Want to grow your small business online? Start by fixing your mobile site.
Mobile-friendly websites are more important than ever. Here’s why:
- 72.6% of internet users will browse on smartphones by 2025.
- 61% of users leave sites that don’t work well on mobile.
- Mobile commerce will make up 75% of eCommerce sales in 2025.
This article shares 5 real-world examples of small businesses that improved their websites and saw big results. From a bakery doubling its sales to a nonprofit boosting donations by 126%, these stories show how better mobile design can directly impact growth.
Quick Overview of Case Studies
- Bakery: Fixed slow-loading images and complex navigation → Doubled daily sales.
- Boutique Store: Improved speed and checkout → Faster load times and higher mobile sales.
- Law Firm: Simplified forms and navigation → More client inquiries.
- Restaurant: Streamlined mobile ordering → 30% more orders, 20% higher order value.
- Nonprofit: Made donations easier and faster → 126% increase in mobile donations.
Takeaway:
Prioritize mobile optimization to make your site faster, easier to use, and better for customers. Start with simple fixes like faster load times, easy navigation, and mobile-friendly checkout.
Responsive Design Tested: ROI Insights from Mobile Design Experiments
Case Study 1: Local Bakery Fixes Mobile Website Issues
Website Problems Before Updates
Miette Patisserie & Confiserie’s mobile site faced several challenges that hurt customer experience:
| Problem Area | Impact on Customer Experience |
|---|---|
| Image Loading | Slow loading times for high-resolution photos on mobile devices |
| Navigation | A menu system that was hard to use on smaller screens |
Mobile Design Changes Made
To tackle these issues, the bakery teamed up with Square Online to overhaul its mobile site. The updates focused on making the site easier to use and more efficient for mobile shoppers. Here’s what they did:
- Streamlined Navigation: Simplified the menu layout for easier use on touchscreens.
- Responsive Images: Optimized image sizes to load faster without losing quality.
- Mobile-First Checkout: Designed a user-friendly checkout process specifically for mobile users.
- Same-Day Pickup: Connected their POS system to offer same-day order fulfillment.
These updates didn’t just improve the mobile experience – they had a direct impact on business growth.
"I think what I love most about the new website is that it’s so beautiful… It provides the in-store experience – online." – Megan Ray, Founder of Miette Patisserie & Confiserie
Sales and Customer Growth Results
The redesign brought measurable results:
After the updates, average sales increased, and daily revenue nearly doubled. The convenience of mobile ordering allowed customers to shop on their own time, boosting overall sales.
"Allowing customers to order ahead means they don’t have to risk coming into the store and discovering that there aren’t any cakes available… I would say our daily sales have almost doubled." – Megan Ray, Founder of Miette Patisserie & Confiserie
This success reflects a larger trend: 71% of consumers prefer ordering directly through a business’s website or app rather than using third-party platforms.
Case Study 2: Boutique Store Improves Mobile Shopping
Mobile Shopping Challenges
White Stuff, a US-based fashion retailer with over 100 physical stores, struggled with major issues on their outdated mobile website. These problems negatively impacted the shopping experience:
| Challenge | Impact on Shopping Experience |
|---|---|
| Page Load Speed | Pages took over 3 seconds to load, causing 53% of users to abandon their sessions |
| Navigation Issues | One-third of shoppers found it difficult to browse due to constant pinching and zooming |
| Product Visibility | Small product images and incomplete details discouraged purchases |
| Checkout Process | A complex checkout process led to a 69.80% cart abandonment rate |
Mobile Design Updates
To address these challenges, White Stuff collaborated with BigCommerce to revamp their mobile site, focusing on three key areas:
-
Speed Optimization
The team worked on cutting load times by:- Compressing and optimizing images
- Cleaning up the code for better performance
- Using lazy loading for images
- Delivering mobile-specific content
-
User Experience Improvements
Enhancements were made to improve usability, including:- Larger, easier-to-read text
- Smart search functionality for faster results
- Touch-friendly navigation
- Better product zoom features
-
Checkout Optimization
The checkout process was simplified with:- Single-page checkout
- Guest checkout options
- Autofill features for quicker input
- Support for multiple payment methods
These updates made the site faster, easier to use, and more appealing to mobile shoppers.
