IDR – Chp 3 – The Importance of being Mobile Friendly
Approximately 61% of all Internet traffic in the UK and Ireland is through mobile devices and not having a mobile friendly website means that you could be missing out on a huge share of Internet users.
In today’s society there’s no better investment than a website for your dental practice.
There is an array of benefits associated with having a mobile friendly site such as providing prospective patients with a convenient and user-friendly browsing experience.
of the Dental Clinic's in Ireland do not have a mobile friendly website
Is your Clinic's website mobile Friendly?
What is a Mobile Friendly Site?
To put it simply, a mobile friendly site is a website that can be viewed on mobile devices such as smart-phones and tablets. But there are different main concepts that a site needs in order to be classified as “mobile friendly”, 3 of which are discussed below.
1. Impeccable Loading Speeds
Fast loading websites are essential when it comes to a mobile friendly site and it’s imperative that you don’t bloat your site with a bunch of graphic images and videos that will slow it down. According to a study by Kissmetrics, approximately 49% of surveyed mobile users stated that they would wait up to only 10 seconds for a page to load.
Remember, a smartphone or tablet is substantially less powerful than a computer and even though your webpage may load seamlessly on your desktop at home, it doesn’t mean that it will work as well on a smartphone.
Also, bloated websites are going to cost your clients more money to load, as they will typically be using their data to search for your dental practice while they’re on the go.2. Easily Navigable
Depending on the type of device that a prospective patient has, the screen will typically be a fraction of the size of a desktop computer screen. This is why it’s important to have an easily navigable website that your patients can quickly browse through to find the most pertinent information.
You’ll want to consider placing a navigation bar or drop down list at the top of the site that they can use to visit your landing pages. According to the Walgreens GVP and Chief of Technology Officer of eCommerce, “Our goal with everything we do on mobile is to make our customers’ lives easier.”3. Implementing a Responsive Web Design
RWD, or responsive web design, is essential to the success of a mobile friendly site. It basically means that the page will have the same URL and the same coding regardless of if a person has visited your website through their computer, tablet, or smartphone.
With RWD the website will respond to the user depending on the size of their screen to help optimise the content for easier browsing. There are a variety of benefits associated with responsive website design, particularly which you will only have to worry about updating one version of your site instead of two.
For a dental practice that brings in approximately €1000 each day, deciding to not have a responsive website design could cost you up to €25,000 annually.
A non- responsive website design could cost you up to €25,000 annually.
Features in a Mobile Friendly Site
Now that you have a clear understanding of what a mobile friendly website is, you might be considering how you can build one on your own. When you begin the development process there are certain features that you should pay special attention to. These features not only make it easier for clients to work their way through your website, but it also helps to add to a seamless aesthetic appeal as well as functionality.
Ireland by far has the largest number of mobile device Internet users in comparison to the rest of Europe, North America, or South America.
1. Call to Action Buttons
As a dentist, the main objective of your website is to encourage potential patients to call your practice and schedule an appointment. This is where call to action buttons are the most useful as you can make contacting your offices easier than ever before.
Consider adding click-to-call or click-to-text buttons on your site so that if people are browsing using a mobile device, all they have to do is push one button to be connected to your reception desk. Internet users don’t enjoy having to search for contact information so it should be readily available.2. Mobile Maps and Directions
It’s also important to let your clients know where your practice is located because approximately 53% of your website traffic is searching for directions to your local establishment. Adding directions is simple with the help of a Google Map widget. You can either give your clients step-by-step instructions on how to get to your practice or you can add a hyper-link that will open your address in one of their GPS apps.3. Optimising Content and Button Size
The last thing you’ll want is to have potential clients trying to read incredibly small content and buttons on your site as it will only encourage them to click off of the page and visit a competitor. Make sure the text on the page is large enough to read on small mobile devices and ensure every button is optimised to approximately 45-57 pixels.4. Ensure the vital information is visible
Mobile users will be on the go, walking, on a bus, and generally looking for a local Dentist. The most important information to show them is the following:
- Email address
- phone number
- opening times and days
- map with directions to the clinic
- call to action button to make an appointment or enquiry
5. Image Sliders
If you have decided that pictures are exactly what your website needs to really grab the attention of readers, you will want to consider adding them into a slider that a user will be able to swipe through. Scrolling can be difficult to work with on a smartphone, especially if you have pages and pages of content. An image slider puts all of the pictures you need in one convenient location. This image slider should be responsive, changing the height and width depending on the device being used.
of your local traffic are searching for directions to your Clinic
How easy is your clinic to find?
of mobile users visit a particular business on the same day they searched for it
If mobile visitors cannot see your website, they will go to another clinc
of all website users expect an entire website to load within 2 seconds
Optimising your website can increase your patient numbers
of surveyed mobile users stated that they would wait up to only 10 seconds for a page to load
Optimising your website can increase your patient numbers
Over 2/3 of the population uses smartphones more than any other mobile device in their home
Why is a Mobile Friendly Site Important?
