According to Google mobile search has grown 400% in the past year and 79% of large online advertisers do not have a mobile-optimized site. Researchers predict that by 2015 more Americans will surf the web from mobile phones than PC’s. Like it or not a mobile-optimized website is essential in 2012.
“Mobile isn’t a trend. It’s a new era. And it’s not too late to be early”.
Goolge’s HowtoGoMo.com is an initiative designed to educate businesses about the mobile opportunity and empower them to build mobile-friendly sites.
Just because you can see your desktop site on a mobile phone doesn’t mean it’s mobile-friendly. A truly mobile-friendly site is tailored to the needs of mobile users and the capabilities of mobile devices. A mobile-friendly site can help your business connect with customers and drive conversions.
This week I picked up a new Smartphone. In just a few days I’ve realized that mobile users browsing a website have different immediate goals then desktop visitors. I want to quickly access a Google map to see where you are and plan my route in relation to other stops, I want to find your store hours without having to call. A click-to-call phone number is so useful if I need to make a reservation or check stock.
Below is a summary of 10 Mobile Site Best Practices from GoMo:
- KEEP IT QUICK — design your site to load fast and make copy easy to scan.
- SIMPLIFY NAVIGATION — Use seven links or fewer per page of navigation. Have a search box prominently available on complex sites
- BE THUMB FRIENDLY — People use their fingers to operate mobile devices—especially their thumbs. Design your site so even large hands can easily interact with it
- DESIGN FOR VISIBILITY — Make sure content fits onscreen and can be read without pinching and zooming.
- MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE — Find alternatives to Flash and ensure your mobile site will adapt for both vertical and horizontal orientations
- MAKE IT EASY TO CONVERT — Reduce the number of steps needed to complete a transaction and use click-to-call functionality for all phone numbers
- MAKE IT LOCAL — if you have a storefront include functionality such as GPS maps that help people find and get to you
- MAKE IT SEAMLESS — People now use multiple screens throughout the day. Convert as much of the functionality of your desktop site to mobile as you can to create a seamless experience.
- USE MOBILE SITE REDIRECTS — to automatically send visitors using a mobile device to the mobile-friendly version of your site
- LEARN, LISTEN & ITERATE — Use Google Analytics to understand how people use your site and make appropriate changes
The mobile shift is impacting web design of desktop sites as well as mobile sites. In 2012 and beyond websites will:
- use HTML5 for interactivity and animation not flash
- be built on the principles of Responsive (variable vs. fixed-width) design to accommodate different resolutions and devices
- be cleaner, less cluttered, with more white space
I’m excited about the changes the mobile shift is bringing to the web design profession. Web designers and developers need to be constantly learning and adapting to the changing playing field.
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