If you’re an author with a website, then your window to the world is open. But if that author website is not yet mobile responsive, then many of your potential readers may not be able to look through it.
In this post we’ll consider what mobile responsive actually means, why it’s important, and what to do if your website is not yet compliant.
What does ‘mobile responsive’ actually mean for your author website?
A website that’s responsive automatically adjusts its layout, text size, and images to fit the array of screen sizes on which it is viewed, without sacrificing the readability or functionality of the site. This ensures that your readers can easily access and interact with your website regardless of the device they’re using, whether it’s a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Why your author website might not already be mobile responsive
If your website is more than a few years old, then the chances are it may not yet be optimised for mobile devices. The trend towards mobile responsive design did not become truly widespread until around 2017, as Google became more insistent on responsive metrics in its algorithms. While some websites were beginning to adopt mobile responsive design before then, it was not yet standard practice. Now that we’re well into the 2020s, however, it is very much the norm and expected by website users.
How to tell whether my website is mobile responsive?
To determine whether or not your website is mobile friendly, you can open the site in a full page browser window on your desktop. Then gradually drag the window in from the right, making the page progressively narrower. If the site re-flows to adapt as you do that – particularly as the window approaches the width of a smartphone, then it’s likely to be mobile responsive already.
You can also – to be sure – simply paste your website URL into the mobile friendly test from Google, and after a couple of minutes you will be given the answer.
Why is responsiveness so important?
As a writer looking to engage your readers, it’s important that your website provide them with the best possible user experience and first impression of your work. A mobile responsive author website is carefully designed to provide an optimal viewing experience and easy navigation, particularly on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
This is particularly important because more and more people are using mobile devices to access the internet. A mobile responsive author website ensures that these users can easily access and use your site, which can improve their overall experience and increase engagement. By meeting these needs with your site, you can attract and retain more readers and increase your online presence, all of which are small but cumulatively important steps in helping you to achieve your website’s objectives.
For search engines, responsiveness is key!
Search engines like Google and Bing give higher ratings to mobile responsive websites because they prioritise user experience and accessibility. That’s important to search engines, for a few significant reasons…
Google loves speed
Basically, mobile friendly websites invariably load faster. They are optimized for mobile devices, which means that the website’s code, images, and resources are designed to load more quickly on a mobile device where people’s data plans may be limiting. Fast-loading websites provide a better user experience, which is why search engines favor them and are more likely to rank them higher in search results.
Make it stick
Second, mobile friendly websites have lower bounce rates. Websites that are not mobile responsive often have high bounce rates because they’re difficult to navigate on a mobile device. A mobile responsive author website, on the other hand, provides a better user experience, which leads to lower bounce rates. Search engines take into account bounce rates as a metric for evaluating user engagement with the site. Therefore a responsive website plus low bounce rates equals better chances of ranking in search results.
Don’t hide your light under a bushel
Third, you want everyone to access your writing, and mobile friendly websites are simply more accessible. With the increasing use of mobile devices to access the internet, search engines give preference to websites that are mobile responsive because they’re more accessible to a wider range of users. If your author website is not optimized for mobile devices, it may be difficult for mobile users to access and navigate your site. This can negatively impact your search engine rankings. Having a mobile responsive author website ensures that your site is accessible to all users, regardless of the device they use to access it.
First impressions count
We say this regularly – as book cover designers we know that it’s true! – but first impressions really do count in marketing your work. And search engines will give a little extra credit to your author website simply for the fact you’ve taken the effort to make it mobile responsive for all the reasons listed above. It says that you are with your readers and want to give them the best experience you can.
What to do
At Design for Writers, we’ve been lovingly crafting websites for authors for over a decade, and our standard practice has long been to build every new site to be responsive. If you’re looking to have your website upgraded to meet reader expectations in 2023, we would love to help you with that. You can learn more about our build options – and how we work with authors to make the most of their online presence – on our web design page. We know that budgets are important, so our Website Build Packages are designed to suit all needs. And if you’re an existing client of ours, you can even benefit from our upgrade offer. Just get in touch and ask for details.
In summary
Having a mobile responsive author website is crucial for improving your online presence. By optimizing your website for mobile devices, you can provide a better user experience, reduce bounce rates, and make your site more accessible to a wider range of users. This can lead to higher search engine rankings, increased traffic, and better engagement with your readers.