Let’s face it, your business website is crucial to connecting what you do to potential clients and customers. With 96% of Americans using cell phones daily, it’s important that your website responds across all devices. In fact, only 11.8% of websites have a responsive design. Your website can’t afford to be part of the 88.2% that don’t have a website responding to mobile phones and tablet devices. That’s an easy way to lose business and nobody wants that. Because of its convenience, more and more people are browsing the internet through their smartphones. Here are six must-know responsive design best practices to make your website top-level across all devices.
- Size Matters – When it comes to imagery and content, mobile devices don’t provide the most real estate to work with. On a desktop, websites are broken down by sections to help provide the desired information needed for the user. On mobile, it’s important to layout these sections differently so that they are re-organized in a way that doesn’t overly increase the length of the page. This is the main reason why mobile users are the first priority when it comes to designing a website.
- Make Buttons Easy To Find – With every website there is a strong call-to-action button that you would like users to click on and complete. It’s important to make sure that your CTA button is clear and easy to find on a mobile device. Not only should this appear above the fold on mobile, much like a desktop, but also within the navigation toolbar. This way, your button is still a frequently visited area on your website. In addition, it’s key to have your Contact button or Let’s Chat feature located at the bottom of mobile, therefore, giving the user options depending on what action they would like to take.
- Scalable Vector Graphics – SVGs are a must-have for any responsive design that is utilizing illustrations or icons as they are scalable. Nobody wants to watch an image buffer while waiting on their phone. This can easily cause them to bounce right off your website. The icon or graphic will remain ultra-sharp across all devices and results in a consistently polished look no matter how the site is being viewed. Plus, SVGs help your site load faster because they often have a smaller file size.
- Tap, Not Click – On a desktop people use a mouse to click on buttons, but with mobile, the user presses with their phone to tap the button instead. Therefore, these areas need to be larger for a finger to press on. We recommend that any clickable component on a mobile device be at least 48 pixels in height. It’s important to optimize your site for buttons, forms, inline links on blogs, card layouts, navigation links, and more.
- Imagery That Responds – With a different device comes a different image size needed. The mobile version of a webpage may only need an image at 400px wide, whereas a desktop may need a 1200px wide image. Because a mobile image is a third of the size of a desktop image it is important to keep in mind that the file size translates to a third of the size as well. It’s best to use two different versions of the same image for mobile and desktop in order for the user to have an optimal experience.
- Typography – With mobile being a much smaller screen than a desktop, it’s key to consider the legibility of your website. If a user can’t read your website than they are more likely to jump right off and go to your competitor. It’s essential to make sure that your content is easy to read so they are not squinting to make out your website. Balance the headings and body font sizes for the size of the screen.
At Caspian Services, we make awesome websites and keep responsive website design in the forefront for our clients. If you’re looking to update your website or build a brand new one, connect with us by completing a quick project inquiry form to request a quote today.