About 62.54% of the global website traffic comes from mobile. Consumers love browsing, shopping, and chatting on smartphones—now more than ever.

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If your website isn’t on, you’re already losing out on a massive target audience.

In this comprehensive guide, we’re going to explore why mobile-friendly websites are going to help you boost your brand’s reach, growth, and bottom line.

Understanding Mobile Usage: Patterns, Behaviour, and Preferences

Let’s deep dive into how frequently and when customers use mobile phones.

  • Mobile apps reign supreme: In 2024, the industry’s rapid growth showed no signs of slowing down—global downloads reached 6.6 billion, and users spent 41.9 billion hours in-app.
  • Usage varies by hour: Customer use of mobile varies throughout the day, with most using smartphones in the evening. As a business owner, this data becomes important when devising your social media spend.

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Interestingly, users spent about 4.2 trillion hours on mobile in 2024, or roughly less than 500 hours on average per person.

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Pro Tip: Focus on how customers will reach your brand on mobile search and ad spend—this is mandatory for delivering a seamless mobile experience. 
  • Biggest Mobile Markets in the World: The United States ($52 billion), China ($25 billion), and Japan ($16 billion) had the highest in-app purchases (IAP) revenue in 2024.

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  • Multi-Platform is the Gold Standard: In Australia and much of the developed world, most users prefer using desktops and mobiles.

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Clearly, creating a responsive web design is just as important as building mobile-friendly websites.

  • Almost Everyone Uses a Smartphone to Get Online: About 98.1% of internet users between the ages of 16 and 64 access the internet on their smartphone.

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  • Mobile Boasts of Higher Conversion Rate for eCommerce Businesses: On average, smartphone conversion rates for retail stand at 3%. This number is higher during seasonal sales that occur in November and December.

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  • Entertainment Mobile Apps See the Highest In-App Revenue: In terms of categories, Entertainment, Productivity, and Photo & Video were the highest revenue generators globally for IAP revenue in 2024.

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The takeaway: Mobile is no longer just one touchpoint—it’s the primary gateway to your brand. With billions of hours spent in-app, peak evening usage patterns, and 98% of smartphone users accessing the internet, your digital strategy must lead with mobile.

Prioritise mobile-first experiences in everything, from paid ads to responsive design. Track when and how your audience engages. Work on aligning your content, campaigns, and checkout flows accordingly.

Remember, businesses optimising for mobile intent and multi-platform continuity will win on relevance, reach, and revenue.

15 Tips on How to Create Mobile-Friendly Websites

Want your website to perform well on smartphones? Start with the basics.

A mobile-friendly website makes every tap, scroll, and call to action meaningful. Here are 10 practical tips to help you build a mobile-friendly website:

Tip #1. Don’t Just Design for Mobile — Think Like a Mobile User

People use your site while walking, commuting, or grabbing coffee.

If it’s slow, clunky, or full of pop-ups, you can say goodbye.

In 2025, a mobile-friendly site means fast loading, easy tapping, and no distractions. Your site should work smoothly with one hand and still be readable in sunlight. Keep it simple, clean, and quick—or they’ll move on.

Pro Tips:

  • Cut anything that makes users pinch or zoom the screen to read what’s written.
  • Prioritise tap targets over hover effects.
  • If it takes more than three thumb-taps to find something, know that it’s buried too deep.
  • Use dark mode-friendly colours—your users will love the browsing experience.

Questions to Ask:

  • Can someone browse your site with one thumb (and if they have zero patience)?
  • Are your mobile users seeing the same CTA priority as desktop users?
  • Is your mobile layout clean, or does it feel like a mini version of a mess?

Tip #2. Streamlined User Experience: Guide Visitors Through Your Site

A beautiful design is great, but it’s worth nothing if users can’t find what they’re looking for. You need a simple, intuitive user experience (UX) that guides visitors to take action.

Plus, a smooth UX increases engagement and conversion rates. If users can find what they need quickly and easily, they’re more likely to stick around and take action, whether that’s making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up for a newsletter.

