With Google recently announcing a worldwide rollout of its new mobile-first indexing, marketers and SEOs have been working hard to improve the user experience of their mobile websites.
In 2018, a truly mobile-friendly website is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s essential. Below, we’ve rounded up four ways to transform your marketing strategy from desktop-oriented to mobile-first.
Cut down on text
Marketing bloggers regularly sing the praises of long, in-depth content. That makes sense, as content that’s more than 2,000 words is more likely to rank than a shorter article. But on mobile, users are less likely to read huge blocks of text – so consider cutting down your material and creating short, consumable pieces of content that work well on mobile. If you really do need a 5,000-word explainer piece, then offer a ‘TLDR’ at the top of your post. Reading long articles on mobile is clunky, uncomfortable and it will soon be a thing of the past. Which leads us on to…
Experiment with multimedia content
Rather than cutting down your blog posts and content, consider experimenting with different forms of content – like videos and podcasts. Mobile users love to watch video – in fact, mobile users spend more time watching video than desktop users, which could be surprising to some. Jump out of your comfort zone and create a video explainer, or start recording a weekly podcast that your customers and followers can listen to on their journey to work, and see whether it proves more effective than a standard blog post. Chances are, you’ll never look back.
Design infographics for mobile
One of the most popular forms of content marketing in recent times is the infographic. But how many of your infographics can be comfortably read from a smartphone without having to zoom in all of the way? Make an effort to cut down on the amount of text on your infographics, and make elements larger so that they work on mobiles and on social media. If a user has to squint to read your content in a graphic, you may as well have stuck to writing a standard blog post.
Create an app for your business
Mobile websites and home screen shortcuts have made it easier for web designers to offer truly unique and personal mobile browsing experiences, but an app for your business is still something that you should think about. Not only does an app give you more control over user experience and functionality, but it allows you to collect data on your customers. If you want to invest in an app for your brand, then check out Zudu, which offers app development in the UK.
The truth is that more users than ever are spending time on their smartphones – and desktop and PC usage is falling year-on-year. Centre your marketing strategy around smartphones, and you’ll connect with more potential customers and have your messages delivered further.