By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-09-14 09:39:25 | Word Count: 664
One basic website per business was more than ample to provide your client base with information, contacts, sales or anything else they might need 10 years ago. Today, in a world where technology has made it possible to surf the net from almost anywhere using devices that fit in a hand, website owners have been forced to reconsider the way their websites are designed. Mobile Web Design allows website owners to create websites, or mirror sites, that are designed specifically for the smaller devices consumers use. From iPad to Smart Phones, everything from orientation to touch screens needs to be considered during the design phase.
If you are planning to design a mirror site for compatibility with today’s smaller devices, there are a few critical aspects to keep in mind when it comes to optimizing your website for mobile and handheld devices.
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1. Content: Many of today’s mobile devices including some smart phones utilize touch screen technology. This technology, coupled with the smaller size of the devices, often makes selecting the appropriate icon or link very difficult for users. The first axiom of mobile web design is building in plenty of white space to allow users to more easily select what they want. Users are far more likely to stay on your site if they can navigate it easily and find the content they are looking for.
2. Optimization: While large images, video’s and flash animation look nice; they take extra time to load up. The point of mobile internet access is quick access to the information the user is interested in. Provide it for them by avoiding design elements that will slow down the load time. If you are to optimize your mobile site for SEO, images and video need to be tagged with the appropriate keywords.
3. Useful: Like traditional websites, the information provided on your mobile site must be accurate and useful. By including short text pieces and easy navigation, your users are more likely to use your site.
4. Compatibility: Don’t forget that there are different devices available for mobile internet access. It is a good idea to check compatibility with as many devices as possible. Make changes as needed to ensure your site’s content is always searchable. You must also pay attention to different resolutions and how your website should look in those resolutions.
5. Advertise: Like any website, your mobile website must be optimized. Keyword research, analytical data and content will play a role in how high your website ranks and how much traffic it gets. Be sure to invest time and energy into optimizing your site for SEO.
Google recently revealed some tips for mobile website owners, so they could ensure their sites are properly included in Google’s mobile search.
Create a sitemap and submit it to Google so that they are aware of you and make sure that Google can access your mobile site, allow any user to access the site and make sure that your mobile-friendly URL’s Doc Type Definition (DTD) declaration is an appropriate mobile format such as XHMTL or Compact HTML. Maintaining these functions will result in your site being easier to index and allow for better search engine rankings.
In a world where more and more people literally hold the World Wide Web in their hands, mobile web design is quickly becoming one of the most important marketing aspects a company faces. If you are not skilled at web design, it is especially important to work with a professional for your mobile site. This growing industry is just starting to develop a list of standards and design technique and tactics are likely to continue changing as our technology continues to improve.
If you need a mobile version of your current site, contact us. We can help. You can call us at 1-800-736-9618.
