Concluding our article on mobile-first web design we look at keeping ahead of changes and the basic design requirements amongst other things.
Keeping Ahead of Changes
You realize that taking the mobile-first approach to design is tailored for small screens. When scaling up for larger screens, it will be less difficult than to scale down for smaller sizes. By beginning here, you will avert graceful degradation caused by evolving mobile technology.
Mobile-First Pays Off
The industry standard is increasingly mobile-first, as users increasingly expect speed, conciseness, and clarity from mobile sites, whether they are selling shoes or reporting sports statistics. You want to avoid your mobile site displaying slowly or incorrectly. Research indicates that even a one second delay for page loading causes a loss of 7 percent in conversion and an 11 percent decline in page views.
However, when you use the mobile-first design approach you are already avoiding overloading your site with pop-ups or annoying ads, as well as visual asset sizes. You will develop a pleasant, seamless experience for users, and you will be competitive, even staying above the curve.
Mobile-First Design Basics
When considering a project, you should strongly consider beginning with a mobile design and then building on it to set up a fuller website, containing additional functions and content. To get started with mobile-first designing, follow the basic tips and guidelines discussed below.
Your mobile site can-and should-look polished and address all of your users’ needs. Therefore, consider content that potential users are searching for. Are they looking for train times, restaurant hours, or where to find the best drink in your town? Give out information in a way that is clearly above the rest. Feature bright, attractive images. (Don’t forget about resizing them for mobile.) Eliminate non-essential distractions and pop-ups. To provide further information, keep navigation as easy as possible with the tap of one finger.
Our Best Design Tips for Mobile-First
• Quickly provide users with the content they desire
• Keep it simple: Use easily readable type, readable text, eliminate ads and pop-ups, and add a useful search tool
• Use bold and clear calls-to-action for easy conversion
• Use easy-to-read buttons for navigating that store extra content in the menu at the top
High loading speed is vital! Strip the mobile-first site of needless elements, and build on streamlined design to create fuller offerings for desktops and tablets.
Don’t forget to prototype! Test designs and code on mobile devices to ensure your site works well in the real world.
Tap, Tap, Boom
As more people every day access websites while they are on the go, it is key to present a version which represents your offering and that is very mobile-friendly. What better way to accomplish this goal than to consider using mobile-first designing. Though some may think it is simply pared back, a skilled mobile designer can create dynamic mobile-first design that is also fun to use and functional as well!
