The zombies are rising, and no, we’re not talking about a movie here. It’s more serious than that.

They’re called smartphone zombies (you can call them 'smartphone walkers' if you’re into HBO series The Walking Dead). Equipped with a smartphone wired to their brains via earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones, they can stagger into your path at any time, falling down stairs, tripping over curbs and stepping into traffic. If this pandemic-like vent tells you anything, it’s that your website needs to be mobile responsive, or you’re missing out on a horde of new business.

Research shows that the average New Zealander spends three hours and 13 minutes on their phone each day (two minutes less than the global average), and we check our phones an average of 58 times a day. Taking out sleep time, that’s roughly every 15 minutes.

It’s very simple, if you want your business to be seen and heard, if you want any kind of engagement at all, your website must be mobile responsive because that’s where everybody’s attention resides.

Did you know that more than half your website traffic comes from mobile? As of 2024, mobile devices account for approximately 60.67% of global website traffic, and the convenience of 'internet on the go' offered by mobiles is only going to increase.

And it’s not just traffic. Optimising websites for mobile devices ensures better user experience, higher engagement, and improved search engine rankings because Google prioritises mobile-friendly sites in its indexing.

What makes a mobile responsive website?

  • Flexible layout to adjust to different screen sizes.
  • Images scale correctly to fit the screen.
  • Touch-friendly navigation is particularly important. The ability to click on links, buttons and other interactive elements must be easy to tap with a finger.
  • Readable text because the text is optimised for small screens.
  • The website is optimised to load quickly on mobile networks.

Examples of mobile responsiveness

Adaptive Navigation

On desktops, navigation menus might be horizontal and expansive, but on mobile devices, they collapse into a hamburger menu to save space and provide easy access.

Adjustable Content

A three-column layout on a desktop might collapse into a single-column layout on a smartphone, making it easier to scroll through content vertically.

Not all mobile responsive websites are made equal

Your website may be 'mobile responsive,' but is it really?

  • Some websites load faster than others. If your site is slow to load, visitors will leave within seconds. Techniques like image compression can make a big difference.
  • The way your website is designed (user experience) will influence the effectiveness of your website for mobile. For example, appropriately sized touch targets and streamlined content to avoid clutter.
  • Does your website ensure that key information is easily accessible without excessive scrolling?
  • How accessible is your website to people with disabilities? Features like high contrast options, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard navigation can make a world of difference.

If you find that opening your website is slow to load on mobile, the interface is cluttered, the design is inconsistent and hard to navigate and your site neglects accessibility (very important in Google indexing), it may be time to review the effectiveness of your site’s mobile responsiveness.

Is your website ready for the mobile majority?

With more than 60% of web traffic coming from mobile devices, a poor mobile experience costs you real business. We audit, design, and build websites that work beautifully on every screen.

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Common questions

What does mobile responsive mean for a website?

A mobile responsive website automatically adapts its layout, images, typography, and navigation to suit the screen size it’s being viewed on. On a desktop, you might see a three-column layout and full-width navigation; on a phone, the same site collapses to a single column with a hamburger menu. The content is identical — the presentation changes to suit the device. This is distinct from a 'mobile version' of a site, which is a separate, often stripped-back experience.

How much of website traffic comes from mobile devices?

As of 2024, mobile devices account for approximately 60.67% of global website traffic. In New Zealand, the average person spends over three hours per day on their smartphone and checks it around 58 times a day. For most businesses, this means more than half of all website visitors are on mobile — making mobile performance one of the most important factors in whether a website succeeds or fails.

Does mobile responsiveness affect Google rankings?

Yes — significantly. Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of a page to determine how it ranks in search results. A site that performs poorly on mobile — slow load times, unreadable text, hard-to-tap buttons — will rank lower than a mobile-optimised competitor. Google also measures Core Web Vitals, which are performance metrics that include mobile behaviour, making responsive design directly tied to search visibility.

My website works on mobile — but is it actually good on mobile?

Many websites are technically 'responsive' but poorly optimised for mobile in practice. Signs of a substandard mobile experience include: slow load times (images that haven’t been compressed for mobile networks), touch targets (buttons and links) that are too small to tap reliably, cluttered layouts that require horizontal scrolling, and content that’s hard to read without zooming. Accessibility is also a factor — screen reader compatibility and sufficient colour contrast matter on mobile just as much as on desktop.