Is ‘Mobile First’ Really That Important For Modern Websites? Why?

In a world where people routinely spend more and more time on their mobile phones and less on traditional desktops, it is unsurprising that businesses are adopting a ‘mobile first’ approach. Mobile first refers to the idea that you should consider the mobile version of your modern website or app before your desktop version, but is this truly accurate and why?

If you are in the process of designing your website, or are thinking that it is time for an update, going mobile first could be the best choice for your business. Read on to discover why that is…

Why are businesses going ‘mobile first’?

If you are hoping to reach the maximum number of people or have the kind of business that is suited to be accessed on your phone, a mobile first approach can without a doubt be the best option. Why are businesses going mobile first? Because it benefits them and their customers in a number of ways:

• It is easier to scale up than down: When you are creating your site, if you start with a mobile first approach, it can then scale up to a desktop with ease.
• Going mobile first can help with SEO: SEO in Dubai will be affected by the way you plan your webpage, how quickly it loads and so on. Given that a larger percentage of your users are likely to use their phones, you must ensure they have greater accessibility. Nobody wants to ‘pinch and grab’ their way around a modern  website on their phone.
• You can reach so many more users: A larger percentage of online searches are made on a mobile device as opposed to a desktop. By going mobile first, you are effectively increasing your potential reach, rather than limiting yourself unnecessarily.

What are the downsides to going ‘mobile first’?

One of the key downsides to going mobile first is that not all businesses are made that way. Netflix, for example, is far more widely watched on larger screens than on phones, so going mobile first would have been a mistake.

Another approach is ‘mobile in mind’, where you consider your users and their priorities, and then attempt to create a site that keeps phones in mind without always solely being tailored to mobile.

Is ‘mobile first’ the best idea for you?

So in the end it comes down to whether mobile first is the best choice for your business. If you have the kind of webpage or software that is made to be used on a large screen or even multiple screens, the answer is most likely no. There is no point in trying to squash down all your processes to work best on an iPhone screen when that is not in line with your business model.

That being said, not many businesses are that clear cut. Many companies that thought they wouldn’t do so well on mobile phones found that their business exploded over the last few years. It goes to show that you should plan for any access you can get, and remember it is easier to scale up than down.

Final thoughts

For most businesses, a mobile first way of thinking is still the optimal path when getting your modern  website or online application up and running. Even if you decide that mobile first is not for you, you will certainly want to consider a ‘mobile in mind’ approach. This will allow you to create a user-friendly experience for your customers, whether they use a desktop or a mobile phone.