A decade ago, simply having a website that customers could visit was considered a competitive advantage. Today, it is almost mandatory that your company has a website with a blog and links to sales pages or social media accounts. Furthermore, it is critical that it is easy for those using a smartphone or tablet to access. Why is it so important to have a fast and responsive website?
Having a responsive site is a matter of importance these days as many people use their phones or tablets for browsing. Therefore, not meeting the needs of those individuals could result in a potential customer buying a product or service from a competitor. Search engines recognize that many people browse the internet with a phone or tablet, and they will punish sites that don’t have a responsive version available.
In some cases, this means that your company page will be pushed down in the search results. In others, not having a mobile version of your website or blog could lead it to be removed from results altogether. The good news is that WordPress can automatically create a site that is optimized for both desktop and mobile users.
Research has shown that decreasing the loading speed of your website by as little as .1 percent can result in a dramatic increase in sales. It can also have a dramatic increase in user satisfaction. If your site is too slow to load, it could be penalized in the search results, and it is likely that whoever does find your page will not stay on it for long. Ideally, you will conduct speed tests on a regular basis to ensure that the needs of your readers and customers are being met.
Whether a person is looking for a dentist, a new pair of shoes or someone to fix his or her roof, the search for a product or service generally starts online. Typically, this means looking up information on a smartphone or tablet. The reason why searches begin online is that an individual can compare prices, ask questions and get reviews without having to travel to the mall or a local retail store.
For some, having to make a phone call is more work than they are willing to do to learn more about a product or company. Therefore, you need to put all the information a customer could need on your website in a manner that is easy to access. If you don’t, you risk losing a sale unnecessarily.
Your goal as a company is to make your website as engaging as possible. This means soliciting feedback on blog posts, asking for reviews, displaying videos and posting links to social media content. It could also mean including games, quizzes or anything else that will keep people on the site for a longer period of time. The better experience that your customers have on your site, the better reviews you will get and the more your company’s brand will spread by word of mouth or by social media posts.
Ideally, those who are on your site will share these blog posts and videos with their friends. They may also decide to follow your company on social media to keep abreast of new products, special prices or anything else that may interest them.
If your website doesn’t have an easily accessible mobile version, you could lose out on the opportunity to create a buzz for your company on a local, regional or national level. Attracting customers through a website can reduce customer acquisition costs, which can be a big deal if you’re the owner of a new or small company.
Having a clean, fast, and appealing mobile website can help attract more traffic to that online property. If you can consistently drive traffic to your company’s site, you can charge advertisers for the right to mention their own products or services. This is often done through banner ads or sponsored posts. Creating sponsored posts can be ideal because your company will get paid for someone else to put quality content on your site.
If you own a business, you need to have a responsive version of your website. It will make it easier for the site to rank well on search engines as well as make it more convenient for customers to find the information that they need. Ultimately, this can lead to an increase in targeted traffic, which may result in more sales and higher margins due to lower customer acquisition costs.
References:
Smashing Magazine | Responsive Web Design – What It Is And How To Use It
Smart Slider 3 | Why Do You Need a Responsive WordPress Slider for Your Next Project?
SmartBlogger | The Ultimate Guide to Making Your Site More Mobile-Friendly
Podium | Customer Interaction, Online Review Management, Customer Reviews Software
