In the past, building a website was relatively simple. Because the vast majority of users visited from a desktop or laptop, best practices for dimensions, layout, and content were relatively straightforward and streamlined.
Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Last year, mobile internet usage surpassed its desktop counterpart for the first time, meaning the majority of visitors now access websites from a smartphone or tablet with variable screen size.
Mobile users who don't find a website that is easily accessible and readable from their device will not convert to leads or customers. As a result, conversion rate optimization (CRO) that accounts for and is specific to these mobile users is becoming increasingly crucial. Beyond implementing a responsive website, here are 5 tips for increasing your mobile CRO.
1. Increase Page Load Speed
Most mobile users report that their page loading speeds are slower than they would be on a desktop and yet, they expect similar load times. A visitor that bounces due to slow load times before even viewing your website cannot convert. Ensuring satisfactory page load speed is crucial for mobile CRO.
Increasing your mobile loading speed can be accomplished through a variety of factors. For example, minimizing unnecessary code and plugins, as well as adjusting your images to smaller file sizes, can improve the speed and lower your bounce rate.
2. Get To The Point
On your homepage and landing pages, move away from long text that explains the benefits of your product or service. That content appears as a wall of text on mobile devices, which is a surefire way to alienate these visitors.
Keeping it short also minimizes scrolling, which can be a major deterrent for mobile users. It enables you to place your calls-to-action early on the page, which will increase your clicks and maximize mobile conversions.
3. Keep It Visual
One way to minimize text is to include visuals on every page of your website. These visuals should also be optimized for mobile. Having a hero image that takes up an entire iPhone screen will do little to encourage your visitors to scroll.
The importance of including visuals in your website and content strategy is well-established, and that importance is amplified for mobile users. Shorter attention spans necessitate strong visuals that capture your audience's interest and drives them to convert.
4. Simplify Your Navigation
Mobile users navigate through your website very differently than their desktop counterparts. When they arrive on your website, they need to have a clear path to get to your conversion pages that don't require multiple clicks or nestled menus. Keep it simple, with an intuitive and flat navigational structure.
5. Engage In Thorough Testing
To optimize your mobile conversion rates, you absolutely need to engage in continuous testing. As early as building the first version of your website, you should test the layout, content, and navigation on multiple screen sizes to ensure a positive user experience.
In addition, after going live, continuous A/B testing can help improve your mobile CRO. Adjust a headline, move a call-to-action, or shorten your landing page text for a portion of your audience to see whether it improves conversions. In each step, you can use A/B testing to improve your website’s experience and conversion rates for mobile users.
Optimizing your website for mobile conversions can be a very different process than doing the same for desktop users. If you only focus on one, you may see an uptick for that user group at the expense of the other. As your audiences continue to move to mobile devices, mobile CRO will only rise in importance for your website’s success.
