Mobile website design principles

Though, in many respects, developing a mobile website design is much like designing any other website, there are still some significant differences. You have different priorities to focus on with mobile design because of the inherent differences between using a mobile device compared to a PC or laptop.

One key example is speed. Whereas we can rely on our home internet to provide a steady connection, on the go using a mobile device things are less simple, and it isn’t rare to experience bad signal. As such, when designing for mobile it is essential that you streamline your site as much as you possibly can. Keep media to a minimum, and be sure to remove any elements which slow your site down.

Another notable difference with browsing on a mobile device is the small screen size. Every element of your site must be catered to screen size including font, the size of buttons, as well as figuring out how to format each page of your site. One neat feature that offers more space for your content is hidden menus, and we definitely recommend checking them out.

You also need to ensure that your site is finger friendly, with everything from scrolling, to increasing the size of menu tabs and all features on the site that need to be clicked. Consider using larger icons, and for navigating page to page, maybe try using horizontal left to right scrolling over a conventional top to bottom page layout.

Navigation is also particularly important for mobile design. The smaller screen size and use of hands rather than a mouse cursor mean that a well-designed site should be super simplistic and easy to move from page to page. Be sure to feature large and clearly visible home icons throughout your site, and ensure that the layout of your pages is logical.

Though these features are certainly no less important for any kind of website, they stand out as make or break issues for many mobile sites especially. With the design and appearance, you should retain consistency with your normal website for a clear and recognisable brand identity.