subject: Is your website optimised for mobile visitors? [print this page] More and more people are accessing the Internet via their mobile phones. Have you recently checked your website on a mobile phone to see how it renders? Is the mobile version of your website easy to navigate and can it be used to find information related to your brand, or does it look all jumbled and distorted?
How do you know if people are using mobile devices to view your website?
If have Google Analytics installed it is easy to check. In your Google Analytics dashboard, go to Visitors > Mobile > Mobile Devices. Here you will find metrics regarding the mobile devices and operating systems that visitors used to access your website.
Most website owners will see that they have a fair number of mobile visitors, and if they take the time to analyse this data over say a year, they will undoubtedly notice that mobile traffic is increasing.
Perhaps, most obviously, create a separate mobile site. When a user visiting a mobile device lands on your website, they will be redirected to the simpler, cleaner mobile version.
Many platforms allow you to convert your site quickly and easily. On your mobile website, use as few images as possible. If you have to include images make sure they're the smallest size possible. Avoid animation or fancy roll-overs.
The biggest limitation for mobile users is the size of their screen. Navigation should be kept very simple. Also keep in mind that mobile visitors are more likely to be actively seeking content like your contact number or physical address. Visitors should be able to get to what they are looking for within a single click, so bear this in mind when planning your mobile site's structure and navigation.
Read more about Optimising Your Website for Mobile Devices on TipsBlogger.com.
