Is your web page ‘mobile first’? If not, you’re losing out.

Mobile devices have become the main points of accessing information, news, bookings and retail across South East Asia. This is now the case for more than 90% of digital users in the region.

It’s not just a move to the internet from traditional media portals (TV, papers/magazines, radio), it’s a move away from desktops and laptops onto mobile platforms.

According to a Google-Temasek report, companies are now having to build for the mobile experience by adopting a ‘mobile-first’ design. It really doesn’t matter how your website looks on the desktop anymore. How does it look on a smartphone?

Up to now the process of web design has happened in reverse. Optimising for mobile was an option at the end of the design process. Now companies should be designing in the opposite direction – designing for mobile before scaling it up for desktop and laptop use.

Having a webpage with a mobile-first design can substantially increase one’s online visibility and reach, as consumers switch out their desktops for mobile devices. In Thailand, a staggering 90.4% of internet users go online via their smartphone, according to the report.

In 2015, Google launched an index which ranks websites by how their content renders on a mobile device. This means the lack of a mobile-friendly experience will weigh you down on a search list, and limit online visits.

To create a seamless mobile experience for your consumers – readers and buyers – keep a few things in mind.

Keep navigation straightforward and simple. Content should be streamlined. It should be intuitive for visitors looking to locate key information on your products, articles or services.

With 53% of mobile users abandoning web pages that take longer than three seconds to load you need to streamline your design so it’s fast and responsive. Instead of plastering your website with images or videos, consider replacing these motion graphics with engaging typography that will take less time to load.

Test your website’s speed at Google’s Test My Site, scanning factors such as text readability and sizing objects and reveal how you stack up against other industry competitors.

The mobile-first trend is clearly not showing signs of slowing down any time soon and companies should optimise their mobile webpages, or risk losing out.

The Thaiger’s daily traffic averages 83% mobile (March 2019), vs tablet and desktop, and grows each month.