Are You Mobile-Optimized for Business and Talent Management? 5 Ways to Tell
Making sure your business is mobile-optimized is key for recruiting talent and boosting sales.
The world has gone mobile, with Pew reporting 85% of Americans have a smartphone. On-demand access to the internet has increased traffic to your business for commerce as well as for job seekers. If you’re not optimized for mobile traffic, you could be left behind.
Being mobile-optimized is not the same as SEO (search engine optimization). Mobile optimization makes sure viewers can read and access everything on your site as easily on their phones as they do on a desktop. If you’ve ever been frustrated trying to enlarge or shrink a screen on your phone, you know how important mobile optimization is.
For commerce, mobile optimization is key. With almost $360 billion in mobile revenue in 2021, it’s estimated more than half of internet traffic shopping is done from a smartphone. A recent survey found 67% of users window shop for fun on their phone: 77% of them make impulse purchases. If your business isn’t capitalizing on mobile shopping, you’re missing out on a vast revenue stream.
For active job seekers, over 70% use their mobile phones to look for jobs. In 2020 the majority of applications were completed using a mobile device. For the first time, 60.7% of mobile applications outpaced 39.3% of users applying by desktop. For tech savvy applicants, particularly Gen Z applicants, a company that isn’t mobile-optimized may be lower on their list to apply or work.
Are you mobile-friendly?
To make sure you’re not missing out on mobile users, review your website from top to bottom using a smartphone. You’ll want to make sure every page is fully viewable, and every link is easy to find and navigate. Keep it simple: focus on large buttons and text and easy menu options. If buttons are too small, they can lead to accidental clicks that frustrate users. Make sure it’s easy to find what they’re looking for and easy to follow through with the task they’re trying to accomplish.
For mobile commerce
Leveraging smartphone user trends to boost sales should be a priority for all businesses, no matter their size. Whether you’re a retailer or a specialized manufacturer, clients are looking on their phones to buy product. Make sure yours are there for them to see and purchase.
Searchability
Imagine you’re a customer looking to buy something specific: when you go to the site, is it easy to search for the product by name?
Whether you host your own website or use a third-party provider, users want to find what they need quickly. Simplifying your site for mobile may be the answer. Imagine you’re a customer looking to buy something specific: when you go to the site, is it easy to search for the product by name? For customers who are window shopping, they may be looking by category of products — is it easy for them to find a drop-down menu that guides them to the right spot?
Restaurants, for example, can simplify a large menu into meal menus: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Retailers can categorize merchandise online in the same way they do in their physical location. If all the soaps are together in one area of your store, make sure there’s a drop-down menu that lists them all on your site.
Secure shopping
Users must be able to easily add, delete, and change items in their shopping cart and feel confident their purchase is secure. Start with a cart that is easy to see — no matter how many items they’ve included. Larger fonts and icons may be necessary to see purchases on a smaller screen.
Mobile purchases will need to be as secure as desktop to inspire user confidence. If you’re not comfortable creating payment options on your site, there are a variety of e-commerce options, including through Google and PayPal.
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For job seekers
Job seekers are using mobile to search for jobs at higher rates than ever before. One survey found 45% search for jobs daily on their device. Applicants cite the biggest benefits of applying via mobile are that you can do it anywhere and you can do it immediately. The downside is when a site isn’t optimized for mobile.
One survey found 45% search for jobs daily on their device. Applicants cite the biggest benefits of applying via mobile are that you can do it anywhere and you can do it immediately.
Easy to read website and career page
Your website may be the first introduction an applicant has to your organization: if it’s not easy to read via smartphone it may be an immediate turnoff for some candidates. Your company may not provide a product or service that’s publicly available, but your website is. If your site isn’t viewable via smartphone, you may be turning candidates away before they even apply.
Your career page should be easy to find on your homepage and easy to use. Even if your only access to job seekers is through ads on large boards that funnel applications directly to your HR inbox, your career page should be easy to read. Candidates are doing their homework: everything on your site is open to scrutiny on a tiny screen. Make sure it’s easy to read and navigate.
Job postings that call to act
No one wants to read a 2,000 word job posting, especially not on their phone. Keep postings short and simple, with only the most relevant data included. You’ll want to add necessary skills, experience, and background, but use bullet points instead of prose. If you’re hiring entry-level, focus on traits that will help the applicant succeed — a customer-oriented point of view, for example.
Job postings should be inclusive and inspiring. You want to let all candidates know they’re encouraged to apply and you’re excited to see their application. You’ll also want to inspire candidates to apply: offer information about your company and how you value your employees. Every aspect of the posting should be welcoming and motivate a candidate to apply.
Seamless application process
The last step is the application itself. If it’s difficult to use, lengthy, or repetitive, count on candidates dropping out of the process. Focus on the basics if you’re using your own application: no need for long-winded “explain your duties and responsibilities” under each past employer. Just ask for company name, dates, and job titles today. They’ll be time for more details later.
Better yet, leverage tools that are available. Ask candidates to share their resume through Google Docs or Dropbox for an even easier application process. With only a few clicks they’ve taken the document they have saved on their phone and sent it to you for review. The faster they apply, the faster you can get them scheduled for an interview.
Give it a spin
Once you’ve taken a look at all these areas and everything seems fine, take two more quick steps to make sure you’re mobile-friendly. For some applications, the difference between Android and Apple phones can be stark. Whatever operating system you use, ask someone with the opposite to give your site a spin.
Finally, there are tools that can help. Google has a free mobile-friendly test that takes less than a minute to assess your site. It even shows usability errors on the site and tells you how you can improve. There are other mobile-ready tools available, as well.
Smartphones may one day completely replace desktop use. For now, businesses that are confident they’re optimized for both will see the highest revenue and the best talent acquisition in their area.
