Importance of Mobile Optimized Websites for Loan Originators

Mobile Optimized websites for loan originators are no longer something to consider doing or that would be nice to have. Having a mobile optimized or responsively designed website is now something that every loan officer and mortgage professional should have in 2014. It’s not about you being sold something that you don’t need; it’s about staying relevant and attractive to your visitors by allowing them the ability to access you anywhere, anytime.

The good news for a lot of loan originators is that if you have a website, it is accessible from mobile devices. However, the problem is that it doesn’t correctly load on mobile devices, making you look not so great.

6 Benefits of Mobile Optimized Websites for Loan Originators

1: Huge Shift in Web Traffic from Mobile Devices

Even though you might be thinking that your website doesn’t sell anything and it’s just there for information, think about these rapidly increasing numbers for a minute. On a global scale, 11.1% of all website traffic came from mobile devices in 2012; that number jumped to 17% in 2013. That is a HUGE shift in browsing habits and you can best believe that people are coming to your website on their phones.

2: More Likely to Buy

When it comes to mobile traffic, it turns out that mobile friendly websites help out a lot of businesses get visitors to buy their products or services. When you do have a website that is mobile friendly, 67% of people are more likely to buy. However, when your site isn’t up to mobile standards, 61% of visitors are more likely to leave immediately.

3: Improved User Experience

On top of simply having a mobile friendly website, you have to make sure that it works on all device types. While I won’t bore you with the different types of mobile ready websites (responsive – client side, mobile-specific platform development, HTML5, adaptive design – server side) I will tell you that if you aren’t giving your website visitors a positive browsing experience, they will leave. 60% of mobile website visitors in the last 12 month who have encountered problems with a website, have left the site completely. That’s a lot of mobile traffic, folks!

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4: Faster Loading Times

Given the fact that you are already getting traffic from mobile devices to your website and that the number of people browsing from their mobile devices is rapidly growing, it’s in your best interest to have a website that load easily for all device types. Just because you have a website that works on a mobile device doesn’t actually mean that it can easily load on a smartphone or tablet. Image heavy sites that haven’t been optimized for mobile devices to load can literally drive away your traffic. In fact, 43% of visitors won’t return to a website because of slowly loading pages.

5: Competitive Advantage…for Now

While having a mobile optimized website used to be seen as a luxury as well as unattainable, it’s now fairly common. Over 55% of businesses already have website that are mobile optimized. Two things to point out with that number. First of all, you still have time to get onboard with mobile optimization and have it be a slight competitive advantage…but not for long. And the second point I want to make is that this number gives clear indication that having a mobile website is now the industry standard, so why delay?

6: Decisions Being Made from Tablets

When thinking about mobile devices, you’re most likely thinking smartphones. But what you’re forgetting about is the huge tablet market that’s out there. From iPad’s, Android devices, and Kindles, having a mobile website needs to be able to load correctly on a number of platforms and screen sizes. Don’t scoff at that idea either; 72% of tablet owners make purchase decisions from their devices on a weekly basis. That’s a lot of decision makers!

Over the years, there have been a number of things that early adopters begin to use for their businesses. First there was email, then websites, followed by social media. Mobile ready websites are now a critical component for good business practice for every loan originator. Are you ready to get started?

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