Just when you think you have your website running at the top of its game, along comes mobile and decides to get in the mix.
Having a mobile-friendly website helps users find the information they need without browsing through the full version of your website on their small mobile screen. Here’s something key to remember—in mobile, less is more. Even though you may be tempted to add everything you have on your website to your mobile version, that’s not going to serve you well in the long run.
For printing companies, users are looking for the basics—location, phone number, directions to your company and a list of the products and services that you offer.
Here are some other things to keep in mind:
Mobile users are on the go. Plus, they’re often short on time, so it’s important that your content is easy to scan and key information is easily accessible. A look at your website analytics can help you determine content that is most popular with your mobile users.
Local searches are king. Searching for local information is one of the most popular smartphone uses—in fact, over 50 percent of local searches are done on a mobile device. Include a clickable local business number and your address or store locator on your homepage.
People are all thumbs. They’re scrolling, swiping and selecting on touchscreen devices, mainly with their thumbs. Use large, centered buttons as opposed to links, and increase their padding to reduce accidental clicks of the wrong item.
Visibility is key. Content should fit onscreen and text should be readable without users having to pinch and zoom to enlarge. Pare down your content to just the basics, knowing that print buyers are not typically going to be making purchases on their phones. Keep the important info prominent, visible and easy to find.
Mobile users scan, not read. Any text on your mobile site should have bullet points and short sentences. Lengthy paragraphs are hard to read on a small screen and people typically won’t take the time, anyway. When it comes to text, keep it short.
Use mobile site redirects. A mobile site redirect is code that is added to your regular website. It automatically detects if visitors are coming from a mobile device and redirects them to your mobile site. Also, give users the option to go to your full website from your mobile site if that is something that would better meet their needs.
Listen, learn and adjust. Your site doesn’t need to be perfect and comprehensive before you launch it—it’s more important to launch, test and see what works. Collect user feedback, use website analytics for insights and adjust your mobile site accordingly. Creating the best user experience is a work in progress, so don’t wait—jump in and test the waters first.
