If your site isn't mobile-friendly, you are going to lose customers because, at this point, mobile devices aren't just about convenience - they are about necessity. But is being mobile-friendly enough for 2022? Not really. 

As the number of mobile users continues to grow, the world is ready to break away from mobile-friendly websites to mobile-first websites. Here is what you need to know about having a mobile-first website for your business.  

Mobile friendly vs. mobile-first: What’s the difference? 

A mobile-friendly site is simply a desktop website that's been readjusted for mobile. The content is the same and the layout is changed to fit the smaller screen (for example, the navigation menu might be moved from the top of the page to the side of the header for easy access). In other words, a mobile-friendly site might look different in some ways but it is essentially only resized. 

On the other hand, a mobile-first site is as the name implies - is about designing an experience specifically for small screens first - and then scaling it up for bigger ones if needed. The focus of a mobile-first site is on getting every element of the site to fit on a smaller screen, above all else.

 Mobile-first sites make it easy to navigate the site by limiting the number of elements users have to interact with at once. The content is designed to be easy to digest as well and doesn't take up more space on the screen, unlike a desktop site would.

 3 reasons why you need a mobile-first websit

More than 50% of search queries come from mobile devices

According to Statista, 56% of the total clicks received by websites come from mobile devices. So, if you are not optimizing your website for mobile device users, you are missing out on a huge percentage of potential traffic.

In fact, search engines have responded to this shift by changing their algorithms to focus more on mobile-friendly websites. Mobile-first sites are ranked higher in search results than standard websites, resulting in higher click-through rates and more conversions.

Google has a default mobile-first indexing

Mobile is eating the world!

The number of mobile internet users has exceeded the number of desktop internet users and the trend is accelerating. And as user consumption patterns change, so does the usage of search engines.

For instance, the mobile-first index is a change to Google's algorithm that prioritizes mobile-friendly pages in their index.

Mobile-first indexing means that Google will be using the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking, instead of using the desktop version. So, if your mobile pages aren't as good as your desktop pages, you may see a decrease in traffic when this rolls out.

Safe to say, if you have a mobile-friendly website, it would be great news for you. If not, then you should consider making some changes to your site soon because Google might downgrade your rank in search results.

You want to boost both your online and offline conversions

Almost 75% of internet users will be smartphone users by 2025. So, if you have a mobile-first site, you will already be prepared to have their interest. But it gets better!

Smartphones aren't just useful for searching - they are actually being used for making purchases. In fact, according to Google’s report, 84% of consumers make decisions about in-store purchases after using their phones to look up more information on products that they find inside the stores. That's why you need a mobile-first website if you want to boost both your online and offline conversions.

Furthermore, we have seen a 64% increase in mobile conversions when compared with the average desktop conversion rate, so you are more likely to boost your conversions with a mobile-first site. 

Finally, mobile devices offer more connectivity with other platforms than desktops. For instance, mobile devices allow users to switch from social media ads to mobile browsers to brand apps within seconds.

This means mobile users can be easily targeted and redirected to different platforms, which are more convenient for them, for boosting your conversions. In essence, mobile devices ensure you don’t leak valuable leads.