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Designing for Mobile First: How to Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices

Phone, tablet, and coffee cup sitting on desk.

When (re)designing your website today, whether you’re setting up your brand-new website or because of new accessibility requirements, a new privacy landscape, or simply because it’s time for a refresh, you should consider designing for mobile first. Mobile-first design and optimization have become an industry standard for improving your website’s general accessibility and conversion rate across all devices. We’ll explain what mobile-first design is, why you should prioritize it for your site’s design, and what some of the best practices are for creating a site optimized for mobile devices.

What is Mobile-First Design?

As the name suggests, mobile-first design is a web design ethos that prioritizes functionality and user experience for users on mobile devices. As a result, mobile-first design optimizes a website for conditions of mobile use, such as touch screens, smaller displays, and cellular data connections. That doesn’t mean mobile-first disregards your many desktop visitors. Mobile-first websites are also fully functional and user-friendly for those using a computer or laptop. Mobile optimization instead considers the specifics and potential conditions of mobile use to ensure a site is optimally designed for that experience. If designing desktop-first, a site can quickly become slow or difficult to use on a mobile device. On the other hand, a website optimized for mobile will provide a desktop user with the same snappy and accessible experience. 

Why Mobile Optimization?

The result of mobile optimization design is simply that your website is more widely accessible to both desktop and mobile users. That’s especially important, since if you operate internationally, the majority of your users and potential customers/clients are likely visiting your website with a mobile device. For more than four years, mobile devices have provided the majority of website browsing, and in 2023 it has continued to grow to a worldwide average of 60% of all web browsing. While tablet users only make up another 2%, they also benefit from mobile optimization. That means if you aren’t designing for mobile-first, you’re potentially providing most users, an average 62%, a sub-optimal experience with your business. In Canada, desktop and laptop usage are still higher at 57% of web users, but mobile and tablet still account for a substantial 43%. 

There are other benefits when designing for mobile first. Mobile-optimized sites have been shown to receive 15% more unique clicks, and in 2020 Deloitte found that for every 0.1 second faster that a website loads, there is an 8% improvement in conversion and bounce rates. On the other hand, mobile users are also 5 times faster at giving up on a slowly loading page. If your website is not optimized for mobile, they are more likely to not return or go to a competitor. Lastly, a mobile-first website does better in search results, since platforms like Google prioritize websites designed for mobile in their search results. Overall, many now use phones as their primary device to access websites, which means having a site that functions optimally across various mobile devices is critical for your business.

How to Design for Mobile First

Mobile-first design prioritizes a website’s use and optimization for mobile devices. Thus, it considers certain key aspects of mobile use. Here are some of the key principles of mobile-first design:

Dynamic Scaling

A modern web design standard, dynamic scaling is where a website can accommodate different screen sizes, resolutions, and shapes by adjusting its layout. Mobile devices and tablets have various screen sizes and layouts. It’s impossible to tailor a website for each one. Instead, designing a scaling website accommodates these existing and future devices.

Readable Fonts 

Part of scaling should consider whether your fonts are large enough. Mobile displays often have resolutions that rival monitors, but they are also much smaller. Ensure fonts are easily legible on smaller screens by making them large enough and with high enough contrast. This will also help with various brightness levels and conditions. Remember, many use their phones outside in the bright sun.

Clear, Large Call to Action Buttons (CTA Buttons)

Another important aspect of the mobile and tablet user experience is touch screens. Fingers are convenient, but they also lack the precision of a cursor. If buttons or clickable objects on your website are small, it will be difficult for users to press them, and their fingers will obscure the very thing they are trying to touch. Make them large and easy to press. This also has the benefit of clearly visible CTAs across all devices. These easily pressable buttons will also give a better experience to those using their laptop or monitor’s touch screen as well.

Vertical Design

Desktops typically have a horizontal screen, e.g., 1920px x 1080px. Phones and other mobile devices are typically used with a vertical orientation. As a result, mobile-first websites are designed to function and look pleasing with this vertical layout and expand horizontally to accommodate other displays or a rotated device or tablet.

Reducing Load

Mobile devices and tablets are often used on cellular networks or less stable Wi-Fi connections. Overall, this means that websites can load slower if they have a large amount of data to send over a limited bandwidth. Big images and large pages are typically the culprits. As a result, smaller and compressed images and progressive loading are two standard practices for mobile-first design. If you have videos, it’s better to embed them from a third-party like YouTube, than hosting them yourself. These practices speed up a website and make it more responsive for both mobile and desktop users. 

