Mobile devices have completely disrupted business. Now more than ever before, businesses need to develop mobile applications and adopt marketing strategies geared at driving sales through these channels.
Mobile-first strategies have quickly become some of the most successful win-win strategies today, catering to modern society with pocket screens that access content online.
Mobile experiences are becoming more important to companies and are altering how users engage with them.
What is a Mobile First Strategy?
"Mobile-first" refers to an approach used when developing websites which emphasizes mobile versions over desktop versions of websites.
Due to mobile internet browsing and shopping becoming more and more prevalent, companies are prioritizing mobile versions of their websites.
How Mobile-First Strategies Work
Companies employing a "mobile-first" strategy typically release their website with mobile version first before investing significant resources and time developing desktop version.
An initial draft version of the desktop site may also be released alongside the mobile site, often as simply a landing page linking back to an application for mobile phones or providing basic information, like an FAQ page.
Mobile-first strategies have gained in popularity due to wide range reasons. Smartphone usage continues to steadily rise over time; according to StatCounter estimates, both desktop browsing and smartphone browsing made up approximately 48% of market shares in January 2021.
Mobile-first websites can also benefit greatly from using data and features specific to mobile phones. Owners of such sites can obtain details regarding user experience (UX), as smartphones often employ touch screen interfaces; owners could even gain information regarding eye movements determined via front-facing phone camera sensors.
Other types of user data are more widespread; though more advanced metrics may not be. Location tracking enables website providers to automatically send GPS coordinates from users phones directly back to them for location tracking purposes and help plan future marketing initiatives such as opening retail stores or warehouses.
This data could even prove invaluable for planning future marketing strategies or business expansion initiatives!
Real World Examples of a Mobile First Strategy
Googles implementation of its "mobile-first indexing strategy" may have had the biggest influence in popularizing this form of approach to indexing new websites based around mobile versions since July 2019.
As part of their search algorithms priorities when indexing new pages, it now gives priority to mobile sites when indexing.
Due to Googles dominance in the global search engine ecosystem, websites without mobile first strategies will likely experience poor search engine optimization results.
With its dominance being assured in this space, mobile-first practices may become standard practice among future website development projects.
Mobile First Benefits
There are several benefits to designing for the small screen before a desktop. Here are five reasons why you should reconsider your mobile-first approach.
Expanding the Audience
Reports indicate that mobile devices now account for approximately half of global web traffic; 54.8% (or approximately 1.2 billion pages of website visits in Q1 2021) was generated through pocket screens.
As this marks an increase of 5 percent compared to 2015, it can only be expected that smartphone usage and those who search the web via mobile will continue to expand rapidly.
Mobile-first strategies are key for reaching new customers and expanding your market and revenue streams, like YouTubes rapid audience growth is.
This video platform lacks responsive design; instead it was tailored specifically for mobile devices and thus the desktop and mobile versions differ significantly; mobile users do not feature text or buttons, with some offering "night mode." Pocket screens may provide users with small-screen touches but this may depend on individual habits.
YouTubes focus on mobile devices has brought in new viewers while increasing revenues through brand advertising contracts.
Mobile traffic currently accounts for 40.9% of total YouTube traffic and, per this model, younger audiences (aged 15-25) will eventually dominate its user base in 2020.
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You Can Rank Higher By A 2nd Chance
After Google released its mobile index update in early 2014, digital marketers and entrepreneurs quickly adjusted to mobile-first strategies for digital business development.
Google now gives more weight to sites designed with mobile in mind in its search results; mobile-first development thus helps improve rankings for any online venture.
Google, as the worlds premier search engine, provides marketers with an effective tool for tracking statistics and insights relating to mobile friendliness of apps or websites they market.
Regular monitoring and analysis should occur, particularly considering where an app or website exists (country of operation).
Page load speed is an increasingly significant ranking factor for websites. According to Creative Momentums research, mobile-first sites should focus on keywords over content if they want better page load times and increased conversions; one second can result in up to 7 percent reduced conversion rates!
Keep an eye out for changes to organic search results and Google rankings, making sure mobile pages align with desktop versions to stay compliant with search engines algorithms and stay visible to potential visitors.
Google offers a handy mobile-friendly check tool where visitors can enter any URL online to quickly assess its status as mobile-friendly.
Report findings highlight a multitude of factors which determine mobile friendliness (scripts, slow page load time and Robots.txt blocks are examples), so having an SEO plan coupled with mobile friendliness increases its chance of ranking highly in SERPs.
Easy Communication and Relationship Building
By prioritizing mobile, you can improve customer relationships by increasing flexibility and functionality for users on all mobile devices.
Furthermore, chatbots or social media marketing techniques may further strengthen relationships.
Communication and interaction can be enhanced using a mobile-first development approach.
Your potential customers will also appreciate having more communication channels open up for them to communicate more easily with your organization.
