Why your website design might be costing you money
- 7 Nov 2017
Nowadays, more and more people access the internet and view websites from their mobile devices instead of their PCs.
According to independent web analytics company StatCounter, internet use on mobile devices has gone up worldwide from about 4 per cent in 2010 to 51.3 per cent in November 2016, while desktop internet use went all the way down to 48.7 per cent.
Freelancers typically rely on their websites a lot – for visibility, branding, and sales. So if your website is designed with features that only work – aesthetically and functionally – on computers, then you might not be able to reach many people.
Getting your website right is also crucial because it’s often the first official point of reference for people who are interested in your services. Its quality communicates an unconscious message to the viewer about the calibre and professionalism of your service. Your service might be amazing, but if your website isn’t responsive or optimised for mobile devices, it will probably give the wrong impression about your brand.
As the Independent reported last month, a PayPal survey found that this year, shoppers are predicted to double the amount they spend on purchases made through mobile devices to £27bn. And even though it’s likely to hit £43bn by 2020, still just 18 per cent of the UK’s small businesses have mobile-friendly websites. As mobile becomes the key growth area for online spending, small businesses risk being left behind by larger rivals unless they make changes, PayPal said.
The fact is, it is now more likely that potential customers will interact with your website through their smart phone than their PC. And with competition between freelancers growing, it would be a mistake to ignore this trend.
What’s more, with mobile devices now available in all kinds of different shapes and sizes, it is more important than ever to design and optimise your website to work on a range of devices.
The good news is there is a lot of help out there. If you want to optimise your site yourself, there are plenty of courses available – and if you’re an IPSE member, you can access them for a discounted rate through our site. Alternatively, many website design companies such as Wix and Microsoft 123 Reg also offer support with mobile optimisation.
Whichever route you choose, as consumers switch to all manner of mobile devices, from smartphones to tablets, there’s no doubt mobile optimisation is an investment that will pay off.
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