Mobile-Friendly Websites: A Necessity in the Age of Mobile

As desktop users become outnumbered by mobile web surfers, having a mobile version of your website has become a must-have. The surge of smartphones and tablets has led to an increase in the need for businesses to create mobile-friendly sites to reach their audience. Here, we’ll take you on a perplexing journey through the process of creating a mobile version of your WordPress website.

Why does your site need to be mobile-friendly?

In 2017, mobile internet users took over desktop users for the first time ever. With over 50% of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s imperative to create mobile-friendly websites to reach your audiences. Failure to optimize for mobile devices can lead to frustrated visitors, decreasing your website’s search engine rankings, since Google prefers mobile-friendly sites.

Choosing a Responsive Theme

The theme you choose plays a critical role in creating your mobile-friendly website. WordPress has no shortage of responsive themes that can adjust to varying screen sizes, making it ideal when creating mobile versions of websites.

When selecting a responsive theme, you should consider various elements that affect user experience, particularly on smaller screens. These include font size, spacing, and typography.

Installing a Mobile-Friendly Plugin

If the current theme lacks responsiveness and isn’t mobile-friendly, installing a plugin can help. WPtouch and Jetpack are popular plugins that enable mobile-friendliness. Ensure that the plugin is regularly updated as mobile technology is continually evolving.

Optimizing Images

Images on websites are paramount, but not optimizing them for mobile devices can slow down your site’s loading speed. Compressed images take up lesser space, while lazy load plugins enable your images to load only when a website visitor scrolls down. This reduces your website’s loading time.

Testing your Mobile Version

After creating the mobile version, test it on various devices and platforms to ensure that it works perfectly. Google Search Console’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool provides detailed reports of issues and suggestions for improvement.

Simplifying Navigation

On mobile devices, navigation should be simplified since users don’t have a mouse to click. Try limiting the number of menu items, keeping navigation simple, and using clear calls to action (CTA) that are consistent throughout the site. Additionally, ensure that your site search feature is easily accessible.

Making Your Content Readable

Small screens make reading challenging, so optimizing content for readability is crucial. Select a legible font size, limit the content on every page, and use descriptive headings and subheadings. Short paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered lists improve readability as well.

Optimizing Forms

Forms are essential components of websites that capture leads or collect data from users. They should be optimized for mobile devices. Simple fields with fewer requirements, drop-down selections, and input fields that trigger the mobile keyboard are ways to make forms mobile-friendly. Also, make sure that the form submission button is easily accessible and stands out.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, creating mobile versions of your website is more of a necessity than a luxury. With mobile devices taking over as the primary means of accessing the internet, mobile-friendly websites are imperative. Utilize responsive themes, mobile-friendly plugins, optimized images, simplified navigation, optimized content, and optimized forms to create functional mobile-friendly WordPress websites.