Mobile versions of sites
Thought I’d write something different this time. As more and more users access the net from their phones, it could be a good thing to design a version of the website that is suitable for mobile browsing.
Information abounds about how to adapt an existing site to mobiles like Make Your Site Mobile-Friendly in Two Minutes. This information is easy to find, and is a good step I guess.
On my to-do list currently, is a way of identifying visitors using mobile phones and redirecting them to the mobile version. Failing that, I can always put up a link to the mobile version.
Another thing I would like to do is rewrite my content so that it is brief - in the sense that it mentions the salient points of the subject and the length of the pages is short, links are better manages, etc.
Some tips I have made out for myself to design the site:
- Planning a simple site with no columns, css, javascript, images and other stuff that could delay loading or clutter the tiny screens.
- Creating an edited version of the content to convey salient points - more information than entertainment.
- Changing the link structure to remove alt tags and using immediately relevant links with some logical deeper links, rather than the bulk of deep links available on the original site.
- I don’t use pop-ups at all, but going through the code in any case to look at links that open in new windows and stuff. I doubt if anyone is going to appreciate losing the page they were on.
- Figuring out links to switch between the mobile and normal version.
