Mobile First Design for Better User Experience
TL;DR:
- Mobile-first design means starting with mobile layouts before scaling up to desktop
- Most website builders now support mobile-first approaches but with varying ease of use
- Focus on readability, simple navigation, and fast loading times on smaller screens
- You can switch to mobile-first design after building your site, but it requires thorough testing
- Mobile-first isn't mandatory but makes sense given most users browse on mobile devices
Mobile-first design flips the traditional approach on its head. Instead of designing for desktop and then squashing everything down for mobile, you start with the mobile experience and build up from there.
This approach makes sense when you consider that more people browse websites on their phones than on desktop computers. By starting with the constraints of a small screen, you're forced to prioritise what really matters to your users.
How Different Platforms Handle Mobile-First Design
Wix gives you a dedicated mobile editor where you can adjust how your site looks on phones and tablets. You can move elements around, change text sizes, and hide content that doesn't work well on smaller screens.
Squarespace takes a different approach with responsive templates that automatically adapt to different screen sizes. The 7.1 version handles this particularly well, though you'll still want to check how everything looks on actual devices.
Weebly provides mobile-responsive templates out of the box. Their drag-and-drop editor makes it straightforward to optimise your content for mobile viewing.
WordPress offers mobile-responsive themes and plugins, but you might need to do more manual tweaking to get everything looking right across different devices.
Getting Mobile-First Right
Start with the basics and add complexity gradually. Your mobile site should load quickly and be easy to navigate with a thumb. Large, tappable buttons work better than tiny links.
Text needs to be readable without zooming. This means choosing appropriate font sizes and ensuring there's enough contrast between text and background colours.
Navigation should be simple. Consider using a hamburger menu to save space, but make sure it's obvious how to access your main pages.
Test your site on real devices, not just by resizing your browser window. Different phones handle websites differently, and what looks good on your computer might not work on an actual mobile device.
Keep load times short. Mobile users often have slower connections and less patience for sites that take forever to load.
Pixelhaze Tip:
Mobile screens give you limited space, so every element needs to earn its place. If something doesn't help users complete their main task, consider removing it from the mobile version.
FAQs
Mobile screens give you limited space, so every element needs to earn its place. If something doesn't help users complete their main task, consider removing it from the mobile version.
Do I have to design mobile-first?
No, but it's becoming the standard approach. Given that most web traffic now comes from mobile devices, it makes sense to prioritise the mobile experience.
Can I add mobile-first design to an existing site?
Yes, you can retrofit mobile-first principles to an existing website. You'll need to audit your current site, identify what works on mobile, and optimise or remove elements that don't.
Which website builder is best for mobile-first design?
Most modern builders handle mobile-first well, but they differ in approach. Wix gives you granular control, Squarespace focuses on automatic responsiveness, and WordPress offers flexibility but requires more technical knowledge.
How do I test if my mobile-first design works?
Test on actual devices whenever possible. Use different phone models and operating systems. Check your site's loading speed on mobile networks, not just WiFi.
Jargon Buster
Responsive Design: A design approach where websites automatically adjust their layout and content based on the screen size and device being used.
Mobile-First: A design methodology where you create the mobile version of a website first, then scale up to larger screens like tablets and desktops.
Breakpoints: Specific screen widths where your website's layout changes to accommodate different device sizes.
Touch Targets: Buttons, links, and other interactive elements that users tap on mobile devices. They should be large enough to tap easily with a finger.
Wrap-up
Mobile-first design isn't about following trends. It's about designing for how people actually use websites today. When you start with mobile constraints, you create cleaner, more focused designs that work well across all devices.
The key is understanding that mobile users have different needs and behaviours than desktop users. They're often looking for quick answers, they're multitasking, and they're using their thumbs to navigate. Design with these realities in mind.
Ready to improve your mobile design skills? Join Pixelhaze Academy for more practical design training.