Mobile marketing is something that most of us experience on a daily basis, yet it’s a form of marketing that I, myself, knew very little about until very recently. But one thing I do know is the phrase “think mobile-first.” This phrase can truly mean a number of things, but the idea I’m going to focus on is that of a mobile-optimized website. As emphasized in the book, “How Mobile Technology is Revolutionizing Marketing, Communications, and Advertising,” this doesn’t mean that your site simply works on mobile (2017). The idea that if your website works on a mobile device then it must be compatible, is one of the common mistakes Rowles discusses in his book. In order to capitalize on your mobile website, it must be optimized to properly entice and engage your target audience.
So why is it so important to fully optimize your website for mobile?
A whopping 51% of the time spent online in the US can be attributed to mobile devices and nearly 40% of people search the internet solely from their mobile devices (Petrov, 2019). Users are clearly utilizing mobile devices much more than a desktop in many cases. If users can be found on mobile, why would a business ignore this known fact and settle for the non-optimized site? These statistics and many more can help bring to light the importance of a mobile-optimized site. Each year people’s attention spans decrease, therefore, if your website simply works on mobile but isn’t optimized, your load time could deter interested people from completing an action or even visiting your site. The average bounce rate on mobile is around 45% compared to that of a desktop at around 38% (Petrov, 2019). If you haven’t noticed, the vertical use of your phone (aka how it was intended to be used) is finally taking the front seat from horizontal use. By having a website that is optimized and can adapt to each device, your audience members won’t be left adjusting and turning their devices to decipher the content your company is sharing. And if you’re running an e-commerce business, online shopping via mobile has increased from 8% to 15% while desktop shopping has decreased (Petrov, 2019). If these statistics aren’t enough to convince you, check out the full article techjury.
Warby Parker, a retailer for prescription glasses and sunglasses, is a great example of a company that has fully optimized its mobile website. Let’s take a look…
Warby Parker’s mobile site hits all of the mobile design principles laid out in Rowles book on mobile technology (Rowles, 2017). Let’s dive deeper…
- Prioritization of content – Warby Parker is aware that most people who are visiting the website are interested in viewing and potentially purchasing a pair of glasses. That is why they decided to make things simple for both the mobile version of its website. The navigation at the top of the page is clear and concise, prompting users to look at eyeglasses, sunglasses, or both for an at-home, FREE, trial run. The emphasis is heavy on ‘free’ as this keyword entices users and makes them want to act.
- Horizontal vs vertical layout – Most users view content on their mobile devices and tablets vertically versus viewing a webpage on your desktop which is typically displayed in a horizontal format. Warby Parker’s website is beautifully formatted and displayed in a vertical layout.
- Links and buttons – In both the first and second screenshot, you can see that Warby Parker utilizes easy to read buttons that make the call-to-action (CTA) clear from the start. Users have the option to view men or women’s glasses in any of the given categories.
- Screen size and graphics – With limited screen space on mobile, a company must make every effort to put the most important content, including graphics at the top. It also much make sure the images and graphics don’t require a user to zoom, tilt the screen, or worse switch to a desktop. Warby Parker made sure to size all its graphics properly including its products to beautifully fit the screen with only necessary information provided (i.e. color options and a favorite button).
- Reduced hierarchy – Warby Parker is certainly aware that making your mobile user feel understood and safe is important. It condensed the amount of content being shared on the mobile website so that users are always aware of where they are on the site and how to get where they want to go. The Warby Parker logo at the top always leads back to the homepage and the tops and side navigation is continuously present on each page.
Warby Parker has taken the time to fully optimize its website and ensure that its users feel safe and totally confident in making the decision to purchase a pair of glasses. Taking the time to optimize your site can have a tremendous impact on your business! What’s one key takeaway from this article that you’ll never forget?
Resources
Rowles, Daniel. Mobile Marketing: How Mobile Technology Is Revolutionizing Marketing, Communications and Advertising. Kogan Page Ltd, 2017.
https://techjury.net/stats-about/mobile-vs-desktop-usage/
https://www.impactbnd.com/examples-of-effective-mobile-website-design
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