There is no longer denying the fact that mobile usage has increased for the past few years and at a drastic speed.
Not only that. The age range of those who use a smartphone has also become younger, making it a wake-up call for companies whose target market belong to those group. Mobile devices are originally created to communicate through calls and text messages, but with the emergence of the internet and social media, it has become a must-have tool for sharing photos, videos, and any content online.
To get an idea of how most people use their smartphones on a regular basis, we could refer to the following figures presented by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project:
- Checking of weather reports – 52%
- Use of social networking sites – 50%
- Playing games – 37%
- Getting news – 36%
- Listening to online radio or any music service – 22%
- Doing online banking or transaction – 21%
- Getting step-by-step guide to directions – 15%
- Uploading photos online – 15%
- Using Twitter – 10%
- Checking government websites – 6%
- Getting discount coupons for business – 5%
- Watching movies through paid subscription – 4%
Using this data, we can deduce that majority of what people do with their smartphones is browse online content. More personal activities like calling or messaging are even come secondary compared to online browsing.
A business case for mobile-friendliness
It means that creating messages that would likely be accessible for users through their mobile devices is salient. And when it comes to messaging, knowing the right avenue to publicize the message matters a lot.
Websites and mobile-friendliness
Ever since the public has been introduced to independent website creation and free blogging, more and more sites have gone live for the last decade. Some were meant to house products of actual retailers while others are centered on providing news from around the world. Other popular niches include the following:
- Fashion
- Entertainment
- Gadgets / Technology
- Sports
- Food & Travel
- Home Tips
For any particular need, there seemed to be a corresponding website fit to provide the service. Even corporate works such as staffing now have entities that run websites focusing on providing such support.
Lately, however, simply setting up a website is no longer enough to address the immediate needs of people especially those who mostly browse or buy using their mobile devices. Creating a site that is specifically mobile-friendly is now the new game-changer.
Importance of mobile-friendly websites
First off, we all have to understand that site pages and content displayed on a desktop do not appear the same on mobile. This is primarily because of the differences in screen sizes that can dictate the data to be displayed on the screen.
Making your website mobile-friendly means making adjustments to ensure that the site is presented well across different devices without sacrificing any content. This is what we call site responsiveness. In wordpress.com, for instance, users can already enjoy the usage of free themes that are created to automatically appear responsive when opened on different devices.
Considering that lots of people are now browsing online through their mobiles, designing your website to become mobile-friendly makes it easier and more convenient for your market and followers to read your content even while on the go.
What makes a mobile-friendly internet site?
Fast site/page load
This can perhaps be considered as the most crucial aspect in determining how mobile-friendly a website is. Ideally, when users decide to check your content, they should no longer have to wait after they click. A responsive website is something that loads automatically or within a few seconds after the address is entered.
Site speed matters because a lot of smartphone users don’t have the patience to wait for a site to load. Unless they are already part of your solid fanbase, they will most likely look for another option if they don’t see content in an instant. There are tons of other websites online that offer synonymous information as you do so make sure your site loads fast to keep your readers tuned in.
Comprehensive menus or categories
Different menus and categories help ease navigation every time you browse through a website. This becomes more challenging in the case of mobile usage where screen space is rather limited. Still, it’s important to create menus and categories that separate your content accordingly. Also, appropriate buttons and the contrast between text color and its background need to be very clear to avoid confusion once browsing.
Intuitive site design
This is primarily concerned with the visuals of your website. From the dominant colors to the logo and the layout of the landing page, a mobile-friendly website is something that retains its graphic appeal regardless of the medium on where it is read.
Absence of any broken links, pages, etc.
You may not have taken a huge consideration on the individual quality of your links, but it is important to remember that broken links and pages can significantly affect the credibility of your site. Broken links delay the load performance of your site, and it becomes a hassle to readers who wish to access information in an instant.
Different factors contribute to broken links so to ensure that you don’t have any issues about it, might as well regularly check your site for potentially broken pages.
Creating a mobile-friendly website is no longer just an option. It has become mainstream and a necessity especially for companies who are serious about giving their audience the best user experience.
Whether you are running an e-commerce site or maintaining a personal blog, if the goal is to build a strong online presence and become an authority in your chosen niche, then investing in a mobile approach is important. There is now an efficient web design and development company that can help out with the technicalities in setting up a mobile-friendly, and all you need to do is tap their aid.
Reach more readers by investing in mobile compatibility. Promote your business better and enjoy its long-term benefits!
