It is predicted that over half of all worldwide traffic will come from mobile devices by 2015. Mobile usage and growth statistics like these are staggering and if you value your business and brand they cannot be ignored. You must be
optimizing for mobile.
Ineffective mobile traffic optimization will not only expose your business to substantial decreases in potential revenue but will also jeopardize the reputation of your brand. A frustrating mobile experience can translate directly into a
negative consumer association.
Mobile users expect an experience optimized for their viewing device and the epitome of mobile optimization is simplifying the consumer’s experience in order to help them convert. Unfortunately, most advertisers are not doing this
effectively or even at all.
To help you avoid the potential pitfalls, here are six of themost common mobile optimization mistakes.
1. Slow Load Times
Slow loading pages are not just an inconvenience for site visitors; in the age of ecommerce, consumers expect your page to load easily and quickly. Most consumers will wait only 5 seconds for a web page to load on their mobile device before abandoning the site altogether. Ideally, your mobile page should render in less than one second. Keep it simple and limit page sizes by stripping out any unnecessary content,especially large images or Flash.
2. Over-Elaborate Site Design
Function is more important than visual appeal on a mobile device so don’t recreate your desktop site. Instead, mobilize the experience. Simple, clean pages with minimal distraction convert best. Ensure that copy is concise and large enough that it is easy to read on a mobile screen.
3. Forgetting Mobile SEO
Google is just as strict in regard to mobile SEO as in online. Faulty redirects and error messages for your mobile visitor will lead directly to demotion in mobile search rankings and you will soon see a decrease in traffic. Always redirect
mobile users from a desktop page to its mobile optimizedequivalent. If you do not have a mobile equivalent page yet,serve relevant desktop content rather than redirecting usersto an irrelevant mobile or error page.
4. Complex Or Missing Calls To Action
Google reports 61% of mobile visitors move to competitors’ sites after a frustrating browsing experience. If your call toaction is hard to find or impossible to navigate with a finger, don’t expect a conversion. As an advertiser, ask yourself what action you want performed – whether it’s short form lead gen
or a credit card payment, then determine what information is critical. Simplify text entry with fewer, larger text fields and when possible use dropdown menus, checklists and prepopulated fields. An adult finger easily covers 45 pixels when
pressed on a mobile screen, so a clear call-to-action that is 44×44 pixels is ideal.
5. Using Creatives That haven’t Been “Mobilized”
Nearly half of your email creatives are viewed on a mobile screen and if they aren’t optimized for mobile the chances are over 80% that they will be deleted. Non-optimized ad creatives will simply be ignored. Even if your mobile landing
page is optimized, your mobile creatives must be designed with mobile in mind. In emails, avoid long subject lines, reduce email width to 640 pixels or less and email size to 20K or less. Format your ad creative to 320×427 pixels or less. Just as on your mobile site, ensure that your email and ad creative callto-action and text links are clear and easy to press.
6. Network Lacking Necessary Mobile Capabilities
Once you have optimized for mobile consumers, choose to partner with a network that is capable of boosting your mobile traffic. A good network will have strong mobile capabilities including targeting. Mobile targeting is a huge benefit for network advertisers. Advertisers are able to route traffic to specific landing pages based on a series of rules. For example, a network can create a rule that will identify iPhone traffic and redirect users to an iPhone optimized page. There are many
other ways a mobile capable network can significantly help improve offer performance.
The mobile sector still has enormous growth left in it, so it is not too late to capitalize on this ever-increasing traffic source. Start mobile optimizing now – the right way – and get ahead; wait any longer and it may simply be too late to catch up.