What does it mean to design a mobile first website?

What is it about?

Mobile first is a very short definition to say that in every project designed for the web it's appropriate to set up a website architecture starting from the performance that it will have on smartphones and only afterwards moving to desktop.

The Mobile First allows us to implement the most suitable type of design to adapt the web contents to the size of a smaller screen. Understanding why this solution has become a must is simple for anyone who surfs the web and uses online services from a smartphone.

If a particular website is designed solely for desktop use, it means that its design is only suitable for large screens, so what happens if you access it on a mobile device? Due to the small screen size we will have to scroll, zoom and resize the content manually to make it readable. This will not only make finding information extremely complex but will also make us waste a lot of time. All of this will worsen the website's usability, keeping away possible users who will look for information and services on websites easier to consult.

Why choosing it?

When planning a mobile-first strategy, you first define the core components of the page. This applies not only to content and photos, but also to all important functions and modules, which must be integrated as website elements. The thinking behind this strategy is to focus on the essentials.

The large number of web users who connect from mobile devices clearly shows that mobile web design isn't an aspect cared only by a few anymore, rather it is the main market to invest in.

Obviously, the desktop version should not be disregarded, since it should be included in the mobile strategy in order to reach more potential customers and thus generate more traffic.

How does it work?

With the Mobile First approach, it will be crucial to optimize the most important contents. It is fundamental to look for the essence of what is offered by the page to propose it in an accessible and simple way. With this strategy, the content is at the first place. This is possible by maximizing readability to make the search for news or services quick and easy. The page will be designed in a synthetic and concise way and its loading time will be reduced to a minimum to guarantee the user a comfortable experience. Those who will use a service designed with these strict criteria will certainly be enticed to come back and visit the content again and again due to its high accessibility and usability.

Creating more accessible web pages for mobile devices has become a necessity rather than an option. Given the considerable amount of web traffic that comes from smartphones it is no longer possible to ignore the change we are going through and to do so would mean the failure of your online content and your digital transformation strategy.

What are the advantages?

In conclusion, Google has decided that starting from March 2021, pages that only have a desktop version will no longer be indexed correctly. Mobile views will determine Google's ranking. This means that all the sites that will not be adjusted, will worsen their SEO ranking. In summary, Google will put mobile content first in the search results and making your content accessible, easy and quick to access is what will determine its success, making it popular and rewarded by Google with maximum visibility.

The goal that Google has set - through the indexing change - is to meet the users who prefer to connect with mobile devices (which, as you have seen, are now the majority).

That's why the ranking methods have changed, favoring Mobile Responsive sites, thanks to which users will be able to enjoy more pleasant, useful and fast browsing experiences.