Keep Optimizing

The need to optimize for mobile reflects how people interact with websites, and design practices continue to change and develop. Optimization is a constant process that should be a regular part of your website’s maintenance. Staying on top of best practices allows your business to provide the optimal experience for your potential customers. If you feel it’s time for a mobile-first redesign or want help optimizing your website for mobile users, contact Rosewood’s expert web design team.

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Scrolling for Talent: Mastering the Art of Recruiting through Social Media

Woman doing a zoom interview on her laptop.

Naturally, social media is important for a business’ marketing. However, as a tool for social reach and creating connections, social media has also become a central platform for recruiting and hiring new employees. We explain why you should post jobs, where to post, and what the best practices are so you can master the art of recruiting through social media.

Why Hire Through Social Media

Hiring through social media has become standard practice for most industries. More than three fourths of people search for new jobs on social media, and 73% of people between the ages of 18 and 34 found their current position through social media. 91% of employers report using social media for recruiting, and 56% have found that social media offers the best applicants. Those statistics quickly indicate that you should be hiring through social media, but they also deserve some unpacking to truly demonstrate the importance of recruiting through social media. 

Applicants with Real Connections and Enthusiasm

You should still post to online job boards and listing platforms such as Indeed or Monster along with having a dedicated “Careers” page on your own website. Those spaces help cast a wider net and provide the full details of a position (e.g. requirements, expectations, and responsibilities) and your company. Where social media excels, however, is reaching potential recruits who are sincerely interested and already familiar with your company. 

Those seeing your job listing on social media are already in some way connected to your business and brand. They might follow you, be part of your industry, or you might appear in their suggestions. In all these instances, they have a clear connection and social attachment. As a result, social media can provide you with a pool of applicants that have a sincere enthusiasm for and familiarity with your company. They are not just someone who stumbled upon your listing among a dozen others. That connection implies they are already personally invested in your business, and that is a valuable trait for a future employee who also meets a position’s professional requirements. That real connection and authentic interest are why companies are seeing such success with social media recruiting. 

Where to Recruit on Social Media

Since recruiting on social media is so essential and beneficial, you’re also probably wondering which platforms to use for recruitment. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, you should pick the platforms where you have the most significant following. For example, one business may have a substantial following on Instagram, while another has theirs on TikTok. Each business should focus its social media recruitment on those respective platforms. 

You should similarly consider the different demographics for each platform. For example, the age of TikTok and Instagram users skew younger than other platforms. If you are hiring for an entry-level position, you will likely receive more responses and applications from that younger audience. Conversely, Facebook has a much wider demographic of users. While recruiting there is less targeted, it’s better for casting a wider net. 

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn deserves special mention since it is in its own niche as a professional social media platform. It’s always best to post any recruitment there since LinkedIn allows you to specifically create recruiting listings through which people can directly apply. It is also the only social media platform focused on professional relationships and career development, so anyone closely following your company on LinkedIn is inherently interested in career opportunities from your company. As the primary professional social platform, it is also an exceptional place for your business to build a professional presence and network for future hirings.

Social Media Recruiting Best Practices

When you start recruiting through social media, here are some of the best practices to remember:

  • Post on multiple social media platforms to get the most reach.
  • The visual component of any content should make it immediately clear it is a job posting. Bold letters that say “We’re Hiring” are a simple but effective tactic.
  • Excluding your full posting on LinkedIn, don’t provide the full details about the position in your post. You won’t have room. Instead, include the main details that will entice someone to look at the full position’s listing.
  • Be specific. Job seekers want precise information, so don’t be vague about the position’s key details. 
  • If they’re interested, potential applicants will want to access the full posting. Be sure to include a direct link to the listing and application window. 
  • Use Instagram stories. Since Instagram posts cannot have a link, be sure to use stories to include those links. The post itself should provide clear directions on where applicants can apply, such as providing the link in the bio.
  • Stories and other live posts are also great for providing updates. This reinspires (and reminds) those potential applicants who need to put their applications together.

Social Media Recruiting, A Valuable Resource

Social media may have changed the logistics of recruiting, but it has also provided an immensely valuable tool for finding sincere and enthusiastic applicants. You should now understand the benefits and best practices for recruiting through social media. If you need help creating graphics or writing posts, our social media marketing team are masters of enticing hiring. You should also contact them to determine which platforms will provide the best applicants for your business and help you build your presence on LinkedIn.

