How to optimise your online store for mobile users

With mobile commerce (m-commerce) on the rise, optimising your online store for mobile users is no longer optional – it’s essential. Studies show that a significant portion of online shopping happens on smartphones and tablets, so if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re at risk of losing potential customers.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best practices to ensure a seamless and enjoyable mobile shopping experience for your visitors.

1. Use a mobile-responsive design

Responsive web design ensures your site adapts to different screen sizes and resolutions. This means that whether a user visits your store on a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, they get an optimal browsing experience.

• Choose a responsive eCommerce theme or template, depending on if your site has been built using the Joomla, WordPress or Shopify platform.
• Use flexible grids and layouts that adjust automatically.
• Optimise images and text so they resize proportionally without distortion (check out The ultimate guide to using images for your website for in-depth info).
• Test the responsiveness of your website using tools like SE Ranking's Mobile Friendly Site Test.

2. Improve mobile site speed

Speed is crucial for mobile shopping. If your site takes too long to load, users will likely abandon it and go elsewhere.

• Compress images: Use compressed images and lazy loading to reduce file size.
• Minimise HTTP requests: Reduce the number of elements that need to be loaded.
• Enable browser caching: Store elements of your site locally to speed up repeat visits.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN): This helps distribute content efficiently across different geographic locations.
• Optimise code: Minify CSS, JavaScript and HTML files to remove unnecessary characters and whitespace.

3. Simplify navigation and menus

Mobile users need an intuitive, clutter-free navigation system to find products quickly and easily.

• Use a simple, expandable mobile menu (hamburger menu) for easy access.
• Keep category labels short and clear.
• Ensure the search bar is easily accessible and functional.
• Implement auto-suggestions to help users find products faster.

For more info about improving your website’s menu structure, check out our article The do’s and don’ts of website navigation.

4. Optimise the checkout process

A complicated checkout process is one of the biggest causes of cart abandonment. Make purchasing as easy as possible for mobile shoppers.

• Offer a guest checkout option to avoid forced account creation.
• Use auto-fill for form fields to speed up input.
• Enable multiple payment methods, including digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal.
• Use a progress indicator to show users how many steps remain.
• Keep form fields to a minimum and use large, tappable buttons.

5. Make sure buttons and links are mobile-friendly

Small buttons and links can frustrate mobile users if they are difficult to tap.

• Ensure buttons are at least 48px by 48px, as recommended by Google.
• Space out links and buttons to prevent accidental clicks.
• Use contrasting colours for call-to-action (CTA) buttons to make them stand out.
• Label buttons clearly, eg, “Buy Now” instead of just “Next.”

Take a look at our article How to craft compelling calls to action (CTAs) for some inspiration.

6. Optimise product pages for mobile

Your product pages should be clear, concise and easy to navigate on small screens.

• Use high-quality images with zoom functionality.
• Provide a simple layout with clear descriptions.
• Highlight key product features in bullet points.
• Use accordion-style sections to keep long descriptions tidy.
• Ensure the “Add to Cart” button is prominent and easy to tap.

7. Enable mobile-friendly search and filters

Mobile shoppers often rely on search functions to find products quickly.

• Implement an advanced search function with auto-suggestions.
• Allow users to filter products by category, price, rating and other relevant attributes.
• Use sticky filters that remain visible as users scroll.

8. Leverage mobile SEO

Optimising for mobile search is critical for increasing traffic and visibility.

• Ensure fast loading times, as speed impacts rankings.
• Use mobile-friendly URLs and clean navigation structures.
• Optimise metadata, including title tags and meta descriptions, for mobile search results (see our article How do I choose the right keywords for my website?).
• Use schema markup to enhance search engine visibility.
• Focus on local SEO if you have a physical store.

9. Implement mobile-friendly customer support

Providing quick assistance to mobile users can improve customer satisfaction and conversions.

• Use live chat or AI-powered chatbots for instant responses.
• Offer click-to-call functionality for easy customer service access.
• Integrate FAQ sections with expandable answers.
• Ensure customer service contact forms are easy to fill out on mobile devices.

10. Test and optimise regularly

Your mobile eCommerce site should be regularly tested and optimised for improvements.

• Use tools like SE Ranking's Mobile Friendly Site Test and PageSpeed Insights.
• Conduct A/B testing for different design elements and CTAs.
• Analyse mobile user behaviour using tools like Google Analytics.
• Collect customer feedback to identify pain points (fixing these will help with cart abandonment).

Final thoughts

Optimising your online store for mobile users isn’t just about improving aesthetics – it directly impacts conversions, customer retention and overall business growth.

By implementing a mobile-friendly design, improving speed, streamlining navigation and focusing on user experience, you can create a seamless shopping experience that keeps customers coming back.

Start making mobile optimisations today and watch your e-commerce sales soar!