When you’re creating your website, it can be a huge headache to love the desktop version then the mobile doesn’t look or work like you want. A lot of platforms will automatically size down your design and you can’t control what is included or how it functions. That can make creating a unique user experience really difficult.
With 50% of people using their phone to view websites, it’s so important that your user experience takes into account the device people are using. When I used platforms like Squarespace for myself and clients, we had little control over the bounce rate and how quickly people leave your site.
Without having to dive too deep into code, Showit is a fantastic platform because you have complete control over both the desktop and mobile design. One of my favorite parts of Showit is that you can very easily hide or show elements unique to each view, making sure the user is getting the most important information based on their needs. Let’s go over some important distinctions you need to make between the two designs.
1. Simplify Copy
Larger areas of copy on the desktop version of your site can be totally fine, since you can fit a lot of copy in one section and break it up with type hierarchy. But on mobile, that would be a ton of scrolling. It’s best to simplify the copy so there is less to read. People on mobile tend to be looking for just a bit of info. They aren’t planning on spending a ton of time on the site and are looking for a specific answer.
Even if you hide some of what you wrote, your SEO will not be affected because Google looks at your code, not the design. To further break up longer text if it needs to still be on mobile, use different colored backgrounds to vary the design a bit!
2. Simplify Galleries
On desktop, I like having individual galleries so people viewing the site can see the stories behind a brand, wedding, or whatever the gallery is showcasing. But on mobile, it’s best to narrow down all the galleries to one focused slideshow of your best work. That way, it’s super easy for the visitor to see your best work quickly.
A sliding gallery is definitely best because it takes up the least real estate on the small screen. You want to make sure the graphics or images don’t require scrolling to see them. I see people using tiled galleries and again, too much scrolling. You want to keep the user experience focused on touching the screen and it being so much smaller than the desktop design.
3. Ask yourself: What do they need to learn on mobile?
Desktop versions of websites can have a lot more information on them. But with mobile, there is usually a very specific reason someone is looking at your site. If you go through the whole site, asking what someone on mobile would need to learn can help you refine what is visible on the mobile design.
Some ideas you can use:
- Links page for social media, great for blog posts, promos, launches, etc.
- If you’re a physical space, add your location and hours to the homepage as soon as they land on the site
- Make sure you have FAQs readily available so people can find quick answers
- Keep the same brand details but make sure the site is easy to read and focused on the copy and not just being pretty
4. Simple Contact Methods
Phones are first and foremost for communication. So many times, when people access our sites on mobile, they want to reach out. It’s super important to offer simple and easily accessible ways to reach out on your mobile website. If you are a physical space or have a phone number, that’s one of the first pieces of information you want to make available to the visitor. If that is not applicable, make sure to include your email and a form as well! Making it a simple process to connect with you can help you land a new client or answer a very specific question before someone buys from you.
Is your mobile site optimized? Are you looking for help on not only how to better your mobile site but to infuse more strategy into your website? Get a website audit from us! It’s the easiest way to work together and get a ton of value if you’re not quite ready to book a custom website. Find out more here.
