Tips for a successful mobile web design

The future of the Internet and the e-Commerce world is in the mobile web landscape.

If your clients and customers aren’t mobile now, they will be soon. They want to access information on the go. In an increasingly busy world, convenience is the key, and mobile websites need to be convenient and user-friendly. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you should make it your number one priority.

Whether it’s Apple or Android, creating a mobile website is one of the most important things a company can do. If you still don’t understand the importance of going mobile, then read on. There are three tenets of mobile web design that your site should follow: be engaging, be interactive and be easy to use.

Be Engaging

Mobile sites are all about what works for your customer as well as doing the best you can with what you have. If you try to do too much, you end up spreading yourself too thin. It’s better to do one thing well than many things poorly. You need to be creative with your content. Sign users up for freebies and giveaways. Create an interactive game that relates to the content you’ve created. A calendar on the home page can serve as a countdown to upcoming events or specials. Another really great thing about mobile sites is the ability to send out alerts. Some of the best mobile web designs, from app designers like AppCityLife, allow the owner to send their own alerts to customers via a customized dashboard. You’re only tapping into customers that sign up for alerts, and you can give away great prizes and freebies through your alerts. Alerts can also be customized to remind a user of an upcoming event. These alerts come in the form of a text message, so it really isn’t too intrusive.

Be Interactive

Mobile users are primarily from the younger generations, such as Generation Y and the Millennials. Statistically, their attention span is much shorter for users of mobile sites. If you don’t grab them right away, you lose them. If your customer doesn’t get something out of your site, they’ll leave.

A mobile site should never be just a duplicate of your existing website. Think of it as a simplified version of what you currently have. Not only must it appear cleaner, it must be more than a static informational site. Give the customer something to do. Create interesting content, and present it in an interesting, interactive way.

Tap into social media platforms so they can share your content with the click of a button. Keep the text light and easy to read. Victoria’s Secret, the lingerie company, has a great example of a mobile website. The entire catalog is available at your fingertips. The site relies on images rather than blocks of text. It’s easy to browse the catalog, buy an item, and then share it through social media.

Be Easy to Use

The key to any successful website, whether standard or mobile, is making it easy for the consumer to use. Whether your website is commerce driven or content driven, it must be user-friendly. If you make the content hard to find, you lose customers. When users are on a mobile site, they are usually on the move and not at home. They don’t have time to browse for hours. You need to capture them in a small window of time. Make sure your mobile website is also ready for both Android and Apple platforms. Gone are the days when you could just pick one platform. If you don’t want to alienate a whole section of your possible customer base, you should be very thoughtful about designing your site to work across the board