Are You Mobile Optimised?
Mobile optimised websites are designed and developed to be easily accessible and usable on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Contrary to common thought, websites don’t automatically optimise for mobile devices once developed for desktop. In fact, certain layouts and features will not transfer effectively to mobile form and can cause issues detrimental to conversion such as preventing navigation and creating an overcrowded aesthetic. Therefore, when developing a website, you must actively ensure that your site will function as intended for a variety of screen sizes and devices.
Mobile: Why is it So Important?
When designing your website it is essential to consider the impact of mobile optimisation and how it can alter the user experience.
An effectively designed mobile optimised website is beneficial as:
- It will adjust its layout and functionality to fit the screen size of the device it is being viewed on, making it easier for users to navigate and interact with the website on mobile devices.
- Users can easily access the website’s content and features, regardless of the device they are using. This is especially important as more and more people are accessing the internet using their mobile devices.
- It will be more accessible for users with disabilities as it ensures that the website is easily navigable using assistive technologies.
- It will allow you to benefit from improved SEO. Search engines favour mobile responsive websites in the search rankings, allowing your website to appear higher in search results, increasing visibility and driving more traffic.
The Approach: How To Optimise your Website for Mobile
Before embarking on the mobile optimisation process, the thought can feel daunting and time consuming. Follow these best practices, simplify the process, and reap the rewards.
1. Start with a mobile-first approach
Design for the smallest screen size first and then work your way up to larger screens to ensure your website is usable on all devices.
2. Use fluid grids and flexible images
This allows the layout and images to adjust to the screen size of the device it is being viewed on.
3. Use media queries
Media queries allow the website to change its layout and functionality based on the screen size of the device it is being viewed on.
4. Test the website on different devices and make improvements
Test the website on different devices and screen sizes to ensure that it looks and functions correctly on all devices. Additionally, you must ensure that you test the website regularly, especially when new features or content have been added. This will ensure that mobile responsivity is always consistent.
Don’t Wait to Go Mobile
By following these steps you can achieve a fully optimised, mobile responsive website design that improves the user experience and is easy to navigate for all users, regardless of the device they are using. Remember to continually monitor your website to ensure it is consistently a high-performer and provides you with conversion-based success.
Mobile Made Easy
However, many firms do not undertake the mobile optimisation process due the time and effort required to undertake it successfully, and to continually monitor and adapt. To simplify and streamline the process it is useful to delegate this responsibility to a third-party. Many WaaS (websites-as-a-service) providers, such will provide website optimisation services. For example, Creatify provides this as standard as part of their website development and maintenance plans, taking responsibility for continual mobile optimisation as well as providing clients with monthly reports that provide insight into website performance for both desktop and mobile.