Chatbots or standalone apps enable entrepreneurs to engage with customers more efficiently; greater interaction will foster stronger bonds amongst your audience members leading to long-term clients that remain faithful customers and clients.
Enhance your brands trustworthiness and reputation by simplifying communication and relationships. Typeform offers one such example; simply by clicking one of its top buttons you can pose any question you like!
Read More: Mobile App Development Process: A Step-by-step Guide
Improve Customer Experience
Mobile-first solutions excel all other digital solutions when it comes to UX, website performance and efficiency. By meeting customer expectations and efficiently fulfilling them, your brand and company can increase loyalty while mobile-friendly sites and apps provide more options to cater specifically for target audiences - creating an exceptional user experience for each audience segment.
In the context of mobile versions UX-driven approach includes:
- The menu should have large, clearly visible buttons;
- You can also add a sidebar to your homepage.
- Shorter forms and improved navigation improve conversions.
- Tone, color, and clearly visible call-to-actions
- The font sizes of the content should be smaller.
- There are fewer ads but they are more appealing.
Pitchforks mobile version features thumb buttons to improve user experience; users can browse content more efficiently.
Leveraging Customer Data
By prioritizing mobile-first development, you can enhance your marketing strategies and website performance while gathering valuable insight about customers.
You could promote personalized mobile designs using data-driven tools like location tracking to boost user experiences while increasing revenue streams.
Cost-Effective and Value-Added
As mobile is now at the core of all interactions, taking a mobile-first approach is increasingly vital to success in todays mobile era.
Optimized experiences can help engage more customers while expanding your reach to reach even more individuals and expand your business footprint. Longer-term, such strategies may prove cost effective while initially taking more budget resources to implement.
How to Be A Mobile-First Business?
As our world grows increasingly mobile, more individuals rely on smartphones for managing finances, health and wellbeing management; communicating, learning and doing business.
Smartphone use has caused significant change across industries like banking, retail and travel - with businesses adapting a comprehensive mobile-first strategy in order to stay relevant in todays environment.
Mobile First: From Design Principle to Business Strategy
Luke Wroblewski first coined the term in his 2009 book Mobile First. In it he discussed the transition from desktop web design to mobile web and how teams, organizations and companies should adapt their design strategies by considering mobile webs unique characteristics, including input methods, layouts, actions and other aspects.
"Render-First Design Strategy" refers to an approach in which design starts at lower resolutions before scaling to larger screens.
This new approach offered a leaner design. Traditional approaches prioritize desktop UI over mobile UI; mobile is often treated as a secondary or "smaller version." With this new approach, focus should be put first on building out essential elements and then adding any necessary additional ones in later.
Mobile web and apps play equal roles in modern businesses. Mobile web is invaluable because it enables companies to deliver advanced data directly to users while connecting in a personal manner; mobile apps offer another means for connecting more closely with customers while offering personal interactions as well.
Responsiveness directly influences search engine ranking: Google recently made changes that ban websites not optimized for mobile devices from being listed as search results.
Mobile first is no longer just an aesthetic concept: in 2017, 75 percent of internet usage will come through mobile devices alone.
Businesses of all kinds - small firms to large enterprises alike - are adopting mobile-first strategies as part of their strategies, so why wouldnt yours? Here we explore whether or not taking this route might affect your bottom line.
Lets discover why mobile-first strategies have gained so much traction and what benefits they bring to business.
Mobile First Business Strategy: Benefits
In 2019, it is expected there will be over five billion mobile phone users globally, making mobile marketing one of the primary tools used by consumer-oriented businesses to expand and generate revenue.
With an effective mobile strategy in place, your business could tap into this massive audience to expand customer bases while expanding revenue.
Here are some other reasons why you should make your business mobile before anything else.
- Competitive Edge
According to research by BI Intelligence, mobile commerce will account for 45 percent of US eCommerce by 2024 - or $284 billion - as only 16 percent of retailers currently provide an eCommerce mobile channel.
Adopting mobile technology could prove successful not just in retailing settings but across different business sectors and industries alike.
- Improved Customer Reach
Mobile technologies enable companies to enter new markets and reach unreached customers more effectively than physical stores can.
Mobile application development presents clear economic returns when considered alongside infrastructure costs associated with operating a bricks-and-mortar location.
- Improve Customer Retention And Engagement
Mobile devices help close customer distances. Just consider it: how many of us keep a smartphone by the bedside table and reach for it first thing each morning or before going to sleep at night - making you accessible 24/7, increasing engagement rates with customers, and creating an unified customer experience.
- New Revenue Streams
Utilizing mobile-first strategy can increase margins or expand revenue channels by taking an app-centric approach.
Monetizing apps through paid products, in app purchases, gamification upgrades and premium features offers you multiple avenues for profit growth.
- Unmatched Data Source
Apps provide mobile usage statistics and valuable insight into customer behaviors. Wearable devices also can offer data such as health metrics, location data and activity reports that enable more tailored experiences for customer satisfaction by targeting with tailored offers through machine learning algorithms and recommendation algorithms.
