How to optimise your website for mobile users: A guide for small businesses

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, having a mobile-friendly website is no longer optional for small businesses—it’s a necessity. With more people accessing the internet via smartphones and tablets than ever before, optimising your website for mobile users can significantly impact your business’s success.

With KitStart all our websites are built mobile-first by design – so they are automatically mobile responsive and look great on a mobile phone. However, there are still some tips you can follow to help you make your website even more user friendly for website visitors on the go.

Why mobile optimization matters

  1. Increased traffic: Mobile devices account for over half of global web traffic. Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly means you’re accessible to a larger audience.
  2. Better user experience: A mobile-optimised site offers a seamless experience, keeping visitors engaged and reducing bounce rates.
  3. Improved SEO: Search engines like Google prioritise mobile-friendly websites in their rankings. A mobile-optimised site can enhance your visibility and attract more organic traffic.
  4. Higher conversion rates: A smooth mobile experience can lead to higher conversion rates, effectively turning visitors into customers.

Steps to optimise your website for mobile users

Improve page load speed

Mobile users expect fast loading times. A delay of even a few seconds can lead to a high bounce rate. Here’s how to speed up your site:

  • Optimise Images: Compress images without sacrificing quality. Tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim can help.
  • Minimise HTTP Requests: Reduce the number of elements on your page to decrease load time.
  • Enable Browser Caching: Allow your site to store data locally on the user’s device, reducing the load time for returning visitors.

Keep your navigation simple

A navigation that is simple to navigate is crucial for a positive mobile experience. Here’s how to streamline it:

  • Use a mobile-friendly menu: Implement a simple, collapsible menu that is easy to access.
  • Prioritise key information: Ensure essential information and calls-to-action (CTAs) are easily visible and accessible.
  • Reduce form fields: Simplify forms to the bare essentials to make them easier for users to fill out.

Enhance readability

Reading on a small screen can be challenging. Make sure your content is easy to read:

  • Choose legible fonts: Use fonts that are easy to read on smaller screens and maintain a font size of at least 14 pixels.
  • Optimise line length: Keep text lines short to avoid overwhelming the reader. Aim for 50-60 characters per line.
  • Use white space: Adequate white space enhances readability and makes the content more digestible.

With KitStart, you can easily preview your website on both desktop and mobile simultaneously side by side to make it easier to spot any changes you need to make.

Optimise touch elements

Touch screens require more prominent interactive elements. Ensure buttons and links are easy to tap:

  • Size matters: Make buttons large enough to be easily tapped without zooming in. The recommended touch target size is at least 44×44 pixels.
  • Spacing: Leave enough space between touch elements to avoid accidental taps.

Leverage mobile-friendly features

Utilise features that enhance the mobile experience:

  • Click-to-call buttons: Make it easy for users to contact you directly from their mobile devices.
  • Location services: Use location-based services to provide relevant information to users, such as store locations or directions.

Test on multiple devices

To ensure your website performs well across all devices, conduct thorough testing:

  • Emulators and simulators: Use tools like BrowserStack or Google Mobile-Friendly Test to see how your site looks on various devices.
  • Accurate device testing: Test on actual mobile devices to experience your site as users would.

Monitor and analyse performance

Continuous monitoring and analysis help you identify areas for improvement:

  • Google analytics: Track mobile traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates to understand how mobile users interact with your site.
  • User feedback: Collect feedback from mobile users to identify pain points and areas for enhancement.

Optimising your website for mobile users is essential if you’re a small business aiming to stay competitive in today’s digital market.

By improving load speed, simplifying navigation, enhancing readability, optimising touch elements, leveraging mobile-friendly features, testing across devices, and monitoring performance, you can create a mobile-friendly website that delivers a superior user experience.

Embrace these strategies to attract and retain mobile users, ultimately driving growth and success for your business.

KitStart is powered by BaseKit, and has always been built mobile first.

Start your free 14 day trial today to start creating your mobile friendly website!

 

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