Building a Website that’s Good to Go!
According to Statista, the world’s premier statistics portal, some 50.81% of global website traffic came by way of mobile devices in Q3 2020.
In fact, such is the proclivity towards mobile traffic, that many companies are shifting their focus away from desktop clients direct to mobile. This is particularly true in emerging markets, where tablets and smartphones are much easier to come by than desktops.
India, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and other emerging market economies are leading the way, but mobile searches in developed countries across North America, Europe, and Asia currently hover around the 40% mark. It is against this backdrop that we examine website functionality designed specifically for mobile-friendly use.
What is A Mobile Responsive Website?
A mobile responsive website a.k.a. mobile responsive design is a reference to the manner in which the content and the layout of a website can be adapted based on the smaller screen size of the smartphone, tablet, or phablet. With a responsive website, the content automatically adjusts, and fits the smaller screen size that it is being viewed on.
Responsive website design, known by its acronym RWD, is rapidly gaining momentum around the world. Website builders are scrambling to incorporate mobile responsive elements into their systems.
It’s all about alignment, proportion, design, and appeal. As an example, it is possible to simply run a URL check to determine whether a website is mobile friendly on Google.
Barely a few years ago, mobile responsiveness was not prioritized like it is today. Many websites that were clearly visible on desktops featured poorly on the smaller screen sizes of mobile devices. Those sites are not considered mobile responsive. Part of the reason for the dramatic switch to mobile responsiveness was Google itself.
The Google algorithm began ranking websites based on their mobile responsive platforms. With hundreds of millions of people turning to mobile devices for the bulk of their web browsing activity, mobile responsiveness is sacrosanct.
There are 3 key elements to mobile responsive websites, notably:no horizontal scrolling, enough space for tapping on target points, and clearly readable text.
Introducing Mobile Website Builder Tools
Mobile website builders approach e-commerce from the end-user’s perspective. In other words, the person in front of the smartphone, tablet, or phablet, searching for data, browsing the web, buying goods and services, or social networking online. Responsive websites require a number of features from mobile site builders.
These include drag-and-drop functionality, e-commerce resources, responsiveness that looks good and functions well, eye-catching templates, reliable hosting, and apps geared towards the user interface on mobile devices. The best mobile website builders provide powerful back-end solutions with simple front-end functionality.
An example of this is a SimpleSite login from your mobile device. These websites are automatically mobile friendly. No tweaking of design elements and visuals. No reimagining. It just works. Yet, many websites are still built from the perspective of desktop users. This is a shame, given the shift towards mobile across the board.
Website developers that fail to take the mobile component into effect are performing a disservice to their customers, since mobile responsiveness warrants a unique, tailored approach.
It’s really easy to see whether a website is mobile friendly by using Google’s mobile friendly test tool. Websites which fail the litmus test invariably require lots of work to make them responsive to mobile devices.
Among others, data must be easy to find, pop-ups must be removed, website speed must be prioritized, and site design must be kept as simple as possible.
CTAs require actionable button sizes, and Flash Player should be avoided. In fact, anything that hinders the rapid loading and functionality of a mobile friendly site should be avoided. Mobile friendly platforms should allow quick-click switches to desktop views, for greater personalization, and customer satisfaction.
Takeaways for Picking the Right Mobile Friendly Website Builder
The smaller screen sizes of smartphones and tablets require mobile website builders to focus on essential elements of the website. A huge variety of mobile friendly resources is being developed to make it much easier for customers to browse a business’s products and services.
Mobile website builders can help with the sales funnel, by generating more leads, and getting these prospects through the pipeline. The goal is to seal the deal, from inception to payment through the shopping cart. Any breakdown along the way may be attributed to the lack of mobile responsiveness in the platform.
Naturally, design templates are front and center. But there are many other elements to consider including security, customer support and service, payment processing options, on-the-go features and functions, and a user-friendly interface. Many world-class mobile website builders abound, similar to SimpleSite.
The mobile responsiveness of this particular website builder is noted by users, despite its simplicity. All desktop websites created with this website builder are automatically mobile responsive, regardless of the device you are viewing the content from.
Other website builders don’t necessarily offer mobile responsiveness as a given, so it’s a win-win for businesses and customers alike.