AI could make data even more powerful; adding value to mobile offerings while driving revenue growth for core businesses.
- Improved Customer Experience
Mobile applications provide superior UX and performance than web solutions, in addition to more features. Furthermore, theyre more likely to exceed customer expectations when it comes to customer experience - especially since mobile users increasingly depend on convenience when fulfilling daily tasks - providing this feature is a surefire way of creating customer loyalty!
- The Foundation For Future Innovation
Businesses that prioritize mobile are more agile, quickly reacting to new challenges as mobile development advances significantly.
Furthermore, adopting new tools and technologies becomes much simpler thanks to a mobile tech stack; keeping you one step ahead of your competition!
Implement a mobile-first strategy as soon as possible in your business and maximize its advantages with these simple guidelines for success.
7 Principles For A Mobile-First Business Strategy
1. Start With Yourself
Be certain that your business processes align with your strategy before beginning work on mobile innovations for customers.
Before undertaking these efforts, assess your level of mobile maturity; having an enterprise mobility strategy with which you are familiar increases the odds that mobile experiences provided will meet success for customers.
As part of your strategy to launch mobile products successfully, this approach can also ensure there will be no integration issues when doing so: If your systems and processes still belong in the 1990s, chances are slim that theyll integrate and interact effectively with any new mobile devices that become part of the mix.
2. Existing Products Can Be Optimized For Mobile Users
If your product targets customers directly, such as an app or website, ensure it stays relevant by keeping its user experience fresh.
Any web-based solutions must also be responsive designed.
Prioritize performance and speed when developing an app. Customers could leave after even one use if your application takes too long to load, leaving customers disgruntled in your wake.
Checking that your backend system supports both mobile and web tools is also key to building a mobile-first business.
Microservices and RESTful APIs should play an integral part in making sure mobile-first businesses thrive.
3. Embrace Agile Methodologies
Agile software development and mobile go hand in hand. Iterative development lets you focus on one task at a time, perfect for creating an impressive and efficient mobile experience.
By narrowing your product vision to an MVP you can prioritize important features while keeping development costs reasonable and timeframes manageable.
Agile methodologies prioritize testing and validating learning as part of their core principles; both aspects are integral parts of business products.
The sooner your app can identify whats working or not working in terms of functionality and user interface design, the sooner you can adapt accordingly.
Agile allows you to manage both in-house teams as well as contract remote software engineers for greater business flexibility, quickly expanding teams if necessary and cost effectively.
Read More: Key Considerations Before Diving Into Mobile App Development
4. Invest In New Mobile Products
Chances are, you didnt begin your business as a mobile-first organization - no need to feel pressured, anyone can do it!
Expanding your mobile product portfolio will enhance your chances of success, keeping existing customers interested while expanding customer bases by periodically offering new offerings.
Considerations should be given to your tech stack when developing your mobile app. Cross-platform development might seem appealing at first, but may fail to deliver on customer experience and performance requirements for customer-facing apps.
We advise using either Xamarin or Android/iOS Native Development for maximum success.
5. New Customer Service Channels
Customer-first is mobile first: mobile businesses are always seeking ways to better serve their customers through social media and chat apps, like those employed by Tesco, Sainsbury and Samsung; Dominos Pizza even allows orders via Twitter!
AI-powered virtual assistants used in chat-based customer service tools are becoming more widely adopted. You can reduce customer service costs and effort with chatbots for Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and websites; AI can automate responses to simple, generic inquiries to free up resources for other tasks.
6. Leverage Customer Data
Mobile-centric businesses gain an advantage over their traditional competitors by having access to vast pools of customer data.
You can collect and analyze this information with just an app - geolocation data, activities data, preferences data or buying behavior details are just a few examples - to gain greater customer insights so as to customize products and strategies according to individual customer requirements.
Data analytics and machine-learning solutions power many business components, from customer experiences to tailoring content suggestions - with your industry.
By harnessing them effectively you can customize customer journeys or provide faster, simpler or cheaper solutions to customer issues than ever before.
7. Consider IoT
Mobile technologies open a wealth of opportunities for your business, from smart devices like Internet of Things (IoT), beacons and wearables to expand capabilities by adding tools from third parties.
Smartphones seamlessly link us with other devices wherever we may be, making our daily activities more efficient and autonomous.
Smartphones also allow businesses to provide 24/7 customer service by employing smart home devices, connected cars or fitness trackers as customer touchpoints - offering their clients meaningful customer experiences with meaningful business intelligence solutions.
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Final Word
Mobile first has transformed nearly all industries and business domains, even those resistant to change. Being a mobile first business involves more than optimizing for mobile devices or creating responsive sites; having just an app alone may not suffice.
Gain the full potential of this strategy by adopting the mobile-first mindset across your entire business.
