Most of us understand that no matter what industry we serve, it's important to be mobile-friendly. After all, consumers spend nearly 60% of their time on the Internet on mobile devices.
But today (April 21), Google's latest algorithm update—designed to provide a better search experience for mobile users—will move mobile optimization from nice-to-have to necessity. In short, if your website isn't mobile-friendly, you can expect your search engine rankings, and ultimately your Web traffic, to take a hit on April 22.
If you aren't quite ready for Mobilegeddon, don't panic. Here are five quick-and-dirty tips to help you fix your most egregious mobile mistakes and prepare for the change.
Tip No. 1: Create a specific and well-placed CTA button
Mobile users who find your business online have a conversion percentage that's nearly three times higher than the same search done on a desktop or laptop. In fact, 70% of mobile searches can lead to online action within an hour. But to make such magic happen, users need a clear, easy to find and easy to use call to action button.
With that in mind, pay a little extra attention to the CTA button. Change the color to an attention-grabbing hue or add some subtle animation.
Also, tweak your button copy to better communicate your value proposition. Create motivating text that drives people to take action—and be specific. Adding just one word after the word "submit" can boost conversion rates as much as 320%.
Finally, put some thought to placement. Position your signup form at the top of your landing page, alongside engaging content. Doing so will deliver maximum views to your form without requiring page visitors to scroll all the way down to the bottom.
And finally, make sure your CTA and all other buttons are large enough to be easily tapped from a mobile device.
Tip No. 2: Embrace social autofill
Many of us struggle to remember the slew of logins and passwords required to function in 2015. Social autofill has unparalleled potential to improve the consumer experience. It doesn't just reduce your customers' time, it's a sanity saver, too. Some 64% of users who frequently leave sites because of forgotten login information say social login is an option companies should offer.
But the best reason to rely on social autofill? Conversion rates can increase up to 189% when form users have the option to take advantage of social autofill features, Formstack data shows.
Tip No. 3: Pare down the content on your mobile site
On mobile, less truly is more. Some 57% of users would not recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site, according to one study. And, unfortunately, the temptation to include too much content on a mobile site can result in a clunky design that is difficult to navigate and frustrating to use.
The amount of space available for content on a mobile device is often significantly smaller than the space available on a desktop browser. The screens are smaller, it's harder to scroll, and it's impossible on many devices to scroll horizontally.
So make sure your most important content displays in the top few pixels of the page, and whenever possible, reduce your viewers' need to scroll.
Tip No. 4: Make sure your Web forms are mobile-friendly, too
When you're refining your website for Mobilegeddon, don't forget about on-site resources such as conversion-capture assets—forms, which are a critical part of your online real estate. Make sure they are as mobile-friendly as the rest of your site.
Form length is especially critical when optimizing for mobile. The average survey now contains 22 fields, Formstack's 2015 Form Conversion Report found. And, unfortunately, 22 fields will feel daunting to a consumer completing your form on a mobile device.
If your site contains a field-heavy form that just can't be shortened, try building a smart form that automatically shows or hides questions based on how users respond. Or consider using a horizontal layout for checkboxes and buttons to create an illusion the form is shorter.
Tip No. 5: Be ready for all mobile devices
There's more than one kind of mobile device out there. Ultramobiles, which include tablets, hybrids, and clamshells, are projected to take over as the main driver of growth in the devices market beyond 2014, with a growth rate of 54%, according to Gartner.
Make sure your mobile site looks as good on tablets of all sizes as it does on smartphone screens.
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If you take the time to implement one or more of these quick-and-dirty tips, your website will be ready to survive Mobilegeddon.
