According to a recent forecast by Insider Intelligence, mobile commerce share of total retail will resume growing next year, reaching 8.7% by 2026. This statistic highlights the significant impact mobile devices have on ecommerce sites, with more and more consumers choosing to shop on their smartphones and tablets. That said, businesses that fail to optimize their online stores for mobile devices risk losing out on a significant portion of potential sales.
In this blog post, we will explore expert tips on how to make your Shopify store mobile friendly. We will cover essential design elements, best practices for optimizing performance on mobile devices, and strategies for improving the user experience. Read on to get valuable insights for creating a user-friendly and engaging mobile shopping experience.
How important is mobile optimization for a Shopify store's success?
Mobile optimization is extremely important for the success of a Shopify store, as an increasing number of people are using mobile devices to shop online. Here are the top reasons how Shopify mobile optimization can bring value to your ecommerce business:
Mobile traffic is on the rise
With the increasing popularity of mobile devices, more and more customers are browsing and shopping online from their smartphones and tablets. In fact, mobile traffic has already surpassed desktop traffic in many countries, and this trend is only expected to continue. If your Shopify store is not optimized for mobile devices, you could be missing out on a large and growing segment of your potential customer base.
Mobile optimization improves user experience
When a customer visits your Shopify store on a mobile device, they expect the same level of functionality and ease of use as they would on a desktop computer. If your store is not optimized for mobile, the user experience can be frustrating and difficult, leading to high bounce rates and abandoned carts. A well-optimized mobile store, on the other hand, can improve user experience, increase engagement, and ultimately lead to more sales.
Mobile optimization can improve your SEO
Google's search algorithms now prioritize mobile-friendly websites. That means if your Shopify store is not optimized for mobile, it could negatively impact your search engine rankings. On the other hand, if your store is well-optimized for mobile, you could see a boost in your SEO performance, which can lead to increased visibility and traffic.
Mobile optimization can increase conversions
A well-optimized mobile store can make it easier for customers to navigate, find products, and complete purchases. This can lead to higher conversion rates and ultimately, increased revenue for your Shopify store.
Mobile optimization is essential for social media marketing
Social media platforms are heavily used on mobile devices, and a significant portion of social media traffic comes from mobile users. If your Shopify store is not optimized for mobile, it can negatively impact your social media marketing efforts, which can limit your ability to reach potential customers.
What are the common mistakes to avoid when optimizing a Shopify store for mobile devices?
Optimizing a website for mobile devices can be challenging, especially for those new to the field. In this section, we'll discuss the most common mistakes to avoid when optimizing your Shopify store for mobile devices so you can provide a positive user experience that drives sales and grows your business:
Ignoring mobile responsiveness
Your Shopify store must be optimized to work seamlessly on mobile devices. Neglecting to make your website mobile responsive could lead to a poor user experience, and could result in lost sales.
Large images and videos
Large images and videos can significantly slow down the loading time of your website on mobile devices. It’s crucial to optimize your images and videos for mobile devices, so that they load quickly and do not impact the user experience.
Complex checkout process
A complicated checkout process can frustrate customers and lead to abandoned carts. Simplify your checkout process by minimizing the number of form fields and allowing for quick and easy payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal.
Poor navigation
Mobile users should be able to navigate your store easily, without having to pinch and zoom excessively. Make sure that your store's navigation is clear and easy to use on smaller screens.
Slow loading times
Mobile users expect websites to load quickly, and are more likely to abandon a site that takes too long to load. Make sure to optimize your store's loading times, by minimizing scripts, compressing images, and using a fast web host.
Small font sizes
Small font sizes can be difficult to read on smaller screens, leading to a frustrating user experience. It’s important to use a font size that is easy to read on mobile devices, and use larger font sizes for headings and subheadings.
Inadequate testing
Testing your Shopify store on a variety of mobile devices is critical to ensure that it works properly on all devices. Failing to test your store adequately could result in a poor user experience, and could impact sales.
How can I test if my Shopify store is mobile friendly?
It is crucial for an ecommerce business to test whether their Shopify store is mobile-friendly to ensure its success. By conducting mobile-friendliness tests, you can pinpoint any problems that might adversely affect your mobile customers and implement necessary steps to enhance your store's performance. Here are some tips on how to examine if your store is mobile-friendly:
Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test
Google's Mobile-Friendly Test is a quick and easy way to check if your website is mobile-friendly. Simply enter your website URL and Google will analyze your website and provide you with a report. The report will show you if your website is mobile-friendly or not, as well as any issues that need to be addressed.
Check your website on different devices
You can test your website on different mobile devices to check if it is mobile-friendly. Check how the website looks on smartphones and tablets, both in portrait and landscape modes. This will give you a good idea of how your website appears on different devices.
Analyze your website's speed
Website speed is a crucial factor for mobile-friendliness. You can use Google's PageSpeed Insights to analyze your website's speed. This tool will show you the speed of your website on mobile and desktop devices, as well as provide recommendations on how to improve your website's speed.
Test website navigation
Navigation is an important factor for mobile-friendliness. Test your website's navigation on different mobile devices to ensure that it is easy to use and navigate.
Use Shopify's Mobile Responsive Design
Shopify provides a mobile-responsive design, which means that your website will automatically adjust to fit the screen of any mobile device. This will ensure that your website looks great on all mobile devices and is easy to navigate.
How to make your shopify store mobile friendly like a Pro?
For newbies who are just starting out with their ecommerce store, making it mobile-friendly can be a daunting task. One of the main challenges is the technical know-how required to implement the necessary changes to make the website mobile responsive. Save time on research by taking note of these expert tips on designing a mobile-friendly website:
- Choose a responsive Shopify theme: When selecting a theme for your Shopify store, make sure it's mobile-responsive. This means the theme will automatically adjust to fit the size of the device it's being viewed on, whether that's a phone, tablet, or computer.
- Simplify your design: When designing your store, keep in mind that mobile devices have smaller screens, so it's important to keep your design simple and clutter-free. Use a clean, minimalist layout and avoid using too many images or videos that may slow down your site's loading speed. You may consider tapping the expertise of a web designer to optimize your site design.
- Optimize images for mobile: Make sure all images on your site are optimized for mobile devices. This means compressing them to reduce file size, so they load quickly and don't slow down your site. It’s also important to have your product photo editor enhance your images to attract the right audience.
- Use clear and concise copy: Use short, clear, and easy-to-read copy on your site. Avoid long paragraphs or complicated jargon that may be difficult to read on a smaller screen. Enlisting the assistance of a product content writer can help you with this.
- Keep your navigation simple: Make it easy for customers to find what they're looking for by using simple navigation menus. Use drop-down menus sparingly and keep the number of menu items to a minimum to avoid overwhelming your customers.
- Use mobile-friendly buttons and links: Make sure all buttons and links on your site are easy to click on a mobile device. Use larger buttons that are easy to tap and make sure there's enough space between them so customers don't accidentally click the wrong button.
Outsource Customer Care to Improve Your Shopify Store Operations
Partner with a trusted customer care provider for an integrated approach to your Ecommerce strategy. High-quality customer service will complement your web design efforts, ensuring that your online store is optimized for both customer appeal and operational efficiency.
At ManilaPros, we offer a full-service, five-star customer care for retailers. We'll provide you with customer support agents who have undergone specialized on-brand training ang a rigorous certification process, so you can rest assured that they can effectively communicate using your brand's goals and voice.
Book a call with us today to learn more about retail customer care services.
