One of the first things that your visitors will find when they discover your mobile site online is the home page. Unless they’re accessing a specific page, the home page will be their initial destination more than 74 percent of the time, according to Entrepreneur.com. As a result, it’s important to make sure that that mobile home page makes a great impression on your visitors. Here are some things to remember.
Keep It Simple
A mobile site home page needs to be simple. Unlike a traditional website, which might have dozens of links and headers, you should avoid columns. Instead, consider keeping it as simple as a header, logo, site summary, and a few buttons to access the primary portions of the site. While it might seem like it’s too little, it will actually make the site faster to load. Your customers will not care if it is low on the glitz if that means they can get the information they need.
Consider Skipping the Social Media Buttons
Social media buttons are important for increasing your perceived value and getting people talking about your mobile site. However, one of the things about mobile websites is that the home page is rarely shared. Articles, blog posts, product listings, and the like are more likely to be shared. Additionally, a number of mobile devices have apps that will allow them to share mobile pages on their social media platforms even if the page itself does not come with a social media button.
Avoid the Portfolio or the Slideshow
Portfolios and slideshows have become increasingly popular on a number of websites. High resolution images, fascinating videos, and more can be uploaded into the scrolling slideshow feature, allowing lots of fresh and exciting content to be seen at once. However, you should avoid these on a mobile website. They will take significantly longer to load. Even if you run an eCommerce store, you will not want to put up a slideshow of your latest products. Instead, consider choosing one product or one image that summarises your business or website. Customers recognise that they will not get everything from a mobile site that they will from a traditional one. You can have other pages that will include additional information. If you must have a portfolio or slideshow, then put it on another page. You could put it under a link that says something like “Check Here for Our Latest Features.” Just remember the loading times will be significantly higher.
When developing a mobile site, you need to pay particular attention to your mobile website’s home page. Don’t let it get bogged down with excess features. Above all, you need to keep the home page simple. The simpler it is, the faster it will load. You should also consider skipping the social media buttons on the home page. In the mobile web design, you should also avoid incorporating a portfolio or slideshow. You can include these features on another page without slowing down the loading time on the home page.