We can see why people would want to go for a mobile-first web design strategy.
Everyone is using their mobiles to browse online, the statistics prove it. They state 95.9% of internet users are using their mobile to go online at least some of the time, and 60% of the world’s traffic now comes from mobile users. So, if you look at the odds, it’s more likely that someone is using their mobile to visit your website.
Still, it’s not all positive. Website design that focuses solely on mobile-first design principles has positives and pitfalls. Read on to find out more.
Benefit: People Are Browsing the Internet Using Their Phones More Than Ever
We gave you the statistics, so now you know.
Focusing on a mobile-orientated design minimises frustrating user experiences. Putting the mobile-first design into the build ensures applications load quickly and are simple to navigate and use, being sensitive to the touch of fingertips (what you click on loads); the potential bounce rate decreases while the engagement level rises. Looking at the app loading times, 70% won’t use an app if the loading times are slow.
With a mobile-first design approach becoming immensely popular in a world where Google search results favour mobile-friendly designs, this strategy can also increase the visibility of a website in search results.
Pitfall: Sacrificing Desktop Experience for Mobile Optimisation
The issue is sacrificing the desktop users, which technically speaking, accounts for 40% of internet users. Any design strategy that places emphasis on mobile screens has to be capable of the other end of the stick – in this case, desktop-sized screens, iPads, etc. Many mobile-first approaches usually result in eliminating some features and too much oversimplification of navigation. As a result, the desktop ends up with a very basic and incomplete look.
To not fall into this trap, designers must work on progressive enhancement which means starting the design from the base of a mobile screen and adding features as the screen size goes wider. It’s the basics of responsive designs.
Benefit: Improved Responsiveness Across All Devices
A mobile-first strategy should automatically incorporate a responsive design. Surely, there’s nobody out there only designing websites for mobile use. Apps, we understand: they’re only for mobiles. But websites? There should be no possibility of them not being responsive.
Using a mobile-first approach, web designers find it easier to work with fluid grids, flexible images, and media queries, seamlessly allowing the website to be effortlessly responsive to all devices.
Designing a responsive website optimistically also means the website is likely to perform better with any new devices being released. Whichever device – smartwatch, tablet, or television – the website creates a similar view on all devices.
Pitfall: Complexities in Implementation and Testing
Developing a mobile-first website means having an extensive knowledge about the different types of mobile phones, their operating systems, and browsers. Testing the other way around is also continuous because, with mobile technology rapidly developing, new devices are always on the market with different requirements – the relatively new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is one example.
Another niggle is the performance optimisation on mobile, which is very different from other devices. It is a known fact that mobile networks are slower than most broadband networks, and that mobiles have less processing power than desktops. Because of this, large images, videos and heavy JavaScript elements can massively affect speed, so many developers use lazy loading, compression, or CDN.
Benefit: Better User Experience and Higher Conversions
It’s obvious. Users that can easily interact with a website and get what they want, are likely to spend more time on the site and do everything you want them to do – sign up for newsletters, buy products, or complete a form.
A mobile-first focus means simpler layouts, greater ease of navigation, and faster page speed – all of which improve the overall user experience and lead to higher chances of conversions. A faster website with a good user experience can lower the bounce rate massively. We can all admit it, there’s nothing worse than a website that takes ages to load, no matter what the device. And it always seems to be on a mobile that they take longer to load!
Since mobile devices have become the norm for online buying and browsing, a mobile-friendly website could mean the difference between a sale or not.
So, will you be focusing on a mobile-first website design strategy?
Contact us to discuss your website requirements now and find the best way forward for you.
