Remember when mobile phones were just for talking? Then came
texting, which reinvigorated American shorthand and made live
conversations practically obsolete. Now, most people with mobile
phones also surf the Internet with them, use them for maps and
directions and even shoot photos and videos with them. With the
world literally at their fingertips, mobile phone users, or
smartphone users, count on mobile Web sites that are quick to load
and easy to use in the small interface.
With over 32.2 million smartphone units sold in 2008*, there's
no question that the demand for mobile Web sites is growing. Here
are some tips on how you can make an efficient mobile Web site that
will give your users the interaction they're expecting.
Mobile Detection
Your Web site needs to detect when a user is on a mobile
phone and automatically redirect to the mobile Web site. Adding a
"mobile site" link to your regular Web site defeats the purpose, as
mobile users then have to wait for the entire site to load then go
looking for the link.
It's also important to have a "full site" link on your Mobile
Web site. Mobile Web sites often don't have all the content the
full site provides. Avoid putting your users in a position where
they can't find what they need.
Who said bigger is better?
There's nothing more tedious and frustrating than waiting for a
Web site to load on your mobile phone when you only need a small
piece of information, but that doesn't mean you should throw
aesthetics out the window. Be smart about your mobile Web site
design and graphics:
- Use html/css techniques when possible instead of graphics. Take
advantage of borders, background color, and ascii symbols.
- If you are using graphics:
- Be smart about file formats. Make sure you
choose the file format that provides you with the best image
quality and smallest file size.
- Repeat what you have. Duplicate image use
where possible.
- Size Down. The average width of some of the
most popular smartphones is 320px. There's no need to have graphics
wider than 320px on your mobile Web site.
Simplicity is Key
Give your users what they want. Analyze what your Web site
offers and use that information to determine what resources your
visitors want most, especially when they're on a smartphone.
They're typically looking for locations, hours, contact
information, prices, etc. Put only the most important resources on
the mobile Web site. Users can find additional information by
clicking on the "full site" link, if needed.
Resources
* http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=688116