Mobile WebsiteIt is a simple fact that the world is going mobile, and if you want to keep up with the competition, you need a mobile website for customers to find you on the go. With millions of people accessing the web from smartphones and tablets, your website strategy should include plans for creating an accessible website for all devices. Whether you are adapting an existing site or starting from scratch, here are four critical components that every mobile website must have in order to create an amazing user experience.

1. Simplicity

The best mobile websites are simple to use. A simplified version of your site will take into account the smaller screen size and slower loading times that mobile customers must deal with, and in these cases, less is always more. However you don’t have to sacrifice awesome design on mobile sites for functionality. You can still create visually appealing mobile designs, but think about usability first and design second.

2. Vertical Hierarchy

A vertical layout for your site is generally better because it works with several devices and can be flipped horizontally or vertically on smartphones and tablets. In addition, it’s a good idea to combine sections of your website into a user-friendly collapsible menu so someone browsing won’t have to scroll through endless information to find what they are looking for. Finally, make sure that the site is designed for finger taps (instead of mouse clicks), and provides the user with visual confirmation when they tap a link to let them know it is loading.

3. Responsive Design

Mobile websites used to be “stripped-down” versions of the main company website, and most people didn’t mind because they didn’t use their mobile devices for much web browsing. However, that is all changing. A February 2014 market review by comScore revealed that in December 2013 close to 60 percent of people online are “multi-screening,” meaning they are accessing the same websites from both desktop/laptop computers and from smartphones/tablets.
A website with a responsive design adapts to all screen sizes without losing any functionality, and in today’s mobile browsing world this allows users to have a seamless experience from desktop to tablet to smartphone. This kind of design also means you won’t have to worry about optimizing your site for several different browsers and phone manufacturers because it can adapt to any screen.

4. An App for That

Companies should also consider whether they should build a mobile application (an app) for smartphone use, rather than requiring customers to go online to their mobile site. A March 2014 report by Nielsen revealed that users spend almost eight times as much time every month on mobile apps (about 30 hours) versus mobile websites (3 hours and 45 minutes), and users tend to prefer apps because they are perceived as more convenient, easier for browsing, and faster than mobile websites.Before you develop an app it’s important to take a look at your budget, as well as an ROI analysis. Spending money on developing and maintaining an app is only beneficial if it is boosting your bottom line.

Get Started On Your Mobile Site

If you’re ready to go mobile, contact Webstract Marketing today at 855-201-5800 to develop a plan. We will review your existing site and help you figure out the best way to reach out to your customers from every device.