E-commerce is a leading way for anyone to get the goods and services that they need. If you’re running an e-commerce business or if you’re thinking about getting into the game, there are a lot of things to learn along the way.
At the top of the list is web design. How will you build your site in order to get the most value from it?
There are many potential answers, but one that stands at the top is a design philosophy. Prioritize the mobile experience- If you approach web design from a mobile-first perspective, you can avoid many costly problems and build a site that delights your customers from the very beginning.
Today, we’re going to look at the specific reasons mobile-first design is so compelling. Then, we’ll explore strategies that can help you think about design and how to create the best experience for your customers.
Reasons to Consider Mobile-First Design
When you design your e-commerce site, you do have to choose priorities. While this article is going to emphasize the importance of mobile-first design, it’s key to understand that the mobile experience does not have to come at the cost of other experiences.
Typically, a site that is designed for mobile still executes seamlessly on desktops and other platforms. This is because mobile platforms tend to hold the most limitations, so when you design around the most limited experience first, you often get the best average experience for every user.
Beyond that, there are advantages to mobile-first design, and we’re going to cover some of the most compelling of them.
Optimization
The majority of internet traffic is mobile. Additionally, the majority of e-commerce traffic is also mobile. If you want to reach your largest audience, a good mobile experience caters to the median user.
This does more than make potential customers happy. It streamlines an experience that removes purchasing obstacles and helps with calls to action. In essence, your mobile-first experience ensures that the average customer can use your site effectively to drive your business.
SEO
Mobile-friendly sites get indexing priorities with most search engines, like Google. In other words, if you search for something on your phone, the engine is going to prioritize sites that are optimized for your phone.
Since the majority of internet traffic is mobile, this means mobile-first design performs better in terms of search engine optimization (SEO).
If you want your e-commerce site to be highly visible in web searches, it’s recommended to take a mobile-first approach. Keeping in mind that a mobile-first site can still perform well on a desktop, you can do well on multiple SEO fronts.
Efficiency
Efficiency is where you get the most value. If you want your site to do well on all of the major operating systems and platforms, then you will have to make adjustments to ensure performance across those platforms.
Designing mobile first allows you to streamline the site for those devices, giving you a template for site interactions and layout. You can adapt it from there, and typically, it’s faster and cheaper to go from mobile to desktop than the other way around.
This isn’t always the case, but considering the incentives to prioritize mobile design, gaining design efficiency only sweetens the pot.
Strategies for Successful Mobile-First Design
A mobile-first design might sound compelling, but it leads to an inevitable question: How do you prioritize the mobile experience?
There are many strategies and tips. As long as you orient around mobile-first, you’ll be on the right path, but the following tips can help a little more. Most importantly, focus on the user experience. Keep the sites simple as much as you can, and never skimp on testing.
Let’s look at these strategies a little closer.
UX First
Prioritize the user experience (UX) over everything else. This sits at the heart of good design, and when you focus on the mobile UX, you ensure that your customers can interact with your site in the ways that you want.
Mostly, you want a clean, easy mobile site. Everything else comes after this. A few tips to remember include using big finger-friendly buttons, orienting content vertically, breaking up text walls so they’re easier to manage on mobile devices, and streamlining content to fit nicely on mobile screens. For example, if you sell tops, suits, or any form of clothing your page should have clean and various pictures of the items, bolded font for sizes, discounts, etc. This will make it easier for users to skim through the photos, pick their size, and add to their cart.
Keep It Simple
While you prioritize the mobile UX, you can learn from the age-old wisdom: keep it simple. Simpler sites load faster and easier, especially on mobile devices that have less processing power and often more unstable connections.
Remember that simplicity includes limiting pop-ups or additional interactions, using vertical images, increasing load speed, and catering to a clean experience overall.
Most importantly, simple sites take less investment to build. You can always add more later, but a streamlined site out of the gates will do better to drive traffic and sales for your e-commerce business.
Consider this example that shows a streamlined layout that functions well on mobile and desktop devices.
Test and Test Again
One of the major challenges in mobile-first design is the abundance of mobile platforms. You have to design for a wide range of devices and operating systems, and the only way to succeed is to test everything.
By all means, start with one device and operating system, and then test the site’s functionality. Then add the next and test it, and so on. If you commit to rigorous testing, you can avoid many site issues and ensure a stronger UX from the very beginning. This builds customer satisfaction and presents your brand in a positive light.
Mobile-first is the way to go, and there’s always more to learn. These tips can help you get on the right path, but you’ll need to spend time strategizing to perfect your e-commerce site, even when you do prioritize mobile. Technology is all about iteration, and if you aim for consistent improvement, you can create an amazing e-commerce experience across the board.
Guest post by: Megan Isola
Megan Isola holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and a minor in Business Marketing from Cal State University Chico. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with friends.