Pro Tips:

  • Minimise Clutter: Use clean, simple layouts. Remove unnecessary elements and focus on what matters most to the user: products, services, and key contact information.
  • CTA Placement: Make calls to action (CTAs) easy to find and use. Place them where they’ll naturally catch the eye, right after a compelling piece of content or at the end of a user’s journey.
  • Add Trust Signals: Use SSL certificates, reviews, testimonials, and security badges to build trust, especially if you handle sensitive data like credit card information.

Questions to Ask:

  • Is my site easy to navigate without overwhelming users?
  • Do visitors know what action to take next, and is it obvious?
  • Are my CTAs well-positioned and compelling enough?

Tip #3. Mobile SEO: Visibility is Everything!

No matter how great your website looks or how fast it loads, if it’s not on the first two pages of Google, you’ll be in trouble.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) helps get your site noticed by search engines and, ultimately, potential customers.

The more optimised your site, the better chance you have of showing up for relevant searches.

Pro Tips:

  • Keyword Research: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to discover the most relevant search terms for your niche, and then integrate them naturally into your content.
  • Technical SEO: Ensure your website architecture is clean, with structured URLs, internal links, and proper header tags. Also, remember to include image alt text for better accessibility and searchability.
  • Regular Content Updates: Search engines reward websites that continuously add fresh content. Keep your blog, product pages, and news section active and updated to improve SEO.

Questions to Ask:

  • Is my content optimised for the keywords people are actually searching for?
  • Does my site load efficiently for search engine crawlers, not just users?
  • Am I consistently adding new content that keeps my site relevant?

Tip #4. Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): Turning Traffic into Business

Your website might be attracting visitors, but are they turning into customers? If not, you need to work on your Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO).

CRO is all about optimizing your website’s layout, design, and content to increase the percentage of visitors who take the desired action—whether it’s purchasing a product, subscribing to a newsletter, or contacting you for more information.

Pro Tips:

  • A/B Testing: Test different versions of landing pages, product pages, and CTAs to see which performs better. Small changes can lead to big improvements in conversions.
  • Reduce Friction: Make it easy for visitors to take action. Shorten forms, provide multiple payment methods, and make sure the checkout process is quick and easy.
  • Add Social Proof: Customer testimonials, reviews, and trust badges can give hesitant users the confidence to convert.

Questions to Ask:

  • How many visitors are converting on my site? What’s my conversion rate?
  • Am I testing different versions of my pages to see which works best?
  • Are there barriers that could prevent my visitors from completing a desired action?

Tip #5. Fix Site Speed Like It’s a Sales Problem — Because It Is.

Every second of delay costs you interest, trust, and money. Your users won’t wait. If your site crawls, so does your revenue.

Pro Tips:

  • Get rid of oversized images — use modern formats like WebP.
  • Stop using 20 plugins when five will do.
  • Lazy load below-the-fold images and videos.
  • Run your site through PageSpeed Insights once a month, not once a year.

Questions to Ask:

  • What’s slowing down your first 3 seconds of load?
  • Are you loading things users never asked for?
  • Do you actually know your mobile speed score?

Tip #6. Write for the Person, Not the Algorithm.

Search engines are catching up, but humans still pay the bills. Your readers will bounce if your copy sounds like it was written for Google.

Pro Tips:

  • Cut every sentence that sounds like it belongs in an SEO workshop.
  • Use words your customers use, not what you think sounds “optimised.”
  • Headlines should promise value, not just keywords.
  • Include questions real people ask.

Questions to Ask:

  • Would you say this out loud to a customer?
  • Can your audience find what they’re looking for without scanning every paragraph?
  • Are you solving problems or simply stuffing phrases?

Tip #7. Treat Your Homepage as a Path to Your Offerings.

Most homepages don’t guide users on where to go next or what to do. A good homepage should get people where they want to go in seconds, within two clicks if possible.

Pro Tips:

  • Make your main CTA stupidly obvious.
  • Highlight the top one to three actions most users come for.
  • Remove distractions—including carousels that no one clicks.
  • Use real headlines and not vague taglines.

Questions to Ask:

  • Can a first-time visitor figure out your site in 5 seconds?
  • Are you pushing your agenda or guiding theirs?
  • How far is your homepage from what users actually need?

