Is Your Website Mobile Friendly? (The Benefits)

ROAR | 27 April, 2023 | 5 minute read | Blog, Website

Take a moment to think about how often you browse the web on your phone. Chances are, it’s most of the time, and your customers are no different.

As of March 2023, over 60% of all website traffic comes from mobile devices. That means if your website isn’t properly optimised for mobile, you could be turning away more than half of your potential visitors before they even engage.

In this blog, we’ll break down the real benefits of having a mobile-friendly website, why it’s no longer optional, and the practical steps you can take to make sure your site works just as well on mobile as it does on desktop.

Is your website mobile-friendly? Let’s find out.

If you’re unsure whether your website works well on mobile, there are a few key areas that quickly reveal the answer. A mobile-friendly website isn’t just about appearance, it’s about usability, speed, and how easily real people can interact with your content on smaller screens.

One of the first things to consider is pop-ups. While pop-ups can work well on desktop, with average conversion rates of over 11%, they often create a poor experience on mobile. Intrusive pop-ups can block content, be difficult to close, and frustrate users, increasing bounce rates rather than conversions.

Image compression also plays a major role in mobile performance. Large image files take longer to load, especially on mobile networks. By compressing images and reducing file sizes, your website loads faster, which directly affects whether users stay on your site or leave before it finishes loading.

Regular mobile testing is essential. Your website should be tested on both iOS and Android devices to ensure it functions correctly across the most common platforms. Tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test make this easy by analysing how usable your website is for mobile visitors and highlighting any issues that need fixing.

Another critical factor is having a responsive website layout. A responsive design automatically adjusts to fit different screen sizes, ensuring your content is readable and usable on phones, tablets, and desktops. Without this, users may need to zoom, scroll excessively, or abandon the site altogether.

Website speed is one of the first things mobile users notice. Slow load times lead to higher bounce rates and lower engagement. Using tools like PageSpeed Insights helps identify performance issues and shows you exactly where improvements can be made to deliver a faster mobile experience.

Finally, don’t overlook font size and readability. Text that looks fine on a desktop screen may be too small on a mobile device. While 14 pixels is common for desktop, mobile screens often require larger, clearer fonts. The most reliable way to check is simple: view your site on an actual mobile device and read it as a user would.

Why consider mobile-friendly online? 

Think about how people actually use the internet today. Most of us reach for our phones first, not a laptop. That shift alone is reason enough to make sure your website works properly on mobile, because if it doesn’t, people simply won’t stick around.

One of the biggest advantages of a mobile-friendly website is the experience it gives visitors. A good mobile site adjusts automatically to the device someone is using, so content fits the screen instead of feeling cramped or awkward. On a phone, small frustrations add up quickly. If users have to pinch, zoom, or struggle to read text, they’re far more likely to leave.

Accessibility also plays a huge part. A mobile-friendly website should be easy for everyone to use, including people with visual impairments or other accessibility needs. Clear text, logical navigation, and buttons that are easy to tap all make a difference. From the moment someone lands on your site to the point they leave, ideally after converting, the journey should feel smooth and effortless. Surprisingly, most websites still get this wrong, leaving many users behind.

A better mobile experience naturally leads to better conversion rates. When a site loads quickly, works properly on smaller screens, and feels intuitive to use, people stay longer and interact more. That reduced friction lowers bounce rates and makes it easier for visitors to take action, whether that’s filling out a form, making a purchase, or getting in touch.

From a practical point of view, a mobile-friendly website is also far more cost-effective than building an app. Apps take longer to develop, cost more to maintain, and need regular updates to fix bugs. While apps can be useful in specific situations, especially when offline access is important, most businesses get far more value from a well-optimised mobile website without the added complexity.

Finally, there’s SEO. Search engines care deeply about how a website performs on mobile because that’s how most users browse. If your site is slow, hard to use, or poorly optimised for mobile, it’s likely to struggle in search results. A fast, accessible, mobile-friendly website keeps people engaged for longer,  and that’s exactly what search engines want to see.

The benefit of a mobile-friendly website is unmatched. For professional SEO management , please speak to our team of equipped specialists today.

The benefit of a mobile-friendly website is unmatched. For SEO-strengthening consultancy, please speak to our team of equipped specialists today.