Mobile access is more important than ever before. Not only are people spending more time connecting with others through social media sites and blogs, they are doing it on the go. Is your blog mobile friendly? Are your readers accessing your site through mobile devices? Making your site more mobile friendly could be more urgent than you have previously considered.
If you are still not sure, consider the statistics. A recent study by the Monetate Ecommerce Quarterly revealed that 25% of website visits are from mobile devices, with 80% of those visits coming from mobile apps on a variety of devices: smartphones, tablets, e-readers and more.
As you can see it is more important than ever to have your blog mobile friendly, so below are 5 things to consider to make your blog easier to view on mobile devices.
1. Find Out If It’s Worth It
To find out if making your blog more mobile friendly is an appropriate plan of action, it is important to figure out if users are currently using mobile devices to access your site.
Pull an analytics report to find out the devices that are being used. To do this, select audience, then mobile, then overview. You will not only to see how many visitors are coming from mobile devices, but what devices are being used. The percent may be higher than you imagined.
If it is not, it doesn’t mean going mobile isn’t a good idea. It may be that your current site is not easily accessible, meaning potential readers don’t even try. Take the time to absorb the data you find and make a decision on what you need to do from this information.
2. Test What You Have Now
If going mobile is a relatively new idea for you, it is important to get a feel for what your current mobile visitors experience when they visit your site. Pull out your smart phone and type in your site. What do you see?
Is the navigation clear and easy to follow? Are your links easy to click – i.e. bigger and not close to other links? How’s the load time? If you’re frustrated at all, chances are your mobile visitors are as well. Think about what your current situation is while you decide on what you need to do moving forward.
3. Build a Mobile Version
Many options exist for making your blog more mobile friendly. One of them is to build a completely new mobile version. Building a mobile website means you do not need to spend time adjusting your current set up. When a visitor accesses your blog from a mobile device, they’ll automatically be routed to a mobile version.
It sounds simple, but it has a few disadvantages. When a change – or post – is made on one, it needs to be replicated on the other which means more work in the long run. It can also be disadvantageous for search engine optimization and rankings. However, for a short term fix, this method can work.
4. Find a New Theme
If building a new version is not the right step for your blog, finding a new theme might be more appropriate. By choosing a new theme – through any provider, WordPress included – that is mobile-friendly, you will eliminate having to build a separate site and duplicating efforts, though it will take more work up front.
When looking for a new theme, consider the needs of your target audience. Are they builders in the market for cat dozers? Are they college students looking for local events? How about parents of toddlers? By considering what your readers are looking for, you will have no trouble finding the right theme and building on it.
5. Use a Responsive Design
Much like selecting a mobile-friendly new theme, using a responsive design targets mobile visitors to your blog. “Responsive” means that any content is automatically adjusted to the size of any given blog visitor’s device. Unlike building a separate website, you will only have one site, but it will display differently on each device – from the layout to the navigation.
Responsive designs are in and may be one of the easiest ways to make a blog more mobile-friendly. Check out responsive design themes and find one that meets your needs. From there, transfer any existing content and create new content within the theme.
Mobile matters. It is how many of your visitors are likely visiting your site. Because of this, paying attention to mobile options is important; the trend is expected to grow in the coming months and years.
What tricks have you found successful for making a blog mobile friendly? Let us know in the comments below!