If someone asked you how many square feet an NBA basketball court covers, you’d probably pull out your smartphone and have an answer within seconds. (The answer, by the way, is 4,700.) When you’re on the go, you want answers fast, and thanks to that web-cruiser in your pocket, there’s no need to save your questions for later. Today, over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, proving that more and more people are relying on convenient internet access anywhere, anytime.
To meet these customers where they are, your website needs to feature a mobile-first design that is easy to navigate, read, and browse. Mobile-first design is taking priority among designers, search engines, and visitors alike. What does that mean for you and that new website you're planning to build for your brand? Learn the ins and outs of mobile-first design in this guide.
Mobile-first design is when a website is built to prioritize viewing and navigation on smartphones and similarly-sized mobile devices, as opposed to primary viewing on computers. This design principle takes into account the cramped constraints of a smaller screen first and foremost. Larger screens like laptops and desktops are secondary in mobile-first design, although those versions of the website are still beautifully designed.
When you go mobile-first, there are some obvious pros, like built-in accessibility for the billions of smartphone users and the consideration of smaller spaces. Let’s unpack a few more perks.
It’s important to know that mobile-first and responsive design aren’t the same, even though these terms sound similar. A mobile-first site is responsive. However, a responsive website isn’t necessarily mobile-first. The biggest difference between the two is the web developer's path to site building.
In short, responsive websites are reactive: They “shapeshift” to fit the confines of various devices with the initial blueprint using a desktop as the framework. Mobile-first responsive design is the opposite. Here are some of the most significant differences between these two approaches.
| Mobile-first | Responsive |
|---|---|
| Smartphones are prioritized. This is a conscious decision to cater to smartphone users. Going mobile-first means your viewers should have an optimal mobile experience out the gate. | Smartphones are secondary. Responsive web design requires more work to accommodate smartphones. Modifications bend the content’s structure to fit different devices, but the content and layout will determine how easily it adapts. |
| Progressive advancement. Mobile-first designs prioritize simpler layouts and features, which perform better on smaller screens. As the site is accessed from different browsers and devices, other features and content may be added back in. | Graceful degradation. This design philosophy prioritizes the most up-to-date browsers first in terms of user experience and then scales backward to accommodate for other browsers and device types. This approach is not as effective for mobile, as it may put those browsers last in priority. |
| Short and sweet. Prioritizing the layout of your site on a smartphone is ideal for minimal content. There’s no room for fluff — the priority goes to getting visitors from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. | More room for content. Responsive design benefits information-focused websites since there’s physically more space on the screen to display information. It’s also easier to fit more complicated calls to action and lengthy forms. |
Now that you know what mobile-first design is and why it’s important, let’s break down the pragmatic tips for a successful design strategy.
Curious what a mobile-first design looks like in action? These examples demonstrate how some popular brands cater to the smartphone-first experience.
YouTube’s mobile-first design applies the best practices of web development for smartphones by prioritizing content and intuitive navigation. When you look up the online video sharing platform on your phone, the single-column layout features recommended content at the top and an easily expandable comment section. Plus, if you scroll a bit below the fold, there’s a “playlist” of content for you to enjoy next. It’s no surprise that YouTube, the second-most visited website in the world and a Google property, is designed to be mobile-first.
The media conglomerate has its online content arranged hierarchically, so the latest news stories and episodes are at the top of the homepage. The hamburger menu in the top left corner is easy to spot, and when you tap it, the menu options are legible. Sure, there’s a bit more text than YouTube, but the content isn’t overwhelming. MTV makes it simple to find what you’re looking for or to effortlessly browse.
Now, a newspaper will have even more text than the first two sites combined, but it can still exercise mobile-first design best practices. Pioneering the mobile-first newspaper web design movement, the Chicago Tribune has its name right up top, and it gets right into the latest news stories. They know that their readers came to read the news, so they make it accessible.
The vacation rental company Airbnb has a mobile site that also employs an information hierarchy — starting with a search bar, which directs users to input the time and location of their intended stay. It gets straight to the point, and then dives right into some suggested places to stay to inspire your next trip.
The tech giant is known for its sleek, sophisticated, and minimalist style. Their mobile site has all of the basics of good web design — plus an attractive touch that compels users to browse their latest offerings with stunning imagery of the latest products. Oh, and its load time is impeccable.
Billions of folks around the world spend lots of time with their small-screened companions. And for many, a smartphone is the primary device used to access the web. As a result, mobile design is no longer a “nice to have” or an afterthought. When it comes to building a website, it’s essential that phones are prioritized before laptops and desktops. Tools like Namecheap’s Site Maker can help you every step of the way in building an accessible, mobile-friendly website — no coding skills required. Just remember to follow the tips above to ensure an unbeatable user journey.
The majority of web traffic today comes from mobile devices. As a result, mobile-first design is still very relevant, and many would argue that it’s highly important for anyone who wants to create a web presence for their business or personal ventures.
A key characteristic of mobile-first design is simplicity. Mobile devices have smaller screens, so excessive text and visual elements can appear cluttered when viewed on a smartphone or tablet. By prioritizing simplicity, you can actually improve the user experience and encourage visitors to stay on your website longer.
Mobile-first design is important because it makes your web content accessible to more people. An increasing amount of web traffic today comes from mobile devices, so it’s important to utilize web designs that make content easy to navigate, read, and browse. In addition, Google’s process of mobile-first indexing means mobile-friendly sites get more visibility in the search results for their targeted terms.
To design effective mobile-first ads, carefully consider the dimensions of mobile devices. For example, you may want to create ads with a square or vertical orientation to suit smartphone screens. Smaller screens also demand simplicity, so prioritize ads with bold, minimalist designs that will be eye-catching to the user.
A mobile-first approach to CSS means that styles are first coded for and applied to mobile devices. That way, the code in the same project can be modified for larger screens via simple media queries, whereas a desktop-first approach would make it more complicated to scale down for mobile devices.
There are a few different options for creating mobile-first designs for online stores, including web design services and website builders. A professional web designer can create mobile-friendly ecommerce sites, but the costs may be prohibitive and it can result in a long wait for the site to be published online. Some ecommerce website builders automatically create mobile-friendly designs and can go live online immediately for smaller fee.
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