Do you know how many of your potential customers are using their mobile devices to view your website? You can find out in Google Analytics:

 

Unfortunately, this will not tell you how many users abandon your mobile site before it even loads. Your RV dealership could be losing potential customers every day if you don’t have a mobile-friendly website.

Even if customers can access it, does your website create confusion and frustration when viewed on a mobile device? According to Google, 67% of consumers are more likely to buy from a business if it has a mobile-friendly website.

Keep in mind that having a website that displays on mobile devices is not the same as having a mobile-friendly website. If your site loads slowly or your customers can’t find what they’re looking for quickly and easily, it’s not mobile-friendly. These tips will help.

  • You may have already heard of responsive websites, which are designed to offer a similar experience to users regardless of which device they use to view a particular site; a separate mobile website is not required.

Responsive websites are terrific, but they are not miracle-workers. You can quickly ruin the responsiveness of your site by cramming elements into the header or using too many large, uncompressed images. Keep the website design simple and let usability be your guide.

  • Define your brand with your logo, colors, and style, including the voice of your content, while keeping the navigation simple for mobile use. Recognize that it’s possible to brand your site without forcing customers to view elements that hurt the mobile experience. Gradients and drop-shadows allow you to have an esthetically pleasing mobile site that doesn’t cause you to lose traffic because it includes large images that take too long to load.
  • Give customers what they need. Mobile users looking at a local business’ website are usually looking for specific information. You can offer a link to the full site for interested customers, but can mobile users quickly click to call your dealership on their devices? Can they view your hours of operation and directions to your dealership?

Mobile customers aren’t invested enough to spend time trying to figure out how your website works. If they can’t find what they need right away, they are likely to move on to another dealer’s site.

  • Anticipate that customers will get irritated with your site and abandon it faster than you think. Don’t expect them to fill out long forms. Streamline your navigation (consider collapsible navigation, which features menu items that can be tapped to expand into additional options) and your content. Ensure that buttons and links are large enough for customers on touchscreens to click, with sufficient white space between them to help users avoid mis-clicks. Allow mobile users to get where they need to go in as few screens as possible. Minimize or eliminate the amount of “pinching” required so customers can navigate the site with one hand.

 

  • “Streamlining your content” doesn’t mean eliminating content. Some of your mobile customers are in the car on the way to your dealership; others are lounging on the sofa in their pajamas with no intention of going anywhere soon and just want to browse RVs for sale. If the navigation on your mobile-friendly site is clear, users will be able to direct themselves to the information in which they are interested.
  • Provide users with visual cues that encourage them to remain on the site; for example, buttons should change color when clicked. Letting customers know that they are making progress will give them an incentive to allow a few extra seconds for content to load.
  • Avoid website technologies that won’t display on some mobile devices, such as Flash, or ask your web designer for workaround options for mobile.
  • Test your website on various devices, operating systems, and screen resolutions, and be sure to think about your customers’ perspective when doing so. If your site takes too long to load, customers will leave.  If it doesn’t provide the information they’re looking for quickly once it loads, they will leave. Screenfly will help you view your website as users of different devices will see it.

Your mobile website can help direct those browsing for RVs down the path to purchase. Make sure your mobile site is an effective tool for increasing revenue for your dealership!

About the Author: Rachaelle Lynn is Google AdWords Certified and has over 12 years of experience in website development and digital advertising, including e-commerce, SEO, PPC, and social media. She has helped many businesses, from mom-and-pop shops to Inc. 500 companies, establish online presences and leverage them to increase revenue.

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