Tips for a better mobile website

Is your mobile website a beautiful bouquet of information or is it an overgrown garden that's hard to navigate?

The mobile experience is more important than ever, each year more people view websites through their mobile device than a desktop or laptop computer.

If you can provide your online customers with a convenient and easy way to make a purchase or decision while they are laying upside down on the couch, or waiting for the bus or on the toilet 😳 then you will both benefit from a well-functioning mobile website.

Here are a few tips to ensure your mobile website is a beautiful experience and not a hot mess:

1. See for yourself

Explore the site through a mobile device and check out the experience yourself! Click through all of your links and pages, and go through the checkout process so you understand the customer journey to checkout.

2. Make sure your website is responsive

Your website should be able to adjust its layout based on the screen size of the device. This means that your website should be responsive and able to adjust to any screen size, from smartphones to tablets. Shopify, Squarespace and Wix will automatically create a responsive version for mobile, but make sure you check it  before publishing just incase things aren't lining up properly.

3. Check for readability

If your text is not responsive or you have text as part of an image / banner it might not be responsive and the entire image and text will be too small to read. Consider those with visual impairments, it's not just text size but also contrast and font that can make text unreadable.

The font size of your website should be large enough to be easily read on a mobile device without the need to zoom in. Use a font size of at least 14px and ensure that there is enough contrast between the font and the background. You can also use web fonts, such as Google Fonts, to make your website more visually appealing.

4. Optimize Images

Make sure your images are optimized for web use for the quickest loading website. A product page that takes an eternity to load a high quality photo may not be as effective as it seems if the customer doesn't have the patience to wait for it to load. Consider that not everyone has access to high speed internet, and that a fast-responding website is much more effective.

5. Avoid pop-ups and interstitials

Pop-ups and interstitials can be annoying for mobile users, especially if they are difficult to close. Avoid using them or ensure that they are easy to close. Instead, use other forms of advertising, such as banner ads or native advertising.

6. Learn from others' mistakes

Take note as you explore other mobile sites! What drives you crazy when you're shopping online?

By following these tips, you can ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices and provides a seamless user experience for your visitors. Remember to test your website on different devices and screen sizes to ensure that it looks and functions correctly.

Tell us in the comments! What is your immediate turn-off for an online business? For me it's when the menu is so small that I have to intentionally use the very tip of my finger to touch, or zoom in to make my selection 😤