While mobile websites can be just as useful as the sites we visit on our laptops and desktops, there are some major differences that you must keep in mind when creating your mobile site. If the design and functionality of your mobile site is not appealing, people will not visit your web page. The same is true of a customary Internet site yet an entirely different set of rules apply when talking about mobile web design. If you’re planning on building your own mobile website, make sure you follow these basic guidelines…….

The first thing to think about when designing your mobile website is size. Your job is to utilize the small space of the mobile device to deliver the best possible mobile experience. Instead of the small monitor size being a detriment, think about ways to use it to your advantage. When many people think of mobile websites, they think of miniaturizing their existing Web page. While this may be an easy solution, it is not the best approach. A site designed for a PC is not meant to be viewed on the tiny screen of your mobile phone. It is hard to navigate and the overall design is not appealing to users. As you design your mobile Web site, make sure it is rendered for varying screen sizes. Mobile sites that are not built for multiple screen dimensions can appear off-center or bleed off the page. Currently, 240 x 320 (QVGA) is the most common screen size on the market.

In combination with the screen size itself, the layout of your mobile website is a very critical factor to consider as well. As much as possible, you want to eliminate the use of a horizontal scrollbar. It is much better to create multiple pages and tabs than to have your users scroll right to left to view the information on the screen. Additionally, it is your job to make the screen size appear larger than it actually is so the user doesn’t feel like they are navigating on such a miniature screen. Use techniques like zooming and panning to trick your users. This will enable them to get the most out of the mobile web experience.

While the size is a key component to building a user-friendly mobile site, the site flow is just as important. Keep in mind that people don’t use their mobile phones to “surf” the Web. They use it to find what they need in as “few clicks” as possible because they are often on the go. Therefore, don’t bombard them with long articles and un-timely information. Users should be able to find what they need within three clicks and it should only take them two seconds to download. Additionally, you want to make it easy for users to navigate back to the home page. There always needs to be a way to back track.

As mobile websites are becoming more popular among users, the design and functionality of your mobile site will become even more vital. According to studies done by Juniper Research, “… the number of mobile web users will grow from 577 million in 2008 to more than 1.7 billion in 2013.” Soon users will start to expect a certain level of quality and you will want to make sure your site meets their standards. In addition to the overall increase in mobile Internet users, people are starting to use the mobile Web for multiple purposes. According to M:Metrics, “Consumption is quickly evolving from brief transactions, such as checking the weather or flight status, to time-intensive interaction with mobile websites.”  Thus, as time goes on, people are depending on the mobile web for more. You need to make sure your mobile website is designed in a way that promotes the user’s overall mobile internet experience.