Whether you prefer iPhone or Android, everyone can agree that smartphones are taking over the mobile market. More than half of Americans now own smartphones and that number will likely continue to rise. With so many people using smartphones, it’s important that your business website is formatted to properly display on any smartphone or tablet device. Not sure how to make your website mobile friendly? These five steps can help you create a mobile site that all smartphone and tablet users can access.
Use a Responsive Web Design
Creating a professional-quality mobile site design will require the help of a professional web design company. While many web design and layout platforms allow you to enable mobile browsing, a generic template mobile site is not guaranteed to display properly on every screen size and resolution. A responsive web design calculates the correct screen size and resolution of a device and caters its display to perfectly fit the screen without compromising the design. The entire layout of your design will be recalculated for every smartphone or tablet user for a perfect display every time. A flawless, responsive web design means that smartphone and tablet users will stay on your site longer, increasing their chances of taking a converting action.
Make sure your Logo and Branding Materials Look Great at Any Size
Web design for your mobile site should have the same branding as your desktop website, but you should be sure that your logo, graphics and colors all display properly. The fonts, visual elements and text should all appear exactly the same so customers can identify your website and brand as soon as they open the site on a phone or tablet.
Create Call-to-action Buttons
When customers are on your mobile site, they should still be able to take a converting action without issue. Most of the time, you might list a converting action as a link that says something along the lines of, “Click here to schedule a free consultation,” or “Click here to download.” These buttons work great both on websites and on mobile sites. Creating call to action buttons for a mobile site is an especially good idea, since users will have an easier time seeing and clicking on the buttons instead of a small link.
Make sure Text is Easy to Read and Links are Easy to Click
Mobile users become frustrated when they have to pinch and zoom to read text. You should not only make sure your mobile design displays properly so users don’t have to pinch and zoom, but you should also be sure that your font is easy to read. Stick with the same font and typography you use on your desktop website, but double check that users can easily read your content. Also make sure links are easy to see and easy to click. Using fingers to click on small links can be difficult, so often a call to action button might be a better idea instead.
Know when to Build an App and when not to Build an App
There’s an app for everything, but sometimes, mobile users don’t want to download and install an app just to complete one simple action, like a one-time purchase. An app requires a lot more development, but it might be worth the time and effort if you run an ecommerce site that customers use regularly.
A mobile site with a good, intuitive user experience is important for America’s millions of smartphone and tablet users. Invest in a high-quality responsive design and eye-catching visual elements that are just as functional as they are attractive. A well-functioning, well-designed mobile site will keep smartphone and tablet users on your site longer.