Tip #8. Your Navigation Menu Shouldn’t Need Instructions

If people have to think about where to click next, you’ve lost them. When it comes to mobile-friendly sites, clarity beats cleverness every time.

Pro Tips:

  • Use simple words like “Shop,” “Book,” “About,” etc.
  • Avoid dropdowns unless they’re absolutely necessary.
  • Put the same energy into your footer as your header—users often scroll straight there.

Questions to Ask:

  • Do people know what each link means without clicking?
  • Are important pages buried behind cute labels?
  • Can someone find what they need with zero guesswork?

Tip #9. Make Your Forms Human Again

Long, clunky forms feel like chores. People don’t want to highlight their life story in your forms. Ask simple questions that need simpler answers.

Pro Tips:

  • Only ask what you truly need — nothing extra.
  • Auto-fill, auto-format, and give helpful error messages.
  • Avoid captchas that feel like mini escape rooms.
  • Use clear action buttons—and not dull phrases like “Submit.”

Questions to Ask:

  • Would you bother filling out your own form?
  • Is there a faster way to do this, like a single-field lead form or chat?
  • Are you killing conversions with tiny annoyances?

Tip #10. Stop Ignoring Accessibility — It’s Not Optional.

Accessibility isn’t an item that your site should check off. Your site should be accessible to everyone. And yes, that includes screen readers, colourblind users, and those navigating by keyboard.

Pro Tips:

  • Use proper heading hierarchy (read: H1, H2, etc.) for screen readers.
  • Don’t rely on colour alone to show actions and errors.
  • Add alt text that actually describes what’s in the image.
  • Ensure all buttons and links can be reached without a mouse.

Questions to Ask:

  • Can someone use your site without touching a mouse?
  • Are your colours readable in low contrast and bright sunlight?
  • Are you building with everyone in mind, or just the average user?

Tip #11. Heatmaps Don’t Lie — Trust What Users Do

You might think your CTA is perfectly placed but your users might disagree. Heatmaps and session recordings show you the truth of what your site is doing right and where it’s going off track.

Pro Tips:

  • Use tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity to see what users click, scroll past, and ignore.
  • Watch for rage clicks—they’re signs that something’s broken or frustrating.
  • Test different CTA placements, colours, and copy based on actual user behaviour.

Questions to Ask:

  • What parts of your page get the most attention?
  • Where are users getting stuck?
  • Are people clicking things that aren’t even clickable?

Tip #12. Convey with Images, Not Stock Photos.

A single real image tells more than 500 words of empty stock visuals. Remember, people can spot fake images, and they will scroll right past it.

Pro Tips:

  • Use real product shots, real people, and real environments. They might cost more but are worth every penny.
  • Show things in context—your product in action, your team at work, and so on.
  • Optimise images for the web so they load fast but still look sharp.
  • Avoid text-heavy banners that no one reads.

Questions to Ask:

  • Are your illustrations, images, and graphics helping you to build trust?
  • Are your visuals helping tell the story, or are they distracting your customer from core messaging?
  • Think about it: Would you trust a business that used your exact same image? That’s the issue with stock images: everyone uses them.

Tip #13. Update or Delete — Don’t Let Old Pages Rot

Dead content drags your whole site down. Outdated pages confuse users, tank your credibility, and signal laziness.

Pro Tips:

  • Audit your site quarterly. You must update the useful content and delete the rest.
  • Redirect dead pages to live ones that actually help.
  • Check for broken links, especially internal ones.
  • Make sure your latest work or offers are front and centre.

Questions to Ask:

  • Which elements on your site are live that shouldn’t be?
  • Are there pages you haven’t touched in over a year?
  • Does every page have a purpose and a next step?

Tip #14. Don’t Assume — Test Everything.

What works for someone else might flop on your site. Best guesses are fine, but testing tells you what actually works.

Pro Tips:

  • Run A/B tests for headlines, layouts, button colours, and even pricing pages.
  • Don’t just test what looks better; you should track what performs better.
  • Small changes can have a big impact. Start with your top 3 traffic pages.
  • Use tools like Google Optimize to get real data.

