Mobile first is increasingly becoming a business necessity, because companies and consumers are increasingly living in a connected world, where mobile devices play a fundamental role in people’s lives.
Therefore, it is now more than necessary for companies to adapt to this reality and start investing in their customers’ mobile experience. This is the Mobile First concept, which takes a strategic approach to responsive website design development.
In this article, we will explain what mobile first is and what advantages this approach brings to websites. Don’t forget to check it out!
What is mobile-first
Mobile first, as the name suggests, is the practice of prioritizing the mobile experience when designing and developing a website. In other words, create a mobile-optimized version as a starting point and then expand the features to suit mobile devices.
This approach takes into account the limitations of mobile devices when developing a website, such as the small screen size, and processing capacity of smartphones, among other factors.
The goal of Mobile-first is to offer an intuitive and fluid experience, regardless of the device users are using.
What are the advantages of mobile-first for the website
There are many advantages to using the mobile-first strategy for website development. That’s what we’ll talk about next. Follow along!
Better ranking on Google
For the website, one of the great advantages of mobile-first is the possibility of achieving the best positions on the Google Answers page, the SERP.
After all, since 2018 the search giant has adopted the Mobile First index, which places the mobile version of a website as the main reference to determine relevance and ranking in search results.
Better user experience
It’s no secret that user experience is a decisive factor in the success of a website. Users expect websites to be responsive and load quickly when used on mobile devices.
By prioritizing responsive design and implementing functionalities for mobile devices, a pleasant and intuitive experience is guaranteed for users who access the website via smartphones and tablets.
Increased loading speed
Another critical factor for the success of the website is the loading speed, especially when we talk about mobile devices, where the connection is not always as fast and stable as on the desktop.
As mobile-first, you encourage the optimization of website performance, making it faster and more efficient. This ensures that users do not have to wait long to access the website, content, and much more.
Greater credibility
A website with a good loading speed conveys an image of professionalism and concern for users.
In this way, the company shows that it values website visitors and that it is committed to providing the best possible experience for its audience.
Omnichannel communication
The increasing integration between different communication channels, such as social networks, messaging applications, and email, is essential to guarantee a consistent experience across all devices.
With mobile-first, it is possible to develop a digital strategy that takes into account all omnichannel communication, that is, the ability to interact in an integrated way with users, regardless of the channels or devices they are using.
Increase in conversion rate
By optimizing the user experience on mobile devices, you can increase your conversion rates. After all, users are more likely to perform desired actions, such as filling out a form or making a purchase.
With an improved experience on mobile devices, barriers are removed, making website navigation more enjoyable and easier, which generates much better results.
Ease of sharing and going viral
Sharing content is a very common practice on mobile devices, whether using social networks, messaging applications, or email, among others.
A website optimized for these devices is a way to encourage the sharing of your content, which leads to greater reach, greater exposure, and more chances of achieving viral content.
Taking advantage of mobile functionalities
There are many features exclusive to mobile devices, such as GPS, camera, and push notifications.
With the implementation of mobile-first, you can use these features to enhance your website’s results and also offer a much more complete shopping experience for users.
How to think about mobile fits in your digital strategy
Now that we know the importance and advantages of the mobile-first strategy, the time has come to understand how it can be applied to your digital strategy. Let’s go!
Know your audience
It is very important to understand the behavior of your consumers when using mobile devices. Through research and analysis of the data generated, you will have the necessary information to understand consumption, research, and purchasing habits on mobile devices.
Prioritize responsive design
Adapt the entire structure of the website so that it is responsive and has excellent performance on different mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Simplify navigation and content structure
In general, mobile devices have limited screen space, which requires simplification in navigation and content structure to offer a pleasant experience.
Optimize performance and speed
Ensure the website has a good loading time on mobile connections. Some techniques help in this step, such as image compression, minification of CSS and JavaScript files, as well as the implementation of caching.
Take tests
Don’t limit performance testing to just simulators or emulators. Use varied and real mobile devices to evaluate the site’s level of efficiency on mobile devices.
By adopting a mobile-first approach, the brand will be much more prepared to meet the demands of an audience that increasingly uses mobile devices to browse, search, find out, and buy products.
It is very important to look at the advantages that mobile-first offers, not just as a trend, but as a real need in today’s business world.
If you liked this article, keep learning and learn now how to set goals to evaluate implementations in your operations.
