Mobile optimization in e-commerce refers to designing and configuring an online store to ensure that it functions efficiently and effectively on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This includes optimizing website layout, content, images, and navigation to provide an amazing user experience on smaller screens. Africa has seen a significant rise in mobile internet usage due to the widespread adoption of smartphones.

According to the GSMA Mobile Economy report, Africa had over 1 billion mobile subscribers by 2020, with mobile internet penetration reaching 39% of the population. And according to a report by Jumia, mobile transactions accounted for 57% of online transactions in Africa in 2020. Mobile optimization is crucial for e-commerce websites as an increasing number of users shop through their smartphones. So now more than ever is the best time to improve your e-commerce website to attract sales via mobile devices.

Best Ways to Optimize your Website

1. Have a Responsive Design: Ensure your website is built using a responsive design approach, which automatically adjusts the layout and content based on the user’s device screen size. This provides an optimized user experience across various devices, including smartphones and tablets.
2. Fast Loading Speed: Mobile users expect websites to load quickly. Imagine searching for your finally finding your favorite shoes on Instagram and when you click the link to the shoe site,  it takes over 10 minutes to load. In this fast paced world, even a minute is too slow. Optimize images, minimize HTTP requests, enable browser caching, and utilize content delivery networks (CDNs) to improve loading times.
3. Simplify your navigation: Simplify your website navigation for mobile users by using a clear and concise menu structure. Implement a sticky header or hamburger menu to provide easy access to important pages and categories. You could even link your logo to the homepage for easy navigation.
4. Mobile-Friendly Search: Ensure your search functionality is optimized for mobile users. Implement features like auto-complete, filters, and predictive text to enhance the search experience on smaller screens.
5. Streamlined Checkout Process: Simplify the checkout process to reduce friction for mobile users. Implement features like guest checkout, one-click payment options, and auto-fill for forms to streamline the checkout experience.
6. Optimized Forms: Design forms with mobile users in mind by minimizing the number of fields and using mobile-friendly input types (e.g., date pickers, numeric keyboards). No buyer wants to go through a long process inputting their data, especially when the item they are purchasing is on sale. Implement validation messages in real-time to assist users in filling out forms correctly.
7. Large Tap Targets: Make sure buttons, links, and interactive elements are large enough to be easily tapped with a finger on a touchscreen device. Aim for a minimum tap target size of around 48×48 pixels to accommodate different screen sizes and finger sizes.
8. Optimized Images and Videos: Compress images and videos to reduce file size without compromising quality. Use responsive images and lazy loading techniques to ensure fast loading times and improved performance on mobile devices. Videos also help disseminate information fairly quickly making explainer videos easy to follow.
9. Mobile-Friendly Content: Format your content to be easily readable on smaller screens. Use concise paragraphs, clear headings, and bullet points to break up text and improve readability. Avoid using small font sizes and ensure text is legible without zooming.
10. Optimized for Local Search: If you have physical stores, optimize your website for local search by including relevant keywords, business information, and location-based content. Keywords are words or phrases a website can leverage in order to get ranked on search engines. Examples of keywords for an e-commerce site would be like “best e-commerce sit in Uganda” or “shop now”.
11. Test Across Devices and Browsers: Regularly test your e-commerce website across various mobile devices and browsers to ensure compatibility and optimal performance. Your e-commerce site should always have the same optimized interface across all browsers so that the site is easily recognized.

By implementing these mobile optimization tips, you can provide a user-friendly experience for mobile shoppers, ultimately improving conversions and driving sales on your e-commerce website. Looking to get started on your optimized e-commerce website? Click here to get a quote.