Questions to Ask:

  • Are you making decisions based on data or instinct?
  • Have you tested your assumptions about layout, copy, and CTA order?
  • Are your changes improving clicks and conversions?

Tip #15. Respect the Fold, But Design for the Scroll.

On mobile, the “fold” isn’t where your homepage ends—it’s where the experience begins. Most users scroll almost instantly, but only if what they first see gives them a reason to.

That first screen should spark interest and not confusion. If your CTA, value prop, and main action is buried below a giant image or carousel, you’re losing momentum before it starts.

Pro Tips:

  • Prioritise clarity over cleverness in your first 2–3 lines. Say what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters.
  • Use scroll indicators or subtle animations that invite movement.
  • Avoid “hero sections” that waste space with vague copy and oversized visuals.
  • Hook your user early, then layer content with purpose as they scroll.

Questions to Ask:

  • What’s the very first thing your mobile visitor sees—and is it useful?
  • Does the first screen help them take action or make them work for it?
  • If you had just one mobile screen to sell your offer, would this be it?

Creating Mobile-Friendly Websites with Crazy Domains is Deceptively Easy

Is your website optimised for mobile? That’s the million dollar question. Because if it’s slow-loading, hard to navigate on mobile, or outdated, you might be losing out on potential customers.

The good news is, it’s not too late to make changes. Focusing on speed, responsive mobile design, and a better user experience will transform your site into a revenue-making asset.

The fact is your website should be a reflection of your brand’s values—customer-obsessed, trustworthy, and professional. It should complement your marketing efforts and amplify your brand’s USPs with every click.

If you’re unsure about how or where to begin, Crazy Domains is a great place to start. You can access intuitive AI website builders, pick the team’s brains on the right site name, and get answers to technical queries related to mobile design. Sign up to know more.

FAQs

1. Why is mobile-readiness so important right now?

Over 60% of online traffic now comes from mobile. If your site lags or looks broken on a phone, shoppers won’t wait—they’ll leave. A mobile-ready site increases time-on-site, lowers bounce rates, and directly improves your conversion rate. Mobile-first also means SEO-first, only because Google indexes your mobile version before desktop.

2. What’s the first thing I should do to make my site mobile-friendly?

Run a Mobile-Friendly Test using Google’s tool. Prioritise issues it flags like small text, slow loading, and buttons that are hard to tap. If your theme isn’t responsive, switch to one that is—or use a builder like the one from Crazy Domains to leverage a built-in mobile design.

3. How can I speed up my mobile site?

Start with images—use WebP or compressed JPEGs, and only load them when visible (lazy load). Remove bloated plugins and scripts, and use browser caching. Hosting matters too: consider a CDN or a faster provider. Regularly audit speed with PageSpeed Insights as a rule of thumb.

4. Does mobile optimisation really affect SEO?

Absolutely. Google uses your mobile site for indexing and ranking. If your mobile experience is slow, broken, and worse, confusing, expect lower rankings.

5. Should I fix how my site works or how it looks at first?

Our opinion? Fix how it works to start with. A sleek design won’t matter if users can’t tap buttons and navigate easily. Get the basics right: speed, readability, and accessibility. Then, you can enhance the design with mobile-friendly branding and visuals that support the experience.

6. What mobile design mistakes should I watch out for?

Avoid tiny fonts, overlapping text, and buttons that are hard to tap at all costs. You must also ditch intrusive pop-ups as Google penalises them. Make sure key actions (like checkout and contact) are front and centre. A clutter-free interface always wins.

7. How can I make mobile navigation easier?

Use a sticky header for your menu. Limit choices to the most important categories. Add a visible search bar. Keep tap targets large and spaced out. Test with one hand—if you can’t use your thumb to move around easily, it needs rework.

8. Should I build an app or just stick with a mobile site?

Start with a fully optimised mobile site. It’s faster to launch, easier to maintain, and works across all devices. In our experience, apps are better for frequent users or if you need advanced features like offline access or push notifications. So, don’t build mobile app unless your customers really need it.