Why you should have a mobile-friendly version of your website

Can a website/blog survive without a mobile version? Sure, it can. But it’s missing a great opportunity from visiting mobile users that could potentially become loyal readers (or customers for businesses).

The why

It takes no rocket scientist to conclude that more and more users are using mobile devices, especially in cases when they need quick, glanceable information. It’s also rather obvious that modern Internet users—humans as we are—have a very short attention span. If a website fails to engage its visitors with relevant content, these visitors will likely move on to the next web destination they can find.

In short, mobile users (who increasingly comprise the majority of Web users) will favor websites whose layout is friendlier to their device’s relatively smaller screens. They couldn’t be bothered with pinching to zoom and scrolling all too often to find the information they want. They want everything fast and simple.

The how

Now that you’re convinced (hopefully), you can start optimizing your website for mobile users by keeping everything simple. For instance, buttons should stand out from the background color and must be big enough to accommodate the fat fingers. Fonts must be clearly legible and large enough. More importantly, all the important info must be placed “above the fold”—the upper portion of the webpage where users can immediately see content without having to scroll down.

For existing website owners, you can either revamp your website so that it automatically adjusts its layout depending on the size of the screen or you can create a separate website where mobile users will be redirected. The former is great for the a “m.domain” address but requires a massive overhaul to your existing pages, while the latter is recommended for a “.mobi” address but may need you to spend a few more bucks for the additional domain. To help their customers reduce costs, many webhosting providers already bundle a mobile package to their hosting solutions. They also offer checking and registration of free domains.

If you’re new to the whole website/blogging thing, you should give equal importance in building both your site’s mobile-friendly version and its full-blown desktop equivalent. Better yet, you need to consider what the future holds; newer devices whose displays greatly vary from today’s norm may become the mainstream medium for online content consumption, and your website must be ready to adapt to them.

Here are more tips to help your website become friendlier to mobile devices:

• Avoid burying important information deep within pages. Put them in the main page as much as possible.
• Use only one navigation menu for your website.
• Your website should allow users to switch between mobile and desktop versions whenever they want.
• Social networks are useful for gaining a strong following, so don’t forget to add links to your social media accounts.
• You can also use a responsive layout, so that your website adapts to the screen size of the user.
• Don’t forget to optimize your site for search engines, too!

And remember, your goal in revamping/building your website must be the following:

• Faster loading times
• Easier navigation
• Simple yet professional design