5 tips for designing mobile-friendly websites

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mobile friendly website

Did you know that over half of the internet users around the world access the internet from their mobile device instead of a computer? Gone are the days of just using the internet at home on a desktop computer. The need for mobile friendly websites is increasing at a rapid pace. Which means that if you have a business or organization that relies on website use, a mobile-friendly website is a must. 

Designing a mobile-friendly website is a necessity to keep businesses and organizations thriving. Don’t let the unknown of how to design a mobile-friendly site hold you back from making a change to your website. With the help of a web design firm, you can design a mobile-friendly site that will be user friendly, sophisticated, sleek and efficient. 

Tip #1: Accessible Information 

Whenever you are designing or improving a website, the question that should be at the forefront of your design is what are people looking for on your site? When consumers use mobile websites it is usually for a specific purpose. 

For example, if you are designing a restaurant website, the majority of the website traffic that will be accessing your site will be for the menu or possibly looking to see if you take reservations. That means that the menu link or PDF should be on the most accessible links on the site as well as an answer to the reservations question. 

Keeping accessibility in mind when designing mobile websites ensures that the website will run smoothly and the viewers will find exactly what they need from the site. If you are unsure what your typical web viewer is looking for, run analytics to see where users are spending the most time on your site.

You can also add a frequently asked questions area to the site to help as well. Providing easily accessible information on your mobile website will not only keep the current customers you have but also help provide new customers thanks to an efficient and easy to navigate site. 

Tip #2: A Responsive Website is Crucial

mobile friendly website

If you are in the tech world, you are likely familiar with using the word responsive often. To make a website responsive simply means to make it adjust to the screen size for the specific device. No one wants to have to zoom out or in on a mobile device because the website they are viewing is at a set scale. 

The good news about making a website responsive is that it is a pretty easy adjustment. Even if you are just starting out with web design, there are a variety of tools available to teach you about responsive web design. Whether a consumer is viewing the mobile site on a smaller mobile screen or larger one, it is important that the text and content adjust naturally instead of the user having to make adjustments. 

Tip #3: Make Updates Consistently

There’s a reason that computers and phones update consistently, because technology continues to change on a daily basis. Now that the majority of adults use their phones throughout the day to check websites for a variety of purposes, there is an understood expectation that businesses will keep their websites up to date as well. 

Although it may seem like a lot of work to have to constantly update your site, it is worth it to make it user friendly to the viewer. Something as simple as a font update or installing a new addition to provide a feature with larger buttons on the site can help drive more traffic to your website. 

As you make changes, using a tool that Google offers can be a valuable asset to ensure the changes are beneficial. Google has a mobile friendly test site that gives feedback as well as provides additional resources to help make improvements to your website. 

Tip #4: For Mobile Friendly Website Speed and Safety Matter Most

Web research shows that what mobile website users are looking for most in a mobile website is how quickly it loads as well as how secure the connection feels. Although you may feel the need to add pop ups for advertisement purposes or to drive business, the majority of mobile users will not use a site that has pop-up ads as many can contain viruses or direct the user to a non-secure site. 

Once you make sure that your site is secure, speed needs to be the next priority. One way to improve the speed of your site is by compressing pictures, videos and files. You can still have a visually appealing site while making sure it loads quickly by compressing your media. 

If your site is taking more than a few seconds to load, many users will close out the tab and try a different website causing you to lose their business instantly. It is worth the investment to update the speed of your website to keep customers loyal and ensure that new customers will feel comfortable using the mobile site. 

Tip #5: Simplicity is Ideal For Mobile Friendly Website

mobile friendly websites

As a web designer or business owner, it is easy to assume that the more you add to your site the more appealing it will be to a user. Market research has found that the average consumer prefers simplicity over details when it comes to mobile sites. 

Why? Well, with simplicity comes the beauty of value and class. In other words, there is a focus on what is important and the viewer can see that quality is used over quantity. Keep things simple and you will have consumers that stay loyal to your site for its quality and design. If you aren’t sure where to begin or need some inspiration, look at different mobile website examples to find a style that works for your organization. 

Whether you are just starting out designing a website or are working to make changes to an already existing site, the world has shown that mobile sites are the preference in the 21st century. It doesn’t have to be complicated to have a successful mobile-friendly website. All you need is a little creativity and research to make sure you show your customers just how amazing your business is, all from a small screen on their mobile device.