How to Deliver an Optimal User Experience on the Mobile Web

Designing desktop websites that deliver an optimal user experience while driving conversions is difficult enough, but mobile design brings with it a slew of new challenges. From creating simple mobile websites that users can interact with via small screens and keyboards to catering to the need for information that cuts to the chase, knowing how people use the mobile web is the key to creating a user-friendly experience.

Context Is Everything

The desktop web is ideal for conducting research, browsing, and typing out long emails and documents, but mobile users have shorter attention spans and less time than desktop users because they tend to be on the move. For example, someone accessing your site on their mobile device could be on a commuter train, in line at the grocery store, or in between meetings at the office.

In an extensive consumer study of mobile internet usage and attitudes conducted by dotMobi and AKQA, nearly 50% of respondents said that after having a poor user experience during their initial use of the mobile web, they were reluctant to access that particular site – or the web in general – on their mobile devices again.

Mobile users don’t have time to browse; they want fast access to relevant information. To prevent users from having a regrettable experience on your site, test it out using paper or HTML prototypes. Prototypes allow you to visualize your mobile site and get feedback early on so you can unearth coding and design mistakes before it is too late.

Charles Wiseman from Eyetact Mobile Advertising says, “Failed mobile websites are hardly ever related to the content itself; it’s all in the strategy. Use analytics to monitor visitor activity and tweak your site as necessary for maximum performance. Include a user feedback option for site improvement.”

Keep Your Site Simple and Clickable

A mobile website must be simple, goal-oriented, and task-based to be successful. To make your mobile website faster and easier to use, minimize the number of clicks required to access your content, reduce the number of kilobytes per page, and provide highly specific, targeted information. In addition, repeat the main navigation headers and footers on every page of your mobile website to prevent users from getting lost.

Steve Timpson of Mobile Marketer says, “Basic controls should always be available (e.g. back button or homepage) as well as critical information points (i.e. locators, shopping carts, terms of use, privacy, about link to Pc site).”

For additional tips about how to improve usability on the mobile web, check out the following resources:

Mobile Marketing Resources: Links to the Most Useful Places on the Web http://mobithinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/helpful-links#Blogs

This extensive list of resources contains links to the industry’s top blogs, white papers, case studies, associations, and much more.

This report outlines mobile usability best practices. mobiThinking describes it as its “101″ guide to mobile web design and usability.

Classic Guide to Mobile Creative http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/lib/11150.pdf

Mobile Marketer’s Classic Guide to Mobile Creative covers everything from the latest industry trends to the principles of mobile website development. The tactics outlined in this comprehensive guide will help you create a mobile experience that sells while keeping usability in mind.

Many users on the mobile web still don’t know how to find the content they want. The strategies laid out in this white paper will assist you in improving your mobile marketing strategy so you can help more people find your content and expand your audience.

10 Mistakes in Mobile Marketing http://mobithinking.com/best-practices/10-mistakes-mobile-marketing

This report is designed to help you break free from dotcom thinking and approach the mobile web as a new medium so you can explore its unique potential.

About the Author

Google I/O 2011: Mobile Web Development: From Zero to Hero

Waring SB30 1300-Watt Portable Single Burner $46.78 The Waring Pro SB30 Countertop Burner is compact and portable, making it a versatile heating option for everything from cooking in dorm rooms or offices to vacationing in campers….

Cell Phone Flask With Leather Case $5.70 This cell phone flask looks just like a cell phone! Holds 4 ounces and comes with a genuine leather case with belt clip….

Cell Phone Flask w/ Belt Case $5.30 Prefect for sneaking some flavored rum or Jack Daniel’s whiskey into the big game, this stainless steel cell phone flask holds 4oz and comes complete with a black carrying case that discretely clips on to your belt; just unscrew the antenna to drink! Cell phone flask measures 5H x 2W x 1D…

Sands of Gold / Sweet Memories Original master recording by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. CD contains two Webb Pierce albums – “Sands of Gold” and “Sweet Memories”….

AccuSharp 001 Knife Sharpener $5.33 Versatile and easy enough for anyone to use safely, the AccuSharp 001 Knife Sharpener lets you quickly sharpen a wide variety of bladed tools, from straight and serrated knives to cleavers and axes. Its unique, ergonomic design guards your fingers while a dependable, diamond-honed tungsten carbide blade puts a precision edge on your tools. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, s…

Wireless IP Pan/Tilt/ Night Vision Internet Surveillance Camera Built-in Microphone With Phone remote monitoring support(Black) $46.88 Specs: Image Compression Format: M-JPEG standard Image Resolution: VGA(640×480) / QVGA(320×240) Sensor: 1/4 inch CMOS, 300,000 Pixels Light frequency: 50Hz, 60Hz or Outdoor Audio compression: ADPCM Data rate: 802.11b: 11Mbps (Max.), 802.11g: 54Mbps (Max.) Ethernet: One 10/100Mbps RJ-45 Viewing angle: 67? Horizontal Rotating Angle: 0~270? Vertical Rotating Angle: 0~120? Alarm Mode: motion detection…

Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater and Outdoor Shower $149.00 Enjoy instant hot water wherever you go with the Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater. Generating more than 1 gallon of hot water per minute, this compact, energy-efficient heater creates a more comfortable and convenient outdoor experience for you and your family. The water heater comes with everything you need, including the adapters required to attach any standard garden hose nozzle and p…

Mulholland Drive $2.99 …