FOLLOW US

Why You Should Design Mobile-First Enterprise Applications

Arslan Hassan
December 11, 2019

In today’s fast-paced technologically advanced business world, organizations need to take steps in streamlining the user experience. 

Initially, business executives preferred launching a desktop business application over a mobile version. However, with the increased numbers of mobile users and Google’s mobile first indexing algorithm, companies have switched their approach to start with mobile apps. Through information collected from Smarts Insights Research, it was deduced that people spend over 51% of their time on digital media via mobile phones rather than laptops or desktops which was 42%. Similarly, many online retailers have observed their mobile sales doubling over the last couple of years. 

This should be sufficiently convincing for businesses to consider developing a mobile setup first. Yet, some fail to recognize its significance. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will consider starting with a mobile application as a solution to your business goals. 

The Future of Work Is Mobile

A few years ago, emphasizing the focus on desktop design would have been essential but now with the increased usage of mobile devices, this has changed. Desktop applications required a superior quality user interface since they consumed a larger amount of screen space, which included HD videos and heavy image files. However, employees only interacted with a small number of features that were commonly in use.

Similarly, the introduction of remote resources in the workplace led to the need for multi-channel access to grow. Multiple reports have claimed that a larger sum of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so organizations need to expand their design and tools to other mediums like smartphones and tablets. 

Why is Mobile-First Important?

When you originally design a website for a larger screen then try to compress it into a smaller one, the information appears as cramped and stuffy. Thus, a lot of valuable content would either be left out, causing the user to have an unsatisfactory experience due to clarity issues, or the content will appear congested and a user would feel overwhelmed. On the other hand, if you create content for a responsive design then you will find it easier to include more features, CTA, and navigation buttons in the screen space made available to you. 

Mobile First for New Websites

The mobile-first marketing strategy requires that web designers start designing the user interface for small screen devices. You picture a design keeping in mind the limitations of smartphones while including the foundation elements that deliver a seamless and personalized mobile user experience. 

By putting your best foot forward on the mobile platform, you’re allowing users to view and interact with a full standard website with minimal screen real estate but an impressive UI and functions. The complete design and layout are focused on providing stellar mobile user experience but can also be viewed easily on tablets and desktops without needing too many adjustments. 

Let’s discuss some of the top reasons why your business should emphasize this approach. 

All-time availability 

Nowadays, people are constantly buried in their phones. Even the most basic tasks can now be easily performed on our smartphones with just a few clicks, so why shouldn’t businesses benefit from them as well. It’s a lot more convenient to reach out to prospective clients and customers anytime via mobile phone, while also generating traffic to your mobile application. 

This is advantageous to all scale businesses and start-ups as they deliver increased efficiency and usability and enable users to perform multiple functions. 

More mobile users than desktop users

As mentioned above, stats prove that there are more smartphone users than desktop/laptop users in the world. People find it convenient to work and engage with brands through mobile phones since businesses are easier to access and get in touch with. This works both ways for employees who wish to interact with their clients, as well as customers who want to purchase a product and service from a site. 

For example, if a student needs to search a pdf editor online they would automatically perform a Google search on their mobile phone instead of turning on their laptop for a simple task. 

Easy to share 

Your clients can easily share your service with their friends using social media channels or text message platforms on their smartphones. This way you are reaching a wider audience, boosting website traffic, and increasing sales.  

Better customer experience 

Technology allows us to access almost everything at the tips of our fingers which means are demands are raising daily. The user experience is the most critical element to consider and if you can work up to their expectations, you can guarantee their loyalty to your business. 

Ensuring that all navigation buttons are easy to locate and fit perfectly on your desirable screen, results in higher user engagement. Also, people prefer mobile phones over desktops since they don’t take too much loading time, so make sure your site loads swiftly by employing speed optimization techniques. Ultimately, developing a site that displays your content perfectly within the amount of screen space available captures user attention and increases conversion rates. 

Information is often more manageable

One of the worst inconveniences you could encounter on sites on a mobile device is a faulty layout that requires nonstop scrolling to locate a paragraph or option. Therefore, designers organize the content, graphics, and videos in such a way that it’s easier to read, understand, and pleasing to look at. Therefore, going mobile-first is an excellent way to save time while working towards meeting the expectations of all your visitors. 

Smarter, Faster, Easier

Using the right tools and technology for mobile app design, businesses can drastically improve sales and user experience. When you tailor the interface according to the smart device, it makes the application much more efficient, faster to build, and affordable to maintain through updates. In the end, the site design and content must work accurately in a mobile setup, before proceeding to a desktop setting. The time for organizations to think outside of their comfort zone has come those who switch their focus to mobile-first will delight in its rewards. 

About the Author

Arslan Hassan

Arslan Hassan is an electrical engineer with a passion for writing, designing and anything tech-related. His educational background in the technical field has given him the edge to write on many topics. He occasionally writes blog articles for Classic PDF Editor.

Share this article