6 Mobile Website Design Tips for the Savvy Marketer
The growing popularity of using content management systems (CMS) as marketing tools makes web design a highly indispensable skill in the industry of marketing today. This applies both to designing for desktop computers as well as mobile devices.
Consumers are now spending most of their time online, and are using cellphones and other mobile gadgets more than ever. This is a great chance for marketers to use the power of mobile website design to help encourage user engagement way beyond just having a pretty-looking brand.
The following 6 mobile web design practices will help turn your mobile viewers into new buyers:
1. Plan, Change, Unify.
Consumers now expect ready access to data everywhere and on whatever device they are using. To avoid confusion, make sure that their experience in browsing your website is consistent across different devices, design-wise.
2. Create A Mobile-Responsive Design.
Your website’s design should be optimized for mobile because aside from being SEO-penalized, you have to keep the needs of your mobile users always in mind.
Develop your mobile site for them, testing its design often, because mobile users use their cellphones differently than they do their desktops or laptops. For instance, a website’s homepage on a desktop PC may function as a welcome page or a promotional space as well as message center, but its homepage on mobile devices may focus on presenting users the content they need immediately. Mobile users are always on the go so you want them to be able to find your homepage’s content very easily.
3. Make It Readable.
This has been said often and well enough — and it remains so even in mobile marketing: “Content is king.” Because really, what’s the use of providing rich content if users aren’t even able to read it? (Don’t forget: the elderly and the near-sighted.)
To continuously attract new consumers and convert them into leads, make your content effective across all platforms. Make sure its typography is always READABLE. Format it in such a way that the user gets the best experience possible. Use the proper font size, contrast, as well as line height. Finally, make use of headlines, subheadings, and lists. Avoid long paragraphs. In using subheadings you are also able to make use of keywords which search engines particularly love.
4. Create Easy Input and Navigation.
In terms of mobile web design, it helps to make the menu text as short as possible and straight to the point. Also, keep your users in a single window. Your website’s mobile design must acknowledge that the user is not using a keyboard and that he or she is probably multitasking as well, using only one hand to navigate your mobile site.
To make the experience easier for users, make forms large enough so those with big thumbs/fingers can easily complete them, and use only as many number of fields as necessary. Ensure that users don’t have to repeat their actions, and use a progress bar so they will know exactly where they are in the process. Enable auto-fill, too, and the use of tab forward for multipart forms.
Call-to-action buttons should also be large enough so they can be easily tapped. (This is a number one pet peeve among mobile users.)
5. Keep Your Call To Action (CTA) Clear, Simple, and Straightforward.
Avoid users from abandoning your website while using a mobile by not bombarding them with hundreds of ads and CTAs. Remember that less is more because customers actually don’t like ads that “scream” at them. Avoid using boldface, underscores, and too many symbols or pictures! You can keep customers engaged by making your ad messages simply clear enough and easy to understand to help them decide on a purchase.
Make use of visual hierarchy. Make more important elements easily distinguishable using strategic placement, color, and size. Every page element has a certain amount of importance so it should carry a certain visual weight as well.
6. Provide A User-Centered Experience.
Always make your call to action user-centered. Even if you want them to sign up for your email newsletter for lead generation, make sure that they are also getting valuable information in exchange for their action. Offer them updates or even freebies.
A real savvy desktop mobile web marketer recognizes a customer’s needs and always strives to adapt to them.
There is huge potential in tapping the mobile market today so create a highly effective mobile website design by focusing on reducing clutter, keeping things clear and simple, and making it super easy for visitors to find what they need so they can take appropriate action.