The number of users
accessing websites and web applications on their mobile devices has been
increasing steadily. Likewise, popular search engines like Google also use
mobile friendliness as a key metric to rank websites. Hence, enterprises
nowadays focus on enhancing the mobile user experience of their websites. They
even require developers to build mobile websites that keep visitors engaged and
convert them into customers. The developers can make a website mobile-friendly
in a number of ways. They can further accelerate mobile website development by
implementing several techniques and best practices. However, it is also
important for developers to avoid a number of mistakes to make the website deliver
optimal mobile user experience.
8 Mobile Website
Development Mistakes Each Developer Must Avoid
1) Not
Adopting Responsive Web Design
A developer has option
to choose from several mobile website development approaches. But the developer
must opt for responsive web design to make the website look good on both
computers and mobile devices with a single code base. Responsive web design
allows developers to build websites using open technologies like HTML5, CSS3,
and JavaScript. Also, the single code base makes it easier for programmers to
add new functionalities to the website and deliver updated content to users.
2) Not
Focusing on Loading Speed
Most users nowadays
abandon websites that do not load in 3 seconds. Likewise, Google also uses
loading speed a metric while ranking websites. Most users nowadays access
websites over mobile internet connections like 2G, 3G and 4G. The mobile
internet connections are slower than wired networks and Wi-Fi. No developer can
keep the visitors engaged without increasing the website's performance and
speed.
3) Not
Optimizing Components for Touch Screen
Responsive web design
enables developers to make a website look good on different devices with a
single code base. But the developers must enable mobile users to navigate the
website seamlessly with a single hand. Also, the users must read and access the
website content on smaller screens. That is why; it becomes essential for
developers to optimize key elements of a website like buttons, menu navigation,
and tap elements for touch screen.
4) Not
Optimizing Forms for Mobile Device
The mobile websites
also accept user information and feedback through forms. But the developers
must optimize the forms for mobile devices to make it easier for users to
submit input. Unlike web forms, mobile forms need to be concise. The mobile
forms must require users to submit only relevant information. Hence, the
developers must remove additional and irrelevant fields from the mobile version
of a form. The mobile websites can further accelerate user data submission
process by generating information using the built-in hardware features of the
mobile devices.
5) Not
Including Mobile Icons
Many users nowadays
spend more digital media time on mobile apps than mobile web. The modern users
even love mobile websites that look, function, and perform just like native
mobile apps. While developing a mobile website, the developers must explore
ways to make it access the native hardware and software features of individual
devices. Also, they can make the website look and function like mobile apps by
including commonly used mobile icons and symbols. They must use mobile icons to
convey information and instructions, and perform common actions.
6) Still Using
Flash Instead of HTML5 Videos
While developing
websites, many developers still deliver videos through Adobe Flash. The
developers must remember that certain mobile operating systems do not support
Flash. Also, most users hate accessing videos with third-party plug-ins and
extensions. The developers must use HTML5 videos instead of Flash to deliver
videos quickly and seamlessly to various devices. HTML5 further helps
developers to embed videos into a web page without affecting its loading speed.
7) Using Too
Many Popup Windows
The desktop versions
of websites use popup windows to run advertisements, convey special offers, and
receive user feedback. While developing a mobile website, many developers still
generate popup windows to accomplish various tasks. The developers must
remember that the popup windows affect the mobile user experience of the
website directly and adversely. They must avoid generating additional popup
windows to boost the website's user experience and engagement.
8) Not
Reducing Web Page Weight
While optimizing a
website for mobile devices, web application developers often ignore the weight of individual
web pages. The weighty web pages direct affects the website's loading speed and
user experience. The developers can reduce the weight of various web pages in a
number of ways - optimizing images, minifying JavaScript and CSS files, and
compressing frontend resources. But they must assess and reduce the weight of
individual web pages to make the website load faster and keep visitors engaged.
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