Best Design Principle for a Mobile Website

Which of the two situations are you in?

i. You have a PC website but want to develop the mobile version from scratch

ii. You have the mobile version but want to revamp it

Depending upon the situation you’ll have to follow the principles mentioned below. The softwares used for coding and re-coding are different. Try to make a new mobile website on xhtml or xml. Recoding can be done manually or by using certain website auto-transformation applications.

Where does your business stand?

There is a rule called AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. Brands or businesses are at different stages at different times. The way you create or revamp the mobile website is influenced a great deal by what your current business strategy is. Are you launching a brand? That would call for something engaging. Are you trying to finally make sales after the entire launch process – perhaps more product information should be available.

Know your customers

Remember a website cannot be everything for everyone. It has to be focused for different target markets. For example, if you have an e-music store, you should find out what the common characteristics of the website visitors are – their age, their education, their expectations from your website, etc.

Also, you must know what devices (varying in feature such as screen sizes) and internet browsers are being used to access your mobile website. The more devices and browsers, the trickier it becomes for you to develop a universally efficient mobile website.

KISS Creatively

Yes, do remember to Keep it Simple and Short. Simplicity helps:

i. In letting the pages download more quickly

ii. Making comprehension of the content easier

iii. Making interaction via click/ tap easier

iv. Retaining the website visitor for a longer time period – through more effective engagement

However, simplicity doesn’t mean that it can’t be exciting. There are number of websites that have made simplicity their strength along with vibrant colors, fonts and graphics. Click here to see a collection of great mobile websites.

Make interaction Engaging

You must realize that people tap rather than click on their mobile phones. So make the ‘clickable’ options on the original website converted into ‘tappable’ options on the mobile website. Also, add features that inform the user when interaction has been made. For example if an option has been tapped upon, let that button or link change in color, shape or form. Also, when a page is loading, display an animated figure that tells the user that something is going on.