be to be able to give exact figures. It occurs that in our eagerness to explain changes in online marketing and web development in terms of ‘trends’ that some feel that mobile responsiveness is just another ‘trend’. The reality is that having a responsive website is not a trend, but an absolute necessity.

1.   Mobile continues to increase exponentially

Stats from last August suggest that in the UK, we were spending 66 hours a month browsing the internet on our smartphones, and only 29 hours on desktop. Leave aside the staggering amount of time we’re online; the fact is that mobile is dominant, and this is not going to change.

2.   User experience is crucial

All those hours spent browsing on mobile devices – we want to be able to find what we want quickly and easily. If your website is difficult for visitors to use, they are unlikely to access content, find out more about your business and products, and generally are more likely to form a negative opinion about your business. Google statistics suggest that 61% of us are unlikely to return to a website we had trouble accessing, and 40% will automatically go on to look for a competitor.

3.   Mobile matters for SEO

Google has an overwhelming percentage of search engine market share (just over 80% if you’re asking). Google includes mobile responsiveness as an integral factor for mobile search results. If your website isn’t mobile responsive, it will rank poorly with the search engine that is heads and shoulders above the rest in terms of dominance.

4.   An unresponsive website is bad for your bounce rate

Not only does an unresponsive website put off your customers and send the running to your competitors, affecting sales, this impacts on your bounce rate. If your website is designed as a ‘gateway’ to the rest of your website, a high bounce rate is a bad thing.

5.   Avoid duplicate content

Another point that has its roots in Google’s dominance of the search engine market, but since the Panda update has negative implications for duplicate content, it’s not ideal to have a separate mobile website. One mobile responsive website is going to be your best option.

Mobile responsive websites are not a trend – they are a vital part of the digital marketing portfolio for any business serious about its online status. If you'd like to discuss how to ensure your website can be viewed by customers on tablets and smartphones, get in touch!