The way to go, is on the go.

We're back from our week off. It's been a great week off relaxing and putting our feet up. We visited the amazing Harry Potter Studio Tour, it is a must for any Potter fan. I was blown away by pretty much everything so get yourselves down there.

Now that we're back it's down to business and it's of the mobile variety. I'm going to talk about the importance of having a more mobile friend site.

In 2012, the world’s mobile internet traffic was twelve times the amount of all combined internet traffic in 2000. This is a stat that you can’t afford to ignore, mainly because mobile internet users behave differently from desktop users. If you want to succeed online, then a mobile-friendly web presence is essential. While it’s relatively easy to navigate a website using a mouse and a computer monitor, it’s not always so straightforward with a small-screened mobile device. Anyone who has used a touchscreen mobile device has accidentally touched or typed something they didn’t mean to.

A mobile website should be easily navigable with large navigation buttons and a simple layout. You need to use every bit of precious screen space in the smartest way possible. Mobile devices have become powerful tools for quickly accessing and retrieving data. Mobile users have an “always on” mentality, meaning that they expect access to data at any given time. This changes the way advertisers operate, and also brings about the need for to have a rich online experience. For one thing, a fast-loading, easily navigable mobile website is a must. It’s also a good idea to give mobile viewers the ability to access the full desktop site if they prefer.

Take the time to find out what percentage of your visitors access your website via mobile device, and what platform they use (Apple or Android). Also, creating mobile-optimized email is just as important as a mobile-optimized website, especially if you send regular email communications to your subscribers. Use a simplified header that is 50-100 pixels in height. Enlarge your text and buttons. Choose bold images with a single focus. Link to mobile-friendly sites. Streamline your layout (a single column layout works best).

With so many mobile users spending time on sites like Twitter and Facebook, social media presents a significant opportunity for sites wanting to expand their online reach. It’s also worth noting that consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with making online purchases through their mobile devices. This has significant implications for mobile advertising, and also underscores the necessity of making purchase information readily available.

Although desktop internet access is still going strong, people increasingly prefer to access the internet on the go. Professional demands, long commutes, multiple social activities, and other factors that keep people away from home make mobile internet access a necessity for many people.

So it seems the future of web design will be in your hands..literally.

'Til the next time

James x