This is the second part of a two-part article on website design. Read the first part here.
In this era of displays that vary from large computer monitors to small smartphone screens, the customer experience hinges on the ability to view a website tailored for any device.
According to Google, 61 percent of viewers on a mobile site will leave if they don”™t quickly see what interests them. Furthermore, 74 percent of all mobile viewers are more likely to return to a mobile-friendly site than one that has not been optimized for mobile. An example of mobile optimization is “click to call” mobile websites, which are particularly important for local businesses (such as pizzerias). By displaying their phone number above the fold ”“ regardless of the size of the screen ”“ they will average 32 percent more sales.
Despite these statistics and the rapidly increasing percentage of people using mobile devices, many companies are reticent about having to redo their websites. That is why there is a growing industry of companies that, for a price usually less than $1,200, will automatically or manually construct a site for a dedicated display size. (A monthly charge is often associated with these services.) For some companies, this is an ideal solution. The downside to this approach includes increased costs, an inconsistent user experience across platforms and the need to update the site for each display type individually.
Designers utilize different strategies to effectively solve this problem of different screen sizes. One of the simplest solutions is by using columns: large screens use three columns, tablets and smaller screens use two columns and smartphones use one column. Additional aspects include flexible images that scale depending on screen size as well as fluid grids that can be reshaped (usually from horizontal to vertical) so they display properly on a narrow smartphone screen.
One of the most difficult things about providing content to a small smartphone screen is determining what is critically important to your audience ”“ you do not have the space to waste. Many of your viewers will not waste time looking for your message. That”™s why, if you work with a designer, you must specify those key images, banners, titles, phone numbers or words that you want your smartphone viewers to see when they click on your mobile site; they must be concise and on-target.
One of the key goals for every company is to maintain consistency across all of its marketing and sales campaigns, thereby enhancing its brand. From a website perspective, this is accomplished through the use of responsive design and the careful planning of content for each size of display. Increasingly, Web designers start designing for the smaller displays first since they find it easier to add content as the size of the display increases rather than being forced to remove it.
There are also several options that must be considered, such as the quality of the image versus the load time. Navigation is another important option ”“ how do you move around the site? Currently, the use of drop-down menus is a popular solution.
With the rapid rise in importance of mobile computing, it is imperative that every company”™s website is regularly updated and able to keep its viewers satisfied and willing to return. Since the website should reflect that company”™s brand by meeting the needs of its viewers and customers, it can provide a consistent experience that leads to additional revenue and business.
Bruce Newman is vice president at The Productivity Institute LLC and a regular contributor to the Business Journal. He specializes in content creation and digital marketing. He can be reached at bnewman@prodinst.com.
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