Tips for Making a Website Mobile-Friendly

Building an attractive, functional website takes skill and is something to be proud of upon succession. The work doesn't end there; however, as the demand for mobile-friendly websites is high. More and more users access websites through smartphones rather than desktops, and because of this, it is no longer an added benefit to having a website that works well on a phone – it is essential. Your website isn't ready until it's mobile-ready, so here are some tips for getting it up and running.

Check Your Website on a Mobile

The first step is to face what your website looks like on a mobile. Don't be surprised if the website you spent so long perfecting looks like it was completed in a day on a phone – it's a completely different platform! You need to know what you're dealing with, so take note of all the errors. Is it difficult to scroll? Is the size of the text wrong? It's also a good idea to test it on different types of phones, as websites can differ between them.

Keep it Simple

The key to creating a mobile-friendly website is to condense information. Help the user experience by cutting text right down and making the content short and simple. Remember, people have to use their thumbs to scroll through, so don't tire them out by putting a huge lump of text on the homepage of your website.

The screen is small, so keep the text short and friendly, and don't use too many images. You don't have as much room to play with as you do on a desktop, so make the space count.

Outsource

Outsourcing help for your website is an excellent way of guaranteeing quality. If you have never thought of creating a website for mobile before now, then it's better to be safe and put it in the hands of professionals. Use an SEO agency that can create a user-friendly website and increase traffic.

Look at Other Sites

There's no shame in looking at how other people have successfully created a mobile-friendly website. Take a successful brand, get their website up on both your computer and your phone, and then note any differences. You might notice a change in font, images, and the amount of content. Use their mobile websites to inspire how you make your own attractive and user-friendly.

Use Icons

As previously mentioned, you are aiming to condense your information, which means getting rid of unnecessary words. Using icons is a simple way of getting rid of text clutter. Users will be able to understand their meaning and work their way through your mobile website easily. Much like roads use signs to direct traffic, you can use icons to direct your users.

Size Up

One of the most common problems with mobile websites is the size of the text. All too often, users are put off by having to zoom in just to read, so make sure you make your fonts large enough. This also applies to images – you don't want your users to get halfway down a page only to find a blown-up image that they struggle to scroll past!

Your goal is to make the website as clear and functional as positive on a small device, so make sure the size of your content lines up with that.