"As shoppers move farther away from their desktops to make more and more purchases online, it is imperative that retailers understand (and address the frustrations many users have with their mobile retail experience." – Hayley Silver, VP of Bizrate Insight
Mobile Sales Results
The redesign delivered measurable improvements in both user experience and sales:
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Overall Site Speed | 85% faster |
| Mobile Performance | 100% faster load times |
| Customer Engagement | Noticeable growth in interactions |
White Stuff’s success mirrors that of Just Sunnies, another retailer that revamped its mobile site. By adopting responsive design, Just Sunnies saw mobile sales account for 75% of their total revenue – a 13% year-over-year increase.
With 60% of shoppers now favoring optimized mobile experiences, it’s clear that prioritizing mobile functionality is essential for staying competitive in today’s e-commerce landscape.
sbb-itb-26642f7
Case Study 3: Law Firm Updates Mobile Website
Why the Firm Needed Mobile Updates
Smith & Associates, a law firm based in Boston, was struggling with an outdated website. Their analytics revealed some major problems: slow load times, confusing navigation, and a broken contact form. Considering that 59.01% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, these issues couldn’t be ignored any longer.
Mobile Design Improvements
In January 2025, Smith & Associates revamped their mobile site by focusing on three key areas:
- Navigation: They simplified the menu with a hamburger icon, highlighted key services at the top of the page, and added a persistent "Free Consultation" button.
- Forms: To make contact easier, they introduced drop-down menus, auto-advancing focus, and click-to-call functionality.
- Readability: Text size was increased to 16 pixels, contrast was improved, white space was added for better clarity, and images were optimized to load faster.
"Mobile optimization ensures your website is user-friendly and functional across all mobile devices…a mobile-optimized website helps improve user experience, increase engagement, and enhance your search engine rankings, making it easier for potential clients to find you online." – EverConvert
Client Inquiry Results
The results were clear within just two months. The website loaded faster, user engagement increased thanks to the streamlined forms, and the firm’s local search rankings improved. These changes also made a strong impression on users, with 75% favoring responsive websites. Additionally, data showed that over 70% of mobile users are more likely to return to mobile-friendly sites, underlining how critical responsive design is for law firms.
Case Study 4: Restaurant Makes Mobile Ordering Easy
Mobile Customer Needs
Bella Cucina, a well-known Italian restaurant in Chicago, was struggling with its outdated mobile ordering system. With 81% of diners using restaurant websites to place orders, the system’s flaws were hard to ignore. Customers complained about slow loading times, outdated inventory updates, and inaccurate pickup time estimates. As a result, negative mobile order reviews shot up by 50%. Considering that 60% of Americans order takeout or delivery at least once a week, Bella Cucina knew they had to act fast to meet customer expectations.
Mobile Website Updates
To address these challenges, Bella Cucina rolled out targeted mobile updates in December 2024:
-
Order System Integration
The restaurant connected its online ordering platform directly to its POS system. This allowed for real-time inventory updates and more accurate pickup time estimates. -
Mobile Interface Optimization
The mobile menu got a complete makeover. Larger buttons, clear images, and short, easy-to-read descriptions made navigation simpler. Features like a persistent shopping cart and one-tap reordering further streamlined the experience. -
Backend Improvements
Automated tools for order prioritization and kitchen display systems helped the staff handle orders more efficiently.
"Mobile orders represent a fantastic opportunity for QSRs to adapt to shifting consumer behaviors and deliver incredible customer experiences. But if restaurants don’t commit to investing enough in the experience, they’ll become just another headache." – Jared Norris, Chief Customer Officer at Chatmeter
Order and Booking Increases
The results were clear within three months:
| Metric | Increase |
|---|---|
| Mobile Orders | 30% |
| Average Order Value | 20% |
Bella Cucina’s efforts paid off. The restaurant’s results echoed industry findings that effective online ordering systems can boost takeout profits by 30%. Customers using the mobile platform spent 20% more per order, and 71% of diners said they preferred ordering through a restaurant’s app rather than third-party platforms. This case highlights how improving mobile ordering can directly impact business growth.