According to a study by Statista, by 2020 there will be approximately 2.87 billion smartphone users around the world. In fact, over 2/3 of the UK’s population uses smartphones more than any other mobile device in their home. Using mobile devices has become the new way to connect with companies that offer products and services in their immediate area. It’s important that you consider just how beneficial it could be to grab a piece of that market share for yourself. Owning a mobile friendly site is more than important; it’s vital for the success of your practice.
1. Mobile Use vs. Desktop Use
In 2016 StatCounter discovered that for the first time in history, mobile use surpassed desktop use with 51.3% of all Internet users relying on their smartphones and tablets compared to 48.7% relying on their desktop computers. This alone is the most convincing reason to consider implementing a mobile friendly site for your dental practice.
2. Local On-the-Go Searches
You would be surprised to learn that the majority of local searches made through mobile devices have a much higher conversion rate than any other types of searches. According to Search Engine Land, approximately 56% of mobile users visit a particular business on the same day they searched for it. Out of that 56% increase in foot traffic, approximately 78% of all people made a purchase that day as well.
This is a phenomenal opportunity for your practice as you have the ability to focus on the potential for high rates of conversions, which inevitably equates to better profits at the end of every quarter and more overall success for your business.3. Higher Mobile Friendly Rankings
Unlike your typical search engine rankings, Google unveiled a new program in 2015 that was aimed towards mobile friendly websites. The program is specifically designed to give these sites the ability to be ranked differently than regular desktop pages.
If you take the time to develop a mobile friendly site, you will also have the ability to be ranked higher on these high quality search engine results. The higher you’re ranked, the more traffic your site will bring in.
of all Internet users relying on their smartphones and tablets in 2016
Its estimated that far more than two thirds of internet users use mobile devices now
of mobile users have LOCAL INTENT!
local customers are vital for Dental Clinics
Why Potential Patients Prefer Mobile Friendly Sites
More and more people are turning to their mobile devices to get information about dental practices simply because they’re constantly on the go. It’s common knowledge that your patients are going to prefer your mobile friendly site because of its convenience. ease of use, modern adaptation, and professionalism.
Convenience
With your mobile friendly website, you’re going to tap into the 69% of users between the ages of 18 and 39 that always turn to their smartphones for research before they decide to buy anything. In fact, if your dental practice is targeting younger demographics, approximately 80% of teens and young adults have their own smartphone and use it for research on a regular basis.
Instead of attempting to access a regular desktop version of a site from a mobile device and dealing with the headache of poorly optimised content, mobile friendly websites boost browsing convenience ten-fold. According to a study conducted by Google, approximately 61% of users were likely to leave a website if it wasn’t mobile friendly and 67% were more likely to make a commitment to the company if their website worked on mobile devices.Finding Businesses that Care
No matter how you look at it, not having a mobile friendly website is going to hurt your business more than you could imagine. According to ThinkWithGoogle.com, approximately 48% of studied users claimed that if a website wasn’t mobile friendly, they felt like the company didn’t care about their business.
When it comes to the healthcare industry it is imperative that you show potential patients you care, otherwise they will be far less likely to consider giving you their business. Not only will you be responsible for giving them professional advice, but you’ll also be working on their oral health and who would want to work with a company that appeared like they could care less? Remember, 52% of users that have bad mobile experiences are less likely to engage with said company.Speed and Efficiency
There’s nothing more convenient than being able to unlock your device, access a search engine, and find the information you need within a matter of minutes. Today’s society has adapted a “right now” mentality, meaning that there’s no desire to wait for information anymore.
Approximately 50% of website visitors will wait up to 15 seconds for a website to load and over 44% of users will leave a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to appear on their mobile devices. These figures show you just how important it is to have an efficient and fast loading site for a better user experience.
Owning a mobile friendly website is essential for the success of your dental practice, particularly if you have your content professionally optimised for browsing on devices. By not providing the easily navigable format that mobile users expect, you could be losing more than 50% of your annual profits.Mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones have never been more influential in today’s economy as they are now, and taking advantage of this information is essential for the financial success of your practice.
Conclusion
Test your website today, open it with a mobile device, and see how easy it is to use.
Your website needs to be of good quality, and one of the most important factors is that it works for everyone. It needs to work for all the people using Ipads, iphones, android phones etc. When I say work, I mean it needs to load within 5 seconds, have a menu which is easy to use, and allow the user to see your phone number, directions and email within one click.
Mobile visitors are most likely local, and close to your clinic, needing a Dentist ASAP, make it easy for them to find you!, if you would like to talk to use regarding making your dental clinic mobile friendly, please get in touch with us today!
Check your Clinic Website Today
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