The sound of a clunky dial-up connection is a thing of the past. Nowadays, the web is at our fingertips and most of us like to access it from a smart phone or tablet as well as a desktop.
It's no surprise that the demand for responsive web design has skyrocketed. But during the digital big bang, many companies who have jumped on the bandwagon have replicated their desktop content as a quick-fix.
The problem with this? It’s a massive oversight. Are the hyperlinks fat-finger-friendly? Is the page accessible for users on the move? Do the images render quickly on a mobile? These are all important areas to consider.
Revising content can be a daunting task, but tailoring it is necessary to keep it accessible for all types of users and needs. Our top tips are designed to help keep yours fit for a digital king.
- Set smart goals. Depending on the size of your website you might not be able to edit every asset and every page. Be realistic about this and use the data from your web analytics to identify and prioritise pages which users access from smart phones or tablet devices.
- Guide your colleagues. Many organisations have a legacy of content owners, not all of whom will understand the importance of making content responsive. Navigate them through the process of optimisation.
- Keep it short. On small screens there’s no room for sprawling blocks of text. Keep it concise by using subheadings, short paragraphs and bullet points. This will also make it accessible for users on the move.
- Optimise your assets. In an age of fiber-optic speeds, users want pages to load quickly. Accommodate all connection speeds by reducing your number of images, downloads and file sizes.
- Revisit your navigation. If you’re displaying less content, streamline your information architecture and navigation. Ensure hyperlinks are easy to interact with by touch – clusters may cause users to tap the wrong one. Using CSS to transform links to buttons can make the selection area more prominent.
Get information on how we at UXB London can help you get the most out of your content