Case Study 5: Nonprofit Simplifies Mobile Donations
Mobile Donation Problems
The Hope Forward Foundation, a nonprofit in Chicago focused on youth education, struggled with its mobile donation process. Although 60.9% of their website traffic came from mobile devices, mobile donations were falling short.
Here’s what was holding them back:
- Donation forms were too long and required excessive scrolling.
- Slow-loading pages caused by unoptimized images.
- Concerns about donor security.
- Limited payment options.
- Poor navigation for mobile users trying to sign up.
These issues made it clear that a complete overhaul was necessary.
Mobile Website Solutions
In January 2025, Hope Forward Foundation teamed up with Aaron Makes Websites to revamp their mobile donation experience. The changes focused on three key areas:
-
Simplifying the Donation Process
- Reduced the number of form fields.
- Introduced a single-page checkout system.
- Added easy-to-spot "Donate Now" buttons.
- Integrated payment options like Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo.
-
Boosting Security
- Implemented two-factor authentication.
- Added SSL certification and visible security badges.
- Used encrypted payment processing to protect donor information.
-
Improving Technical Performance
- Compressed images to speed up loading times.
- Designed responsive layouts for better mobile usability.
- Enabled QR codes for quick access to donation pages.
- Added a text-to-give option for convenience.
These updates made the donation process faster, safer, and easier for mobile users.
Donation Results
Within just three months, the results were impressive:
| Metric | Increase |
|---|---|
| Mobile Donations | 126% |
| Text Message Open Rate | 90% |
This aligns with broader industry trends, where mobile-friendly designs have been shown to boost donations by an average of 126%. On top of that, their text message campaign achieved an 80% retention rate for subscribers.
"You’ve got to start taking this channel more seriously…It’s really not that expensive…but it’s super effective." – Jenifer Snyder, executive director of The mGive Foundation
Key Lessons from 5 Mobile Website Updates
Mobile Design Tips That Work
These case studies revealed several effective strategies for improving mobile website design.
Here are three key takeaways:
-
Simplified Navigation and Forms
Streamlining forms and menus can significantly reduce user drop-offs. For example, a bakery and a nonprofit saw a clear boost in checkout and donation completion rates after simplifying these processes. -
Faster Load Times
All five businesses reported better user engagement after addressing speed issues. Techniques like compressing images, enabling browser caching, minifying code, and reducing server response times helped create a smoother experience. -
Content Tailored for Mobile
A boutique store saw a sharp increase in mobile sales after reformatting its content to fit smaller screens. This aligns with statistics showing that 61% of users avoid returning to sites with poor mobile design.
| Mobile Design Element | Effect on Users |
|---|---|
| Slow Loading Speed | 40% switch to competitors |
| Poor Navigation | 61% don’t return |
| Mobile-Optimized Design | 92.3% prefer mobile access |
These examples highlight the importance of user-friendly mobile design.
Aaron Makes Websites Services
For businesses looking to implement these strategies, Aaron Makes Websites provides tailored solutions. Their services include responsive design, mobile-first development, SEO optimization, and ongoing support. With 19% of small businesses still operating without mobile-friendly websites, their expertise can make a big difference.
Next Steps for Small Businesses
Want to improve your mobile site? Start with these steps:
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to evaluate your site.
- Monitor key metrics like mobile traffic, bounce rates, and conversions.
- Focus on these upgrades:
- Simplify navigation
- Optimize images
- Reduce form fields
- Improve load times
"Ignoring mobile responsiveness can be detrimental to their business, leading to a significant decline in customer engagement and conversions." – buzzboard.ai
With mobile commerce expected to surpass $710 billion by 2025, now is the time to act. By following these strategies and working with experienced professionals, small businesses can tap into this booming market.