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Impress with an Effective Homepage

Someone building an effective homepage on their laptop with stats.

Your website’s homepage plays an important role. It’s the first impression of your business’ digital space. It also doesn’t have a lot of time to provide that introduction. The average user stays on a webpage for only 5.94 seconds and they judge it in only 1/20th of a second. As a result, your homepage needs to be purposefully designed to create a proper impression quickly. For that, it needs to look good, communicate effectively, and motivate your visitor to stay and use your site. Our website design team has the first steps so you can start building that impressive and effective homepage. 

Who Are You?

Your homepage should clearly and concisely present what your business is and does. Name and display your main services or top products as the central thing visitors first see as they land on your homepage. They will immediately understand your business and see its products/services. This should also come with a short description that identifies your business’ name and what it does. First-time visitors to your site will not be familiar with your business. Use this opportunity to provide that information and show off your value proposition.

Navigable

Along with explaining who you are and what you can provide your visitors, you want to make it immediately clear how they can navigate your site for more information or products. Link the central images and descriptions to the appropriate dedicated pages so visitors can access them. The top should include a navigation bar with clear categories and page titles, so users know where to look and find what they are interested in. In addition to being a directional aid throughout your website, the navigation bar will quickly impress any visitor with the contents of your website, allowing them to understand its contents and services more quickly. Furthermore, your homepage will regularly be the return point for browsing. This easy navigation will ensure customers can readily move to the next page that interests them.

Calls To Action

Another aid to navigation that also helps keep a visitor interested is a call to action (CTA). Common examples are a prominent button in the middle of the page or in the navigation bar with a unique, contrasting colour. These will encourage your visitor to go beyond the homepage and guide them through your website’s main pages. The most common examples are “Shop Now”, “Learn More”, “Contact Us”, “Book a Consultation”, or “Request a Quote”. These short, simple instructions will also help a visitor immediately contextualize the products/services your website provides.

Newsletter or Contact Form

Presenting your visitor with a pop-up of a newsletter signup or contact form is an additional call to action that will keep your visitor connected to your website. These allow customers to learn more about your business, stay connected and return, and might include a discount as an incentive to purchase from you. 

Do not present this pop-up right away. Allow your customers to get their impression of your homepage and maybe browse a bit before prompting them with signing up to their newsletter or suggesting they provide contact information. An immediate popup will prevent them from seeing your informative homepage and come off as pushy. Why would they sign up for a newsletter or want to contact you before they know who you are?

Less is Better

Not overwhelming your visitor is essential. Minimalism is a hallmark for designing your website’s homepage. A homepage with too much text, images, video, or CTAs will only confuse or frustrate your visitors. Just like when first introducing yourself, stick to the essentials and be concise for a good first impression. Provide a single large image, a short blurb, and one CTA that shows the essentials of your business. Not every visitor will have the same interests about your business, so it is best to provide the basics and have them navigate deeper in for what they want. Additional details should be placed in their own dedicated pages that visitors can easily access through the navigation bar or calls to action. 

Optimized for Multiple Devices aka Responsive

A proper first impression means your website needs to function properly on various devices, particularly computers and mobile devices. As of this month, over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Your homepage needs to inform your visitor, allow direct navigation, and provide direction easily and elegantly on all of those different devices. If a visitor arrives on your homepage and not everything is visible or navigation is cumbersome or impossible, they will be left with a poor impression of your business and leave.

Adaptable

Your homepage should adapt to how visitors use and browse your website. Monitor website traffic to determine where users are going. If a specific service or product page is more popular, highlight it more immediately. This will sooner impress future visitors with the information they want. Remember you have less than 6 seconds. For example, if customers typically browse your new product page, it is a good strategy to link the “Shop Now” CTA to that page. Running user experience (UX) tests of your homepage and website will help you discover such potential site traffic patterns as well as unintended obstacles. Ever heard of heatmapping? Ask us about it!

Home is Where the Heart Is

Your homepage is the heart of your website. It introduces your business, directs visitors, and acts as the regular return point for browsing. It also does not have a lot of time to impress your visitors to stay and start exploring the deeper chambers of your website. These essentials will help guide you to create a homepage that gives the proper impression and welcomes your visitors. If you are looking to redesign or update your homepage to give your business the proper introduction it deserves, contact Rosewood’s website design team.  

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