Mobile technology has indeed developed so rapidly in the last decade, it is no wonder that many people are now increasingly familiar with mobile devices, to the point that not infrequently some of them (ed. society) are dependent on their gadgets. So why do gadgets influence society today? And what is the impact of gadgets, when someone has already "fallen in love" and is dependent on a gadget?
Based on data collected by HootSuite & We Are Social, the number of mobile devices connected to the internet in Indonesia has jumped sharply to 345.3 million, with active users on social media reaching 170 million or an increase of 10 million from the previous period and is expected to continue to increase every year.
The data is proof that the development of mobile technology, especially in Indonesia, is very fast. The data also shows that people are now increasingly familiar and "forced" to quickly adapt to mobile technology.
In addition, the rapid development of technology has also influenced changes in people's interests and behavior in their activities, especially people's activities in exploring the internet, such as browsing, streaming and reading news, they do it via their smartphones.
This is what then influences the development of websites today. Websites are now required to pay attention to the mobile friendly aspect to make users comfortable when they visit the website via a mobile platform.
What is a Mobile Friendly Website?
 |
| What is a Mobile Friendly Website? |
Mobile friendly SEO is an effort to make a website responsive and easy to use on mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Search engines like Google pay special attention to websites that are responsive on mobile devices because they want to provide relevant and convenient search results for users.
When a website is not responsive or does not display well on mobile, visitors tend to leave the site, which can have a negative impact on rankings in search results. On the other hand, a mobile friendly website will get more value from Google and has a higher potential to appear on the first page of search results.
Why is Mobile Friendly SEO Important?
A Mobile Friendly Website is a website that is specifically designed for mobile devices such as tablets, iPads, smartphones, by adjusting the user interface such as size, shape, and content, on the website, so that users who visit the website using their mobile devices will still get a pleasant experience.
At least, there are several reasons why building a mobile friendly website is important.
1. The Majority of Internet Users Use Mobile
More than half of internet users access websites via mobile devices. This makes mobile phones the primary means for many people to search for information on the internet. If your website is not responsive, you will lose a lot of potential visitors who come from mobile devices.
2. Google Prioritizes Mobile-First Indexing
For the past few years, Google has implemented mobile-first indexing, which means that Google primarily uses the mobile version of a website to determine its ranking in search results. So, if your website is not optimized for mobile devices, Google may lower its ranking, even if its desktop appearance is good.
3. Better User Experience
A non-responsive website is often slow, difficult to navigate, and requires a lot of zooming to read content. This will frustrate visitors and quickly leave your site. In contrast, a mobile-friendly website provides a smooth experience, with easy navigation, easy-to-click buttons, and a display that fits the size of a mobile screen.
4. Higher Conversion Rates
When users feel comfortable visiting your website on their mobile, they are more likely to take the action you want them to take, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up for a service. Mobile-friendly websites tend to have higher conversion rates because users have an easier time navigating the site and finding what they need.
Mobile Friendly Website Affects SEO
In 2015, Google released an update to their search results algorithm, where they included the mobile friendly aspect as one of the ranking parameters of a website. Of course, all of this is done to improve user experience satisfaction when browsing a website, so that users will be more comfortable browsing the website.
From there, it can be concluded that mobile friendly can be one of the factors for the success of a digital marketing strategy in a business, especially SEO.
With more and more mobile users accessing websites using their mobile devices, it means that the commodities in them are getting bigger. So if a website already has a mobile friendly aspect, a business has the opportunity to reach more customers.
In addition, a website with mobile friendliness will also increase the credibility of a business, because after all the mobile friendly aspect is a must for the current era. It would be strange now, if a website did not have a mobile friendly aspect, which of course would reduce the credibility of the business in the eyes of the public.
How to make a mobile friendly website?
Creating a mobile-friendly website doesn't have to be complicated. There are a few easy steps you can take to ensure your website is mobile-friendly.
1. Use Responsive Design
Responsive design is the most effective way to make your website mobile-friendly. With this design, the website content will automatically adjust to the screen size of the user's device, be it desktop, tablet, or mobile phone. Most website creation platforms, such as WordPress, already provide responsive templates that make it easier for website owners.
2. Pay Attention to Page Loading Speed
Speed is an important factor in SEO, especially on mobile devices. A slow website will make users leave the site quickly, and Google also considers speed in its search algorithm. You can speed up page loading by:
- Optimizing images: Use lighter image formats such as JPEG, and compress images so they don't slow down loading times.
- Minimize the use of plugins: Too many plugins can slow down a website, especially on platforms like WordPress.
- Use fast and reliable hosting.
3. Simple, Easy-to-Navigate Layout
On mobile devices, screen space is limited, so it’s important to create a layout that’s simple and easy to navigate. Make sure users can easily find important information without having to scroll too far or search for hidden navigation buttons.
4. Increase Text and Button Size
On small screens, text and buttons that are too small can be overwhelming for visitors. Make sure your text is large enough to read without having to zoom, and make sure buttons are large enough to click without error.
5. Avoid Flash or Intrusive Pop-ups
Flash is no longer supported by most mobile devices, and excessive pop-ups can be very disruptive to the user experience. It’s best to avoid both of these elements, and focus on a clean, functional look.
6. Test Your Site Regularly on Mobile Devices
Always test your website regularly to make sure all elements display well on a variety of mobile devices. You can use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your website is responsive.
Conclusion
Creating a mobile-friendly website is a must in today's digital age. Not only to increase user convenience, but also to ensure that your website can compete in Google search results. With a responsive design, good speed, and a simple layout, you can ensure that your website is not only loved by users, but also appreciated by search engines.
If you optimize your site for mobile devices, you will see an increase not only in the number of visitors, but also in a better user experience and more positive results in SEO.
So how do you build a mobile friendly website? If your company has its own IT department, you can ask them to do research first on how to create a mobile friendly website that your customers need. However, if you don't have your own IT department, working with a development company or software house is a practical solution. With their experience (ed. Software house), they will provide advice and solutions for your site or website needs.