Website designing has always been linked to how they appear on desktops; until a few years ago when the mobile-first approach took the front seat.
And rightly so, with an increasing number of users on the go, forward-thinking organizations can’t help but prioritize mobile-first designs when upgrading their existing websites.
According to a 2011 industry report, the number of mobile phone users was about 7 billion. In other words, that’s ninety percent of the global population. By the end of 2025, the figure is predicted to reach 7.49 billion.
For e-commerce, mobile browsing has an even better case to make, with more than 50 percent of shoppers preferring to browse and buy using their smartphones.
For Dallas web design company, mobile-first designs have been topping the list for clients wanting to upgrade their websites. So, it’s probably the best time to mull over the reasons and share some fresh prescriptive on the what, hows, and whys of mobile-first design.
Read on!
“Mobile-first design” and its perks
As the name suggests, a mobile-first design is a strategy, an approach in website development, that takes the upper hand on how a site will appear on smaller screens than desktops.
The concept was first coined as a direct answer to a customer pain point as certain tasks were difficult to accomplish on mobiles compared to desktops. A mobile-first design essentially means creating the same functionality for a website when viewed on a desktop without sacrificing the content on a mobile screen.
So, to successfully incorporate the elements for a mobile-first design, a website designer will have to work exactly opposite to a desktop-first approach, where a site gets built first and then stripped of all non-compatible elements for mobile viewing.
At Dallas web design company, a mobile-first design allows businesses to interact seamlessly with their customer base. For instance, using native mobile features like GPS and cameras lets customers enjoy similar features as one would in a desktop view.
Knowing that a new prospect, compared to your existing customers, would be way less patient viewing your website on a desktop, a mobile-first design can garner a positive response. That being said, designing for smaller screens comes loaded with more significant advantages:
- Cross-platform compatibility- A mobile-first design makes it easy to seamlessly present your content across several platforms without the need to do away with site features. Here, mostly all source codes can be shared, which in turn leaves the window open for developers to create and successfully deploy mobile assets to work equally well on Android as well as iOS without the need to recode.
- A better grasp on buyer journey design- Undoubtedly, content is the king, and for a mobile-first design website, it rules the roost. This is because a smaller screen offers less scope for breathing spaces, which means your copywriter has more room to play with words in the shape of easy-to-read texts, catchy CTAs, and smart product descriptions. This makes a strong point to never lose the thread on the buyer’s journey by ensuring maximum engagement.
- Better visibility across SERPs – A mobile-first design is not only about the looks of your website. When it comes to ranking, Google practices mobile-first indexing above everything else. In other words, if your site isn’t optimized for mobile viewing, you risk your business going down in search engine results.
- Less complex codes mean lesser bugs– That’s right! A mobile-first design approach means your web development team is working more with simpler codes for smaller screens. This is interesting as it means working exactly the opposite of a desktop-first strategy, where complex codes are written first, encouraging more bugs.
- Your best cue to a memorable user experience- The success of a website at Dallas web design company depends hugely on user experience design. So, every single effort is made towards improving the UX. This will not only boosts customer loyalty but also attract new sign-ups. Ensure your load times across smaller screens are optimized too, or you can lose significant prospects in a heartbeat.
The best mobile-first design practices you need to know
The essence of a mobile-first design gains ground as it impacts every single stage of a successful customer journey.
The right kind of mobile-first design from a company for web design in Dallas offers endless possibilities. Not only it makes an excellent first impression but also accounts for repeat visits, a low bounce rate, increased social shares, and a boost in online checkouts, and e-signatures.
Let’s take a look at how to make the most out of a mobile-first design strategy for your website:
- Always check and update on-screen web properties– This applies more to existing websites looking to upgrade to a mobile-first design. If your existing website is already doing good, then you’re already on the right track. However, if it’s not, you might want to check out your web properties and update them from time to time.
With ever-changing smartphone design trends, newer content integration opportunities are waiting across social media and e-commerce platforms. If you tap into them correctly, it can significantly impact how your site performs.
Also, ensure your digital assets are accessible no matter the screen size. This is because you will always have customers who would like to get a better view of your product on a bigger screen. The easiest way to achieve this seamlessly is when you incorporate a range of functional elements all across, like embedded social sharing buttons, multiple CTAs’ wide signature spaces, and zero pop-ups (because they are annoying on smaller screens)
- When in doubt, always restructure your web-based products– Your web-based products are seemingly the most critical aspects of your website, like digital subscriptions, interactive content, and other online tools. Efficiency and speed should be your guiding keywords when adopting a mobile-first design approach.
For all service-based websites, reconsider how you allow your customers to submit important info across smaller screens. Here, e-signatures pack convenience and are a great alternative to wet signatures. If your business requires processing on invoices or bills of sale, design your digi-doc flow in a way that would facilitate a seamless transition between desktops and mobiles.
- Keep your mobile support practices in shape– Creating a proper support channel to facilitate mobile-friendly digital communication can significantly boost your mobile-first design approach. A good way to do it would be to incorporate a virtual assistant with ready answers to the most commonly asked questions. These days, you can get chatbots installed at a fairly reasonable rate.
- Always analyze your feedback data– At Dallas web design company, Creating a mobile-first design website is only the beginning of the story. Unless you are evaluating the feedback, you will always be a step away from witnessing its full potential. Tracking customer engagement rates, bouncebacks, a failed user journey design, and other viable data will give you a fresh perspective.
Wrap Up
Undeniably, the transition from what was once called responsive design to mobile-first design has been rather exciting.
According to industry data, more than 3 billion customers globally use smartphones (as of May 2022), which only reinforces the idea of designing for smaller screens.
Mobile-first design websites aren’t just another option but an essential constraint that businesses can’t do without. For all digital designers, it calls for an alarming change to shift their focus on the needs and wants of the majority group and considers prioritizing mobile-first design strategies.
If you are looking to embrace mobile-first design, we at Dallas web design company can help you get started.
Thomas Jackson is a dynamic and talented content writer at WonderWorldSpace.com, renowned for his engaging and informative articles. Beyond his professional pursuits in writing, Jack is also known for his deep passion for fitness, which not only shapes his lifestyle but also influences his work.