Top 5 Mobile-Friendly Web-Design Features
Read more about responsive web design features that improve customer engagement on mobile devices and even wearable technology.
In today’s digital age, users are interacting with websites and companies via mobile device more now than ever before. The days are over when you built a beautifully-designed website with the idea that the user would go to your page on a computer. Now the name of the game is responsive web design (RWD). It’s no longer simply about making the switch from a computer to a mobile device, your website needs to appeal to your visitor across a plethora of devices like the Samsung Galaxy, iPad mini or Fire tablet.
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1. Navigation Icons
When responsiveness features were first being incorporated into web design for mobile devices, the well-known hamburger navigation was created, which allowed the website to hide the navigation points until the user wanted to access them. Gradually over a few years, this type of navigation lost its popularity as designers opted to use icons located at the bottom or top of the page instead.
Nowadays, icons are so common that users instinctively know what the icons indicate. With the help of navigation icons, users will be able to move freely around your site and know exactly where they want to go.
2. Intuitive Interface
No one should be left behind because they can’t quite figure out how to navigate through the website on their mobile device. The interface you choose should be intuitive no matter which device is used to access the site. Some internet gurus feel that making a website intuitive is an impossible ideal, but you don’t have to be psychic to make a website easy to use.
Forget trying to be a mind reader, just think about what a user would naturally do based on the device they are using. Even if it’s the first time using your website, a user should find the interface so familiar they feel like they’ve been there before. A feeling of comfort keeps users on your site longer, resulting in more interaction and higher rankings.
3. Subtle Background Images
When developing a website, web designers utilize stunning images and background themes to better define your branding and create a familiar feeling for your users. Just because a user accesses your site on a mobile device shouldn’t mean they lose that sense of familiarity.
That’s why background images shouldn’t be removed altogether, but instead diffused and blurred. The focus should be the navigation and interactive features of the website, not the background. Using this method means your users will see the branding they are used to when they go to a mobile device without a long load time, leading to an increase in user engagement.
4. Color Schemes
Many mobile websites and apps follow the less-is- more method of selecting color schemes. You don’t want to change the color scheme that your brand uses, but you do want to use more subdued versions of any bold colors and make white space work for you.
Be smart about which colors you use. When using a mobile devices, users tend to scroll much faster then they would on a desktop. Keeping this in mind, you can use color to highlight important parts of your website so they stop and read the information. Think about which colors you use where to direct the eye accordingly.
5. Animations, Layering & Gradients
Functional animations are becoming a trend in responsive web design. Using animations on your website provides your users with visual stimuli. These images reinforce the bond between the value of your business and the user. Animated elements not only create a better end user experience, but they also can make navigation easier to follow.
All of these elements are an important part of the material design. Increasing usability is much easier when load times are reduced through implementing design elements such as layering and gradients.
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