Sure, it’s one thing to have a website that you and your company can be proud of. Having a website is obviously something to celebrate, a milestone that you can definitely look back on with pride, saying, “Hey, I made that happen,” or, “Wow, I actually helped to make that happen.” Such moments truly are moments for which you deserve to give yourself a pat on the back.
But of course, simply having a website isn’t enough.
You might be thinking of concerns such as getting quality web traffic. Of course, that is a valid matter to worry about. But while targeted traffic is a good thing to have for websites, there is still a more pressing concern. In a world that moves as fast as the Internet speed (and sometimes even faster than that), it is no longer surprising to discover that all of a sudden, merely having websites just does not cut it anymore. At some point or another, you will have to keep up with the times, and in today’s world, what does that mean? Well, when it comes to websites, it also means one thing:
Your website needs to be mobile-friendly.
Still not convinced? Here are a few reasons why you should be getting a website that’s also compatible for mobile use.
1. Wide Popularity
First, mobile use enjoys wide popularity. You have to admit it. You hardly see people using their personal computers or laptops when they need to check some websites. Usually, you already see them using their own mobile phones or tablets. Now, if they are ever going to check out your website, and they find that it’s not exactly a good fit for their mobiles, then what are they going to do? Do you honestly think they’ll bear the inconvenience of tilting their phones, or scrolling until they find what they’re looking for?
Of course not. They’re going to look somewhere else, specifically on a website that matches the settings of their mobiles. Now, you wouldn’t want to be on the side of the rejected website, do you?
2. Visitor
Second, your base for potential clients and customers will grow faster that way. Quite related to the first one, mobile users are widely increasing in number. It is also a strong probability that these users will most likely constitute your target population for your business, your service, or, at the very least, your website. Hence, if you can reach them better by covering the mobile usage arena, then you’re putting yourself in a better and more able position to turn these users into visitors, and, eventually, into clients.
3. Reputation
Third, you’ll earn the reputation of being a business that keeps up. As an online business or service, your company should have mastered the art and science of keeping up with the times gracefully. A business that’s up to date with the latest technological advancements never fails to send a positive message to its clients: the message that it can very well handle change, and that it is, in fact, even ahead of the change, anticipating it as it comes along. This might be quite difficult to achieve, especially if you’re still starting out, but as long as you remind yourself of the need to be on your toes, then you’re on your way to success.
4. Compatible with mobile usage
Fourth, making your website compatible with mobile usage implies that it will look good on any device. Now why is this a good thing? You can think of it this way. While it is good for your business to have a website, it is a different value altogether if this website looks good on whatever device is being used to view or visit it. Needless to say, if your website only ‘works best’ with a laptop or a desktop, then really, of what use is it, especially since more and more people are on their mobiles now for the most part for the day? Surely, you wouldn’t be willing to take the risk of your website becoming relevant only for PC viewing, would you?
5. Credibility
Fifth, having a mobile-friendly website builds your credibility. Here’s something you need to understand about the personality of website viewers. More often than not (and perhaps more often than they would themselves like to admit), to these website users the first impression is almost certain to last. Thus, if your website does not deliver the desired results of today’s users, then this impression of your website as inefficient and unreliable is a judgment that will likely be carried over to your company and business reputation as a whole.
Again, that question: you wouldn’t want that, would you?
Get this fact: beginning in 2016, mobile usage has overtaken desktop usage. Think about it and consider this seriously for a moment. If your website is good only for the desktop, what will that say of you? What sort of business and service would you be able to offer, if you fail to adjust to these signs of the times?
At the same time, if you should be able to build a website that looks so good for mobile use, what will that say about you and your company? Wouldn’t that be the better impression to make? And moreover, wouldn’t that leave your users with a better reason to come back and eventually do business with you? Now would be a really good time to respond with your resounding ‘YES’ to these questions.
Let’s add another fact for more conviction: Google loves these mobile-friendly sites, too. Of course, the goal for any website is to be more searchable and accessible. Well, you can make it easier on yourself if you ensure that your website is friendly for mobile usage, because then you’ll be given more priority by Google. The company has updated its system for determining listings for websites, with search results prioritizing those that are mobile-friendly.
At the end of the day, it’s not enough to simply be a website owner. It matters just as much that you are a responsible website owner, and these days, being responsible for your website means ensuring that it’s friendly for mobile use.