Restaurants: Studies Show Importance of Mobile-Friendly Websites


Mobile-Friendly Websites

Studies show that people are using their smartphones all the time.

Mobile Internet usage has skyrocketed over the last few years.

In fact, mobile usage is expected to match desktop usage by the end of 2014. (tweet this)

Mobile phones have also taken over Internet searching.

Yet, a majority of businesses, including restaurants, don’t have mobile-friendly websites. This is not only a headache for users, but results in a lost business opportunity.

A recent study shows that when users encounter sites that weren’t designed with mobile devices in mind, 48% reported feeling frustrated and annoyed when visiting websites. These people are more likely to leave your site and find one that does work on their device. The goal of most websites is to keep users on the domain, browsing and converting to leads and/or customers.

If your user is looking for your address or your menu or if they’re looking to order online and your website isn’t easy to view on a smartphone or tablet, they will most likely leave and find a site that is “responsive” to their needs. In this post, we’ll show you why a responsive website is vital to keeping mobile users interested and on your site.

Responsive Design: Mobile-Friendly Websites

Responsive websites are coded to adapt to all screen sizes. This means your site looks great on a desktop computer, laptop computer, iPad or Android tablet and any brand of smartphone. A responsive site also uses the same domain for both the mobile site and the desktop site; this makes the search engines happy.

What happens when your site isn’t responsive?

  1. You lose website visitors.
  2. Customers can’t view your menu so they are less likely to visit your restaurant.
  3. Customers can’t quickly find your address so they find somewhere else to go.
  4. If you provide online ordering or take-out options and your site isn’t mobile friendly, users will become impatient and leave your site.

Studies Prove That People Want Mobile-Friendly Websites

Restaurant Mobile-Friendly Websites

Restaurant customers use their phones all the time.

The following studies show the results for various industries, but the truth is that having a mobile-friendly website is just as important or more important for restaurants.

Mobile Use Is On The Rise

One study found that mobile usage is exploding. Businesses can’t afford to ignore this fact any longer. The findings include:

  • Over 20% of Google searches are performed on a mobile device.
  • In the last two years, more than half of local searches were performed on a mobile device. (tweet this)
  • In the United States, 25% of Internet users only access the Internet on a mobile device.
  • 61% of people have a better opinion of brands when they offer a good mobile experience.
  • 25.85% of all emails are opened on mobile phones, and 10.16% are opened on tablets.

Google Supports Mobile-Friendly Websites

A positive user experience is a must. According to Google’s Think Insights, if your customer visits your site and is frustrated because they can’t find what they are looking for, there’s a 61% chance they will leave immediately and go to another website.

So, if your customer is looking for your address and can’t find it while searching your site on their mobile phone, they’ll give up and find another place to eat. Responsive design is preferred for SEO (search engine optimization).

Google is a really big deal, and according to Google Developers, Google prefers responsive web design. It’s best to keep the king of the search world happy if you want to pop up on page one of Google search engine listings.

Mobile Users Are Social Media Users

Blogging and social activities bring mobile visitors to your site.

A recent study by ComScore cites that 55% of social media consumption happens on a mobile device. Do you share content or links to your website from your social media accounts? If so, and you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, you’ll have a frustrated audience, low conversion rates and high bounce rates.

As we mentioned before, Google is king, and Google doesn’t like sites with high bounce rates. A site that isn’t mobile-friendly results in a much lower placement in search listings.

Mobile Is Good, But You Need Speed

A speedy website is key. Users will leave your site if it loads slowly. Google recommends the content above the fold on a mobile device loads in under one second and the entire page loads in under two seconds. This is not possible when users try to load a desktop site on their mobile device.

Final Thoughts

With a responsive restaurant website, you’ll be ready for the future. Whatever the new trend-setting device might be, responsive design has it covered by shrinking content to fit the resolution of the device.

So, no matter what size screen your user is on, your site will display properly. Responsive design sets you up for future success and ensures your site is rendered beautifully. Consider your website the first doorway to your restaurant. Users want easy accessibility when they enter this door. This first Internet door leads them to your physical doorway and converts them to actual customers.

How can you make sure your website is inviting, interesting and easy to navigate?

Take Action

  1. Get a responsive website for your restaurant immediately. It’s one of the keys to a good restaurant website. Make sure the text is big enough and the navigation is clear and easily accessible by thumbs and fingers. All of Restaurant Engine’s sites are responsive. Their sites change size and adapt to screen sizes from a smartphone to the largest desktop screen.
  2. We live in a world of instant gratification. Make sure you have a good host so your site loads quickly. Impatient users will flee your site since nothing is more frustrating to users than a slow-loading site.
  3. Use videos on your site. It is much easier for users to view a video than to read long blocks of text.

Do you want to create a responsive website for your restaurant? Restaurant Engine can help! Contact us today to learn more about our complete restaurant website package.

Images: Highways Agency & John

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