As we said in the previous article, mobile device users have greatly increased at this time. Followed by website visitors who also switch to using mobile devices or smartphones to open the website they are looking for. We as website owners are also required to provide a mobile-friendly website so that visitors are not disappointed when they visit our website using their smartphone device.
If you haven’t optimized your website to be mobile-friendly, get ready to follow the steps on how to make a website mobile-friendly right now.
What is a Mobile Friendly Website?
A mobile-friendly website is a website that is designed to be easily accessed by users of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Usually, this website design is made responsive to the screen size of the device used by website visitors.
As part of website development, there are three reasons why a website must be mobile-friendly, namely:
• The amount of traffic from mobile phones is skyrocketing – More than half of the world’s people access the internet via smartphones.
• Mobile-first index – Google prioritizes website indexing on the mobile version. It is also from the results of this index that Google determines the search ranking of a website.
• Mobile Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – The logic of mobile SEO is slightly different from the desktop version. Through the mobile version of SEO, you can capture traffic opportunities even better.
If you don’t have a mobile-friendly version of the website, you might lose visitors, ranking in search engines, leads, and money from buyers.
Then, how do make a Mobile Friendly Website?
1. Install a Responsive Theme
The first way to create a mobile-friendly website is to install a responsive website theme. Themes have a big influence on the website. Both in terms of website performance and visiting experience.
In terms of user experience, installing a responsive theme makes it easier for users to share content. Website owners only have one type of URL that applies consistently. If the user shares the URL from the mobile version of the website, the same URL can be opened via the desktop with the right appearance.
Then, what does a responsive theme look like? Here are three main criteria to keep in mind:
• Can adjust the appearance of the web automatically;
• Have a website design and a simple appearance;
• Have an intuitive user interface (buttons, sliders, and forms).
Take a look at our collection of website designs that suit your theme and needs.
2. Create a Simple Menu
Desktop screen sizes are clearly different from cell phones. While desktops have a minimum resolution of 1080p, mobile screen resolutions are only 720p. For this reason, the website menu needs to be designed differently from the desktop version.
If you want to simplify how your menu looks, there are a few principles you need to follow:
• Show only important menus.
• Put other menus into a collapsible navigation sidebar or a navigation menu that can be hidden;
• Write short and clear calls to action (CTA);
• Make buttons large;
• Avoid using sidebars for content. Content located in the sidebar will usually be displayed at the very bottom of the mobile version of the page.
3. Include a Search Column
Not everything can be made simple. This includes menus and website content. Especially if the website in question is a marketplace or online shop. Like it or not, there are so many menus and pages containing the products being sold.
If you have a website like that, it’s a good idea to add a search field. The search field can make it easier for customers to find the product they really need. After all, it’s also impossible for you to tell visitors to search for content or products manually, right?
4. Choose the Right Font Type
The next way to make a mobile-friendly blog is to choose the right type of font. Due to the limited space on mobile phones, the choice of fonts affects the overall appearance of the website.
With the right font, website content can be easily read. Apart from that, fonts can also affect the impression, mood, and branding of the website itself.
Fonts that are decorative are usually not included in the mobile-friendly category. Indeed, the appearance of this type of classic font is usually very eye-catching. It’s just that, when viewed from a cell phone, it looks very big and not pretty.
5. Make Sure There Is Enough Whitespace
How to change the appearance of the web to mobile on this one may have nothing to do with technical issues. However, it’s a good idea to keep this in mind and practice.
A plain white appearance gives a clean and elegant impression to the website. Especially if the website is viewed via a cellphone.
At the same time, the white background also makes visitors focus on the main object on the website page. If you have an online or e-commerce store, a white background helps your products stand out.
If the content in question is in the form of paragraphs, the paragraphs will be easier to read. Provided, you write in short paragraph pieces.
6. Create a Short Form
The form on the website, in principle, should be short. But when it comes to how to make a mobile-friendly blog, you need to take an extra step.
Trim all form fields that are less important for the user. When you ask for information for leads and contacts, include only two kinds of forms namely name and email address.
If the context is for shipping goods, make the necessary forms. Focus on the important information needed. You don’t need to know your favorite color or where buyers get information about your business.
7. Perform Image Optimization
Furthermore, image optimization is included in how to create a mobile-friendly website. Because there are still many people who just put pictures on the website. Regardless of the image format or size.
As a result, the website is slow. Not to mention the server’s disk memory is wasteful. Therefore, image optimization is an important thing to do.
8. Avoid Pop-ups
Pop-ups take up space. Just imagine that a small cellphone screen is full of pop-ups. It sucks, doesn’t it?
Even worse, pop-ups are a pain to close. The close (X) button is usually too small or hard to find. Double sucks. That’s why avoiding pop-ups is included in how to make a mobile-friendly website.
9. Make speed a priority
The essence of mobile friendly is a matter of speed. Therefore, website speed must be a priority.
If your website doesn’t appear immediately within three seconds, the chances of visitors not accessing it increase by up to 32%. The longer the load time takes, the higher the possible bounce rate.
10. Good button position
The vertical arrangement of the buttons keeps them within the thumb area. in addition, the button area is large, which makes them easier to click. We also have an article discussing button principles. Read here.
11. Simple navigation bar
Adjust the navbar so that it takes up less on the phone screen, which itself is so small, and at the same time for items to be easily clickable.
12. Hidden content
Hiding less relevant or too long information reduces the length of your website. In addition, users can more easily browse the site in search of interesting content.
Those are some steps you can take to make your website a mobile-friendly website for visitors. Remember that the convenience of visitors in exploring your website is the most important thing.
Tips:
In the process of changing the appearance of the web to mobile, you should not mess with a live website. Because, if something goes wrong, your website might not even be accessible.
Source: Niagahoster
