There’s hardly any business that functions without a website in this mobile-first world. And unless you’re a hermit, you know that in our post-COVID world, it doesn’t matter if you like smartphones or not, if you can watch without words or not, or if these devices show you excessive screen time or not, how life seems to revolve around two screens – you must be on one and your business needs to be on the other. The rise of smartphones and niche devices has introduced two conflicting terms, making consumers and marketers feel like Alice in Wonderland: mobile friendly and mobile optimised. The two terms sound similar, yet there is a difference and, in this age of Core Web Vitals, it makes all the difference to your visitor’s experience on your website. Let’s start with the basics.

Mobile-Friendly: The Basics Covered

What you’re paying for when you’re paying for a site that’s ‘mobile-friendly’ is the absolute lowest common denominator for mobile. It might function on a smartphone screen, but it’s not the best experience. Text might be tiny, requiring the user to zoom in, and buttons might be next to each other, making it difficult to tap buttons. Images might be slow to load, compounding the frustration of long wait times.

A mobile-friendly alternative to an otherwise desktop-only site is a design that may look very different from the desktop site, but there is a 1:1 correspondence of information between the desktop and the responsive version. This design would presumably get a basic ‘tick’ from Google for mobile-friendliness but nothing more. It will not necessarily exceed people’s expectations of a good experience, and it won’t necessarily be fast.

Mobile-Optimised: Designed for Mobile

Mobile optimisation takes things a step further. Here, the website is designed from the ground up with mobile users in mind. The layout is completely different from the desktop version, with elements like menus and buttons specifically sized and positioned for easy tapping on a touchscreen. Text is larger and easier to read, and images are optimised for faster loading on mobile data connections.

Mobile-optimised sites prioritise speed and user experience. They're built to load quickly and offer intuitive navigation for mobile users. This not only keeps visitors engaged but also contributes to better Core Web Vitals scores.

Core Web Vitals: Why It Matters

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics Google uses to measure a website's user experience. These include First Contentful Paint (FCP), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). A well-optimised mobile site tends to perform better in these metrics because:

Faster loading: Optimised images and streamlined code lead to faster page load times, improving FCP and LCP.
Smoother experience: Fewer layout shifts due to mobile-specific design minimise CLS, preventing frustrating page jumps.

Better Core Web Vitals scores not only translate to a smoother user experience but can also give your website a ranking boost in mobile search results.

In Conclusion

While a mobile-friendly website might meet the minimum requirements, a mobile-optimised site offers a superior user experience and contributes to better Core Web Vitals. In today's mobile-driven world, optimisation is key for attracting and retaining visitors. So, if you haven't already, consider taking your website from mobile-friendly to mobile-optimised and watch your Core Web Vitals and user engagement soar.