With the staggering growth of smartphones and tablets, it has become essential for your Guest House website to be mobile friendly. Travellers are constantly using their mobile devices, before and during their travels, making use of mobile apps like Booking.com, Tripadvisor, AirBnB and a host of other platforms.
Google has also been warning webmasters for years, that websites need to be mobile friendly in order to promote a better overall user experience. The following is in our opinion, some of the most important reason why your Guest House or Accommodation website should be mobile friendly:
#1 Mobile usage continues to rise
There is currently more mobile devices on the planet than people and mobile browsing of the internet has surpassed PC/laptop browsing. Travellers, your customers, are also more likely to be using a mobile device while they are exploring a new country and want to travel as light as possible.
#2 Mobile shopping has increased
In developed countries like the UK, Europe and the USA, 80% of consumers regularly use their smartphones to shop online. These people, who are typically the high frequency travellers to South Africa, are regularly buying products and services from their mobile devices. If your accommodation services are not easy to view from a phone, you’re missing out on an opportunity.
#3 Responsive sites improve Google rankings
Google has made it very clear, that responsive websites will perform better in their search results due to the better user experience they offer mobile browsers. Google will also not display your website in a mobile search, unless your website passes the Google Mobile-friendly Test. There are many steps to Search Engine Optimisation, but this is a critical factor in being displayed on a mobile search result.
#4 Responsive sites improve the User experience
A great overall user experience, is critical to the traveller choosing your Guest House as their accommodation provider of choice. This total experience starts with the very first visit to your website and it ends with the settling of the bill on departure. As the Gen X’ers and the Mellennials start to travel more often and this younger generation becomes your customers, an increased level of user experience is demanded by a younger more tech savvy traveller.
#5 It Saves you time and money
With a responsive website, you now don’t have the problem of maintaining two separate websites anymore. Less duplication of effort and resources, means less costs and more savings in your pocket. Information changed once on your responsive website, will now display accurately on all of the devices where your potential guests might be browsing from.
A responsive website is an investment into the future of your Accommodation Establishment. Mobile use is only set to increase over the next few years, with customers expecting more and more when they engage with businesses online.
Ready to make this investment into your future? Talk to us today about responsive web design.