Improving the Usability of a Mobile Website Version: Best Practices
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2025 5:11 am
Creating a website with high usability is a key task for any business that strives to provide its users with the most comfortable and effective interaction experience. In today's reality, when a significant part of Internet traffic comes from mobile devices, it is especially important to pay close attention to optimizing the mobile version of the site.
Optimizing loading speed
Compress images and media files
Use compressed image formats such as JPEG, WebP, business owner database or PNG, depending on the type of content.
Use compression tools like TinyPNG or Imagemin to reduce file size without losing quality.
For video and audio, use modern codecs such as H.264 and MP3, which produce smaller file sizes.
Minification of HTML, CSS, JS
Remove extra spaces, comments, and line breaks from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.
Use minification tools like UglifyJS for JavaScript and cssnano for CSS.
Using caching
Configure HTTP caching headers to allow browsers to cache static resources.
Use a file versioning strategy to help browsers determine when to download a new version of a resource.
Optimization of server infrastructure
Use CDN (Content Delivery Network) to deliver static resources closer to your users.
Set up server response compression (Gzip, Brotli) to reduce the amount of data transferred.
Optimize your server configuration to improve its performance.
Responsive design
Using a flexible grid, relative sizes and media queries
Create layouts based on a flexible grid using relative units of measurement (%, em, rem).
Use media queries to adapt elements to different screen sizes.
Optimizing element sizes for different devices
Use responsive images that adjust to the screen size.
Adjust the size of buttons, links, and other interactive elements for easy interaction on mobile devices.
Convenient navigation and content structure
Organize content into a logical, easy-to-understand structure.
Use a clear navigation menu with a minimum number of items.
Provide quick access to the most important sections and functions.
Simplifying navigation
Minimalism in menus and sections
Reduce the number of menu items to the bare essentials.
Group related sections and features for easy navigation.
Clear hierarchy of sections
Create a clear hierarchy of site sections so that users can easily navigate.
Use breadcrumbs and other elements to help you understand your current location.
Convenient search and filtering
Ensure fast and efficient site search.
Provide the ability to filter and sort content to easily find the information you need.
Optimizing forms and data entry
Using convenient mobile keyboards
Display specialized keyboards (numeric, email, phone) when filling in the corresponding fields.
Make it easy to navigate between form fields.
Autofill fields
Use autocomplete for fields such as name, email, address to speed up data entry.
Provide hints and filling options based on the data entered.
Real-time validation
Validate form fields as data is entered, not just when submitted.
Provide clear error messages to help users fix them.
Increased interactivity
Using gestures
Implement gestures such as tap, pinch-zoom for easy navigation and interaction.
- Ensure that elements behave intuitively and responsively when using gestures.
Smooth animation and micro-interactions:
Use smooth animations for transitions, opening/closing elements, scrolling.
Add microinteractions (such as hover effects) to improve user feedback.
Responsive popups and tooltips
Create pop-ups and tooltips that adapt to the screen size and do not obscure important content.
Make it easy and intuitive to close/show these elements.
Ensuring security
Using HTTPS
Implement HTTPS protocol to encrypt the connection between the user and the server.
This will improve the security of transmission of confidential information, such as payment data.
Protection from bots and spam
Use CAPTCHA or other verification methods to protect forms from automated attacks.
Monitor and block suspicious activity on the site.
Encryption of payment data
Use trusted payment gateways that ensure secure storage and transmission of payment information.
Comply with security standards such as PCI DSS to protect customer data.
Implementing these practices will improve the usability of the mobile version of the site, make it more secure and interactive, which will ultimately lead to a better user experience.
Optimizing loading speed
Compress images and media files
Use compressed image formats such as JPEG, WebP, business owner database or PNG, depending on the type of content.
Use compression tools like TinyPNG or Imagemin to reduce file size without losing quality.
For video and audio, use modern codecs such as H.264 and MP3, which produce smaller file sizes.
Minification of HTML, CSS, JS
Remove extra spaces, comments, and line breaks from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.
Use minification tools like UglifyJS for JavaScript and cssnano for CSS.
Using caching
Configure HTTP caching headers to allow browsers to cache static resources.
Use a file versioning strategy to help browsers determine when to download a new version of a resource.
Optimization of server infrastructure
Use CDN (Content Delivery Network) to deliver static resources closer to your users.
Set up server response compression (Gzip, Brotli) to reduce the amount of data transferred.
Optimize your server configuration to improve its performance.
Responsive design
Using a flexible grid, relative sizes and media queries
Create layouts based on a flexible grid using relative units of measurement (%, em, rem).
Use media queries to adapt elements to different screen sizes.
Optimizing element sizes for different devices
Use responsive images that adjust to the screen size.
Adjust the size of buttons, links, and other interactive elements for easy interaction on mobile devices.
Convenient navigation and content structure
Organize content into a logical, easy-to-understand structure.
Use a clear navigation menu with a minimum number of items.
Provide quick access to the most important sections and functions.
Simplifying navigation
Minimalism in menus and sections
Reduce the number of menu items to the bare essentials.
Group related sections and features for easy navigation.
Clear hierarchy of sections
Create a clear hierarchy of site sections so that users can easily navigate.
Use breadcrumbs and other elements to help you understand your current location.
Convenient search and filtering
Ensure fast and efficient site search.
Provide the ability to filter and sort content to easily find the information you need.
Optimizing forms and data entry
Using convenient mobile keyboards
Display specialized keyboards (numeric, email, phone) when filling in the corresponding fields.
Make it easy to navigate between form fields.
Autofill fields
Use autocomplete for fields such as name, email, address to speed up data entry.
Provide hints and filling options based on the data entered.
Real-time validation
Validate form fields as data is entered, not just when submitted.
Provide clear error messages to help users fix them.
Increased interactivity
Using gestures
Implement gestures such as tap, pinch-zoom for easy navigation and interaction.
- Ensure that elements behave intuitively and responsively when using gestures.
Smooth animation and micro-interactions:
Use smooth animations for transitions, opening/closing elements, scrolling.
Add microinteractions (such as hover effects) to improve user feedback.
Responsive popups and tooltips
Create pop-ups and tooltips that adapt to the screen size and do not obscure important content.
Make it easy and intuitive to close/show these elements.
Ensuring security
Using HTTPS
Implement HTTPS protocol to encrypt the connection between the user and the server.
This will improve the security of transmission of confidential information, such as payment data.
Protection from bots and spam
Use CAPTCHA or other verification methods to protect forms from automated attacks.
Monitor and block suspicious activity on the site.
Encryption of payment data
Use trusted payment gateways that ensure secure storage and transmission of payment information.
Comply with security standards such as PCI DSS to protect customer data.
Implementing these practices will improve the usability of the mobile version of the site, make it more secure and interactive, which will ultimately lead to a better user experience.