Don’t you hate when you go to a website to browse and you can’t click on the navigation bar? Or, when you can’t see the full image because it’s cut off? Well, it’s because the business didn’t optimize its site for mobile users. Here are a couple of tips to immediately make your small business website mobile-friendly.

Reduce scrolling

Action items should be higher on your page. You want to catch someone’s eye as soon as they hit your page. The more scrolling they have to do, the higher chance they will bounce from your site. Consider having sales, call-to-actions, and new content towards the top of your homepage.

Image Sizes

If your images are placed on your site via desktop, make sure they look good on mobile. Often, you’ll find images are cut off, too small, or hard to see when reduced to a mobile screen.
Make sure you’re building headers, banners, and images with text to fit smartphone screens.

Widget Functionality

Most small businesses use content management systems like WordPress or Squarespace. Drag-and-drop widgets are common tools used on sites to display content. Widgets act differently on specific themes and devices. Test your widget on all devices to see if buttons are clickable and the widget functions properly.

Menus and Search Bar

It’s best practice to have menus displayed with a hamburger-like icon on mobile. If your visitor doesn’t have a clear path to find what they need—you risk them leaving the site. Make your menus easy to navigate and simple to find. Search bars can be tricky with mobile devices, so ensure your device can type and query results in a clean manner.

These tips are for businesses running their own site. If you have an agency or web design firm working on your site, be sure to ask them what they’re doing to optimize your mobile site.

For more marketing tips, check out the recent blog on direct mail.