For most local businesses, more than half of website visits come from a phone. In sectors such as hospitality, leisure or tourism, the proportion is usually much higher. Even so, many websites are still designed on a desktop screen and “adapted” to mobile at the end.
What “mobile first” really means
It isn’t just that the website “looks fine” on mobile. It’s a design approach: you start from the small screen, with its limitations, and then expand towards larger screens. That forces you to prioritise.
On a phone, not everything fits at once, so you have to decide what matters most: the booking button, the phone number, the opening hours. That discipline usually produces clearer websites on desktop too.
Google already evaluates you as if you were a phone
Google uses the mobile version of your website to index and rank it. If on mobile you hide content, load more slowly or have confusing navigation, that’s what Google takes into account, even if everything works perfectly on desktop.
What fails most on mobile (and how to spot it)
Buttons and links that are too small. If you have to zoom in to tap something, or you hit the link next to it by mistake, the experience is poor. Touch targets need a minimum size and spacing.
Unreadable text. Small font sizes or low contrast are especially problematic outdoors, with the sun shining on the screen — something very common on an island.
Awkward forms. Fields that don’t bring up the right keyboard (numeric for phone numbers, email for email addresses), too many required fields or submit buttons that end up hidden.
Pop-ups that cover everything. A pop-up that takes up the whole screen with a tiny close button is one of the most frequent causes of people leaving.
Too much weight. Images designed for large screens that are downloaded in full on mobile, often with patchy coverage. This directly affects perceived speed.
Actions designed for mobile
A mobile user usually has an immediate intention. Make it easy for them:
- A phone number with a direct link to call with one tap.
- A WhatsApp button if that’s your usual customer service channel.
- A link to your location that opens the maps app directly.
- Booking or buying in a few steps, without having to create an account.
How to check your website today
You don’t need to be technical. Open your website on your own phone, using mobile data rather than Wi-Fi, and try to complete the most important action: booking, requesting a quote, finding the opening hours. Time it. Then ask someone who doesn’t know your website to do the same.
If it’s hard for you, and you know your business, it will be much harder for a new customer. And that customer is one tap away from the competition.