How to Make Your Website Responsive on Mobile

No matter how big or small your business is, it’s important that your website is responsive across all devices, especially mobile. A recent survey found that 88% of consumers who search for a local business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours, and 57% won’t recommend a business if the website isn’t responsive on mobile. Thankfully, with just a few simple steps you can improve your website’s ‘viewability’ considerably and give your customers the seamless experience they’ve come to expect.

  1. Re-evaluate the template you’re using
    If you’re using a DIY website building site, like Squarespace or Wix, and your current template isn’t responsive, it’s time to re-evaluate! There will be a plethora of responsive templates you can choose from to replace your current unresponsive one. Take a look at them and choose one that is best fit for your business. Even if it means you have to spend some time altering the layout and content on your website, it’ll be worth it in the long run. If you have a bespoke site, created by a developer, get in touch with them to discuss making your site responsive. It might cost you a bit of money but it will certainly help your site perform better in the search engines and improve your visitors’ user experience.
  1. Make navigation simple
    Avoid long navigation bars which require consumers to zoom or make it harder for them to click the right link, as this easily puts people off. Less is more when it comes to navigation bars, so keep your options in the 4-5 range and make sure each one has a strong title with  clear calls to action. The text size is also important as consumers need to be able to easily click the link.
  1. Keep the text short and sweet
    Mobiles can’t display as much information as desktops and tablets, so it’s a good idea to review your website’s text with this in mind. Can you be more concise and reduce the volume of text? This will almost certainly have benefits outside of improving the mobile experience of your visitors. Once again, you need to make sure your calls to action are clear and customers understand what your business does, and why they need your services. Typography is also important; make sure the text isn’t too small and the spacing is even as this will allow for easier reading.
  1. Make sure your images are optimised
    Images which aren’t optimised can slow down your website a lot and could potentially lose you customers if your site is taking too long to load. JPG, PNG, and GIF files are usually fine and there are many tools you can use, such as Optimizilla; which will optimise your images for you. Images which are too big can also reduce your websites responsiveness, so make sure you check the size of your images too.
  1. Use mobile specific features
    Adding interactive maps and providing icons for your contact details are great for customers using your website on their mobile. This way they can get in contact with you much more easily than having to re-type your details into a search engine.
  1. Avoid using pop ups
    Pop ups can be a serious buzz kill, especially on mobiles as often browsers don’t support them, so avoid using them as they can easily put customers off.

To conclude, a responsive website is a necessity. By making your website responsive, mobile visitors are more likely to have a positive experience, which means they’re more likely to turn into loyal customers. Your websites ‘viewability’ will also affect where you rank on search engines, so make sure you check your website is providing the best mobile and desktop experiences frequently. Once your website is responsive you’re well on your way to success!

 

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Spring Budget 2017: What Marketers Need to Know

Phillip Hammond delivered his first Budget as Chancellor last week. Whilst it was perceived as being a fairly lacklustre affair by many, there were elements that had a relevance to marketers. From education to technology, here are some of the key proposals and facts marketers need to be aware of:

  1. The economy is growing faster than expected
    Growth in the UK economy picked up more than expected in 2016, despite the turbulence of the Brexit vote. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had initially predicted the economy would grow by 1.4% in 2017, however the Chancellor announced a new forecasted figure of 2%.
  2. .Large investments to be made in 5G technology
    In a bid to make the UK one of the leaders for 5G, Phillip Hammond announced that £16 million would be invested into trialling the technology with a view to making it available nationwide. The Chancellor also announced that a further £200 million would be invested in local projects to provide more reliable broadband networks. Consumers are becoming ever more demanding when it comes to their mobiles, and staying connected it fast becoming a perceived necessity. It’s important marketers remain in touch with these evolving expectations and stay alive to the opportunities they afford.
  3. T-Levels to be introduced by autumn 2019
    The Government announced the introduction of T-levels. T-levels will provide 16-19 year olds with technical skills across a variety of industries and disciplines; which many argue are desperately needed to boost UK productivity. With a huge demand for digital, creative and design skills in marketing, these qualifications are sure to be welcomed by many in the industry.
  4. New ways to protect consumers
    In an effort to protect consumers and make them better aware of their legal rights, the Chancellor also announced that the Government will be introducing new ways to protect us. This includes making online terms and condition simpler and fining companies that mislead or mistreat customers. Marketers need to be careful, therefore, to be clear and fair when it comes to promoting their products, services and content.
  5. Sugar tax confirmed
    Phillip Hammond also confirmed that the controversial sugar tax will go ahead in 2018. The tax; which will affect soft drinks with more than 5 grams of sugar per 100ml, will be a blow for many marketers in the UK soft drinks market. Companies will have to seriously rethink their marketing strategy if they want to persuade customers to pay more for their products.

If you spotted anything else in last week’s budget that stood out to you from a marketing perspective, please let us know. In the meantime, enjoy and good luck with your marketing!

 

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Spending a Morning at the University of Southampton’s Computer Labs


After an exciting meeting at the Uni of Southampton about future events for our clients , Josh was given a tour of the Uni’s newly refurbished computer labs.  The facilities received a £4 million investment in 2015, which went towards more than 200 high-spec multi-core PCs, as well as iMacs and self-studying areas. The state-of-the-art labs were specifically designed for students studying Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, IT and Web Science.

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