Search the term “mobile-friendly website” on Google. There are nearly 1,800,000,000 results. With all this hype, are you wondering what this term means? Importantly what it means for your hotel?
According to statistics, nearly 60% of web traffic in May 2022 was from a mobile device. Desktops are becoming less relevant as more applications are created with smartphones in mind. Unsurprisingly, mobile devices are crafting the future of web design. It’s the new wave of connectivity and you must join it.
Need a bit more convincing on why being mobile-first is so important?
· According to eHotelier 85% of international visitors have a mobile device with them while travelling
· A Google study shows that 70% of travellers have done travel research using a smartphone
· 42% of travellers booked via a mobile device according to hotels.com with 70% of the last-minute bookings made on a mobile device
· 94% of users search for local businesses on their phone according to Google
On mobile, your website is always accessible – from anywhere. If the mobile version of your website does not provide an optimal experience or has missing functionality, it could lose you bookings and impact your brand’s credibility and trust with your audience.
Another huge benefit of a mobile-first site is its ability to rank on Google. The search giant has multiple times stated that the mobile user experience of a website is a critical ranking factor. In fact, mobile-friendly websites are prioritised by Google in their ranking algorithm. If you want to benefit from organic search visitors and increase your conversions from this channel, a mobile-friendly website is a place to start.
How to check if your website is mobile-friendly?
Since Google gives so much preference to mobile-friendly websites, it has created its own free tool for website owners to check how they fare on this front.
Simple visit https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly, add your website URL and see your website as Google sees it.
Another place to look for your website’s mobile-friendliness is your Search Console – look on the left for the Mobile Experience tab on your console’s dashboard.
Key features of a mobile-friendly website
1. Responsive page display, which means your website display adjusts based on the screen size. Without responsive code, visitors to your website will see a miniaturised version of your desktop design.
2. Readable fonts on mobile, smaller screen size and with glare to cater to.
3. Proper text formatting. Shorter paragraphs, use of subtitles and proper line breaks makes a world of a difference when reading on mobile. Adhere to these best practices.
4. Optimised media display. Test your images, infographics, and videos to make sure they look right on phones and tablets, without requiring users to scroll or resize their display to see your media.
5. Mobile-friendly navigation that considers a user interface based on touch rather than mouse clicks from a desktop.
6. Site structure. Flatter the better for mobile. Users coming from mobile devices should be taken from point A to point B quicker, especially when it comes to your booking engine. Don’t create a navigation or page structure that requires users to click multiple times to get to a book page.
7. Fast loading. This is not limited to mobile, but also the desired desktop experience to reduce bounce rate. Your website must be developed so it makes the most of a browser’s ability to deliver your website quickly, as well as a powerful hosting and content delivery network (CDN). You can also create Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), a Google-recognised way to tailor content of your website for mobile users to ensure quick loading.
Where to get started?
Knowing where to get started with creating a mobile website can be hard work if you don’t have the time, skills, or resources to do so. Without needing to know any coding (or hire an expensive web designer), each website created through STAAH’s InstantSite is fully-responsive, meaning that every hotel immediately gains the benefits of the additional traffic and revenue from mobile users, without any additional work on their part.
It’s just one of the ways your hotel can get on board with the mobile revolution.
Did you know STAAH Instant Website is mobile-friendly? If you are looking for a hotel website schedule a free demo here
Look at some of these examples of hotel websites using InstantSite and connect with our team to find out how we can make your hotel’s website mobile-friendly.
