How to Create Mobile Content

Developing mobile content takes a strategy.

Creating mobile content is an increasingly important topic. With the growing number of smartphones and tablet devices, the mobile Web is playing a more vital role in today's society. While mobile browsing platforms are like other platforms in many respects, there are certain limitations that designers need to observe when creating mobile content. Applying best practices to mobile development will lead to far more successful mobile content.

Instructions

1. Pare unnecessary features from mobile content. While a normal website may offer a feature-rich experience, many mobile users require a more streamlined browsing experience. Strip away any feature that does not logically belong on a mobile platform.

2. Reduce graphical elements within mobile design. The smaller screens and resolutions of mobile devices make graphics-heavy websites impractical. Using graphics sparsely, not only improves mobile presentation, it increases download speeds on wireless mobile networks.

3. Eliminate horizontal scrolling of content. Touch screens can be tricky for page navigation. Help users better control content navigation by removing all instances of horizontal scrolling. By scrolling pages only up or down, users are better able to work easily with longer content.

4. Create clean and compliant HTML code. Providing the best, cross-platform experience requires content that renders uniformly across all mobile platforms. The World Wide Web Consortium regulatory body has defined the standards for clean HTML code. Ensure the best experience by sticking to W3C-compliant HTML code.

5. Try the content on real-world devices, not just emulators. Testing on an emulator is adequate for checking changes during development, but before going live, run the content on the real hardware. Only with real hardware can you see how users will experience your content.

References

• Noupe: Mobile Web Design
• Google: Developing Mobile Sites