Does your nonprofit organization need a mobile version of your web site? Chances are that it does. A mobile site is a version that is accessed by those who are using their smartphones or other mobile devices, and they are generally used a bit differently than a regular web site.
For example, when someone surfs to your site on their desktop or laptop, they are able to see a considerable amount of the sit e on their screens. They can navigate around the site gathering information, following the navigation you’ve built in, and following internal links, watching videos, etc. If a user is checking out your site on his or her mobile phone, however, there is probably a very specific reason, and it rarely has to do with wanting to spend significant time sifting through the various layers in order to really get familiar with your mission or a recap of how your most recent fundraiser went.
So, the mobile site should be designed in a way that makes the most sought after information easy to find. This might include contact information, business hours, donation options, or details about upcoming events. It may be helpful to look through your site’s statistics to see which pages mobile users are most often in search of and then making them easier for them to find and access.
There are some good guidelines to keep in mind when designing your mobile site.
- Remember that the user is generally after specific information.
- Organize your information into single columns so it is easier to view on a smartphone screen.
- Use a font that is large enough to read on a phone..
- While you still want the mobile site to resemble your regular web site, try to keep clutter and the need to click through to a minimum.
- Pare down your content to include the most desired information in a brief format.
Your mobile site can definitely link to your full site, as well, so if someone is truly looking to dig deeper for information, they can have that resource easily available.
