Mobile Website Designs: The Must-Have Features

I am sure you are aware that an increasing number of people are surfing the web via their smartphones (Google, on the basis of a study, says that by 2013, more people will access the web from smartphones than from PCs). Most businesses are aware of this and have started to create their mobile websites accordingly. What is often less known is how much of a role mobile website design plays in the success of a mobile site.

The design of a mobile site throws up unique challenges. There are limitations inherent to a mobile site that are not present in a regular one. There are, however,  solutions to these limitations that can make any mobile website very effective.

The first thing that any mobile site designer needs to do is craft the site in such a way that there is as little pinching or squeezing as possible required of the user. Pinching or squeezing make the website look less attractive and harder to use compared to a design which is “finger-tap ready.”

Business2community.com describes this issue perfectly:

    “ If you go to your website on an iPhone or Android device it will squish the site down so that you can see the entire page without scrolling around.  The problem is that you can’t read anything either.  So if you want to actually see the text you have to do a lot of pinching and squeezing and then scrolling with your finger.”

This is something that makes a lot of sense and thus should be a primary concern for all of those who are designing a mobile site.

For a local business whose customers are often people in cars, it is vital for the business’s mobile website to have a “Tap to Call” button as well as driving directions. That way the people in cars can call the business and drive there without having to ask directions.

More sophisticated mobile websites allow users to make a purchase before reaching the local business, so that their order is waiting for them, making it unnecessary for them to wait in line.

Designing mobile websites is one of The Magnum Group’s specialties (see picture above). To know more about what we have available in this regard, please go to our mobile website information page.