You’ll hear the phrase ‘mobile-first’ bandied around a lot in web development circles. But why is it important to think about mobile users before any other type of visitor to your website when it comes to web development? Here are five reasons:

1: Mobile is now how the world browses

It seems obvious to say it, but you need to design your website to suit how the majority of users are likely to interact with it. And these days that’s via a mobile device. In fact, in the last quarter of 2019, more than 52.5 per cent of all internet traffic was via a mobile browser, the first time the needle has definitively gone beyond the 50 per cent mark.

2: You’ll be accessible more of the time

Mobile users spend more time online, actively browsing. In addition, the flexibility of being able to access a site anywhere, anytime brings obvious benefits for marketers and content providers alike. Users can compare online prices while in a physical store, they can show products to their friends via their screen, and they can share interesting content more easily via social media.

3: Good design that works on mobile is design that works anywhere, on anything

Responsive web design is one way to ensure that your site looks as good as possible on as many different platforms as possible. Essentially, it is a web page format that adjusts its shape, layout and dimensions depending on the aspect ratio of the browser, but by thinking mobile-first, you’ll be focusing on simpler layouts and easier-to-understand user experiences. And simpler is almost always better…

4: People simply aren’t buying traditional PCs anymore

Sales of mobile devices overtook sales of personal computers almost a decade ago. And now, there is a whole generation of young consumers whose interactions with the internet are almost exclusively through a smartphone or other mobile device.

5: If your website UX crumbles when experienced via a mobile device, it’s bad for business

A website that’s hard to use on mobile will simply frustrate visitors. Depending on what your organisation provides, that could mean a loss of sales, loss of visibility and loss of credibility.