We know how it goes.
You spend hours designing and creating your website.
Writing and uploading blog posts.
Putting together digital products or service offerings.
Or listing all your physical products and making sure they’re SEOed.
And then… Crickets.
Whyyyy?
This might set you off down a rabbit hole…
To figure out what the problem is.
But wait!
Before you panic and start trouble-shooting…
Learn how to make your website mobile-friendly.
This could be the biggest reason your conversion rate is low.
Let’s dive into it and see how to fix it.
Why Is a Mobile-Friendly Website Important?
Shocking fact: close to 60% of website traffic is on mobile these days.
So…
If your website doesn’t work well on mobile devices…
You’re missing out on a ton.
If your website is SEO-friendly and you’re marketing yourself well, you may still be getting the traffic.
But chances are they’ll bounce as soon as they find it hard to navigate.
Which means your conversion rate is going to be lowwww.
Solution?
Learn how to make your website mobile-friendly.
How to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
So here’s how to do it.
In most cases it’s really not too difficult.
It may require some structural changes, but I can promise it’s worth it!
1. Test It First
Don’t just assume your website is or isn’t mobile-friendly.
Test it!
Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test is quick and easy.
It’s as simple as copying and pasting your URL into the bar and seeing what comes up.
If you’re good to go, you’ll see something like this:
No need to read further!
If there are issues to fix, you’ll see this:
And further down, you’ll find some insight as to what the actual issues are.
Find out how to fix the problems it mentions, and you’ll be all good.
2. Choose a Responsive Website Design
Responsive web design means that the site automatically adjusts to mobile.
It changes the text size, picture size, and page layout to make sense on a phone screen.
If you’ve just created a website, chances are high that you already have a responsive design.
It’s likely that your site is already responsive if you work with a web designer.
But if your website is a little older, you may be stuck with a non-responsive design.
Unfortunately, the only way to change this is to change your design.
This most often happens with those who have older WordPress sites and themes.
Might be time for a rebrand while you’re at it!
3. Up Your Speed
This is actually useful for both your web and mobile users.
If your site takes more than 4 seconds to load, up to 25% of your readers will bounce!
And close to half of those readers will not pop onto your site again if it comes up in a search.
There’s also a higher chance that IF they do decide to buy from you…
They’ll abandon it halfway through the process due to impatience.
Everything suffers when your site is slow, from traffic to conversions.
Google PageSpeed Insights is a great tool to test out your website speed, on desktop & mobile.
Here’s mine on desktop:
And on mobile:
Looks like it needs a bit of work!
It also offers helpful hints at how to improve your website speed:
Some easy ways to boost your speed include:
- Compressing images
- Updating software
- Use a caching plugin
4. Revamp Your Pop-Ups
.. Or eliminate them completely.
Try switching to CTAs that integrate into your web page…
Easily on both desktop and mobile.
If you do need one, make sure it’s:
- As unobtrusive as possible
- Easy to close
Ever tried to hit a tiny little X with biggish fingers?
Make the close-it button big!
7. Remove Unnecessary Plugins
WordPress Plugins can cause havoc on mobile.
I advise removing all plugins (or WordPress themes) you don’t actively use.
If one of them is causing your site to freak out on mobile, then look for a mobile-friendly alternative.
Bonus: Ask For Feedback
You can ask a few trusted people to check out your site on mobile and give you honest feedback.
Don’t ask your mum.
Or your partner.
A straightforward friend, colleague, or impartial acquaintance would probably be best.
You can always put together a bit of a questionnaire if you want to get feedback on specific things.
Ask questions like:
- Does the site design look pleasant? (Have you used a graphic designer)?
- Is anything too small?
- Have you checked your website traffic?
- Are there responsive images
- Is the navigation menu easy to use?
- How is the user experience?
- Did anything annoy you?
- Was the pop-up easy to close? (if you have one)
If you’d prefer to have (almost) complete strangers view it for you, place a questionnaire/poll on social media and see who pops onto it.
Should You Create a Mobile App?
If optimising your website is a bit of a big job or you want something more engaging and interactive…
A mobile app could work.
As long as:
- Your target market is the type who would use it.
- Your business is the type that would benefit from it.
The good news is that creating a mobile really isn’t as hard as it seems.
You can do a DIY approach, which is great for less complicated apps.
Or you can hire a professional developer to create one for you.
This will naturally be more expensive, but if you get it right, it will pay for itself in the long run.
Or, you can try something like AppPresser, which helps you create an app directly from your WordPress website.
A dedicated mobile app gives you:
- Real-time access to an audience of warm leads
- A clutter-free marketing space just for you
- Access to your customer/client’s attention via push notifications
- Opportunity to offer paid subscriptions
Ready to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly?
If your website is already pretty decent on mobile, then you’re probably good to go.
It pays to double-check where you can improve and optimise it, though!
And if you’re all good with that, why not consider a mobile app?
Let’s be honest—most people dig apps.
Remember, the digital world is largely mobile now.
If you aren’t optimising your business to be accessible in someone’s pocket…
You’re missing out!
The short version: A mobile-friendly website uses responsive design so pages adjust to any screen size, with fast load times and easy-to-tap buttons. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search rankings, so this isn’t optional for businesses that want visibility. Test your site regularly and fix issues quickly, since mobile traffic now makes up most web visits.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my website is mobile-friendly?
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool by entering your URL. It scans your site and flags specific problems like small text, tiny click targets, or content wider than the screen.
What’s the difference between responsive design and a mobile version?
Responsive design uses one set of code that adapts to any screen size automatically. A separate mobile version means maintaining two sites, which takes more time and often causes inconsistencies.
How much does mobile optimization affect SEO rankings?
Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily looks at your mobile site to determine rankings. A poor mobile experience can hurt your visibility even if your desktop site looks great.
What are the most common mobile-friendliness mistakes?
Slow load times, text that’s too small to read without zooming, and buttons placed too close together are the biggest culprits. Pop-ups that cover the whole screen on mobile also frustrate visitors and hurt rankings.
Related reading: Creating Content With Mobile Users in Mind and Helpful Hints for Deciding on the Best Mobile Plans.
