It's no secret that there's been an increasing amount of debate over the benefits of responsive design and mobile optimized websites. While we, as a company, are sold on the idea that a website should display its content based on the device that's being used to view it, we understand that many website owners are not. However, Google has recently released some insight that might make you change your mind.

"What Users Want Most From Mobile Sites Today"

According to a survey conducted for the tech giant in July, sixty-seven percent of smartphone users surveyed said they "were more likely to make a purchase when visiting a business's mobile-friendly site," as opposed to "61 percent who said they'd most likely leave a site that wasn't optimized for mobile."

While some types of business (restaurants - we're looking at you) are more susceptible to this smartphone backlash than others, all are at risk. Based on the data provided, it's very possible that your non-mobile friendly website could be causing you to lose customers to your competition.

Why the Customer is Right

A well-designed mobile site should be easy to view on smaller screens as well as display important company information without complicated navigation. According to Google, mobile-friendly sites can pay off in two ways: users are more likely to engage with the site when they visit and they are more likely to return in the future.

This is not to say that all mobile-friendly solutions are made equal. "Fifty-two percent of people surveyed said a bad mobile experience makes them less likely to engage with a company," while "48 percent said that if a site didn't work well on their smartphones, it made them think the company didn't care about their business."

What are customers looking for from a mobile-friendly website? 

Google highlights these three key points in its survey:

1. Fast loading. Ideally, your site should fully load in 5 seconds or less.
2. Mobile-friendly features. These can include large navigation buttons, easy search and vertical-only scrolling.
3. Quick access to important information. Prominently display basic contact and product (or service/event) information and how to make a purchase right up front so it's easy to read on a smartphone or tablet.