How to Audit Your Website for Mobile-First Readiness

With Google’s mobile first indexing now the norm, it’s more important than ever to make sure your website delivers a seamless experience on every device especially smartphones.

Over 60% of all searches now happen on mobile devices, and UK consumers spend an average of more than four hours a day on their smartphones (Ofcom, 2024).

What’s more, Google reports that 53% of mobile users will abandon a site that takes longer than three seconds to load, and online transactions increased by 26.7% last year alone (Statista).

You don’t have to be a tech expert to spot the biggest issues just a few simple checks can reveal whether your site is truly ready for today’s mobile first world.

Step 1: Test Your Site on Real Devices

• Open your website on several different smartphones and tablets (iPhone, Android, iPad, etc.).
• Check how quickly your homepage loads and how easy it is to navigate.
• Try out key actions: filling in a form, clicking a call-to-action, or making a purchase.

Tip:

Ask a friend or colleague to try your site and give honest feedback, fresh eyes can spot issues you might miss.

Step 2: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test

• Visit Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and enter your website URL.
• The tool will show you how Googlebot sees your page, flagging any critical issues that might affect your rankings.

Step 3: Review Your Content and Layout

• Is all your content visible on mobile, or is anything hidden or cut off?
• Is text large enough to read without zooming?
• Are buttons and links easy to tap?
• Are images optimised and loading quickly?

Step 4: Check Your Page Speed

• Use Google PageSpeed Insights to see how fast your site loads on mobile.
• Look for suggestions to improve speed, like compressing images or reducing scripts.

Stat to remember:

53% of mobile users abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load (Google).

Step 5: Inspect Your Site Structure and SEO Basics

• Make sure meta titles and descriptions are present and relevant for all pages.
• Check that structured data (schema markup) is consistent across mobile and desktop.
• Ensure your site’s navigation is simple and logical, with no broken links.

Step 6: Monitor with Google Search Console

• Set up Google Search Console if you haven’t already.
• Check the “Mobile Usability” report for any errors Google has detected.
• Fix any flagged issues and re-test your site.

When to Call in the Experts

If you spot issues you can’t fix, or if your audit reveals slow speeds, missing content, or a poor mobile experience, it’s time to get professional help. A mobile-first website isn’t just about ticking boxes for Google, it’s about making sure your customers have a smooth, enjoyable experience that keeps them coming back.

Ready for a Mobile Audit?

At MidDevon Digital, we specialise in building and optimising mobile-first websites for small businesses.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation mobile-readiness check and let’s make sure your website is working as hard as you are.