Mobile responsive vs. mobile-first design: What’s the difference?
We practically live behind our mobile devices. We use it for almost everything from good old calling and texting to banking, streaming, and of course, shopping. The real question is, what don’t we use our mobile devices for these days
The internet has become a mobile-first marketplace. There are over 5 billion mobile users worldwide, of which more than 50% of their web traffic comes from online shopping, according to DataReportal. It only makes sense that e-commerce sites are increasingly designed with mobile-first in mind.
What is mobile-first design and why is it important?
As the name suggests, mobile-first design is a strategy where designers produce designs fit for mobile viewing, creating better user experiences, which is then modified for desktop use. Previously websites were designed in the opposite order — desktop first and later made to fit mobile. However, things have changed with the rise of smartphones. According to Shopify, mobile accounted for 66% of Black Friday sales on its platform. More people are moving away from sitting behind a computer and towards the convenience of mobile. Considering how lucrative M-commerce can be, it’s no wonder Google is prioritizing mobile-first designs. Google ranks websites based on their mobile versions. To stand a chance of ranking well in Google’s search results, it makes sense to optimize for mobile as much as you can. Not to mention, it’s more profitable in the long run.Mobile-responsive vs. mobile-first design
It’s all about the numbers — and the numbers say: Mobile-first, is content first. With 1 in 4 online searches conducted on smartphones, it’s clear the world is going mobile. However, mobile is a limited platform and preferences should be given to relevant information like vital selling and action points. Simply put, designers should give consumers exactly what they need—nothing more, nothing less.
6 design tips to help you get the ball rolling
1. Use visual hierarchy
Arrange your content in order of importance. Design your layout so users can easily navigate your webshop, understand and absorb information. Laying out the pieces logically and strategically can help influence and guide users towards favorable outcomes — i.e., different sized elements, large and bright CTA buttons, capitalized heading to draw attention and encourage scrolling. This example from Aimé Leon Dore, does this well using a simple product image against a green background. This draws the user in and invites them to continue scrolling.
2. Less is more
Chuck the junk and keep it simple. These days, people become overwhelmed by vast amounts of information. Avoid long blocks of text or large images. Instead, consider ways to condense your copy to the essential bits or break it up with interactive elements. Shapewear brand, SKIMS, does this well. They’ve taken a minimalistic approach and separate content with images and clickable elements.
3. Tap into clickable elements
Unlike a desktop, where we use a mouse to navigate, we touch our screens with our thumbs and need more screen space. It’s crucial when designing for mobile to make clickable elements large and clear with white space in between to avoid unwanted clicks. For an added element of simplicity, add locating menus and essential buttons at the bottom of your site.
4. Disable the effects
There’s no real benefit or use for scroll effects or hover control without using a mouse. Instead, opt for straightforward ways to showcase this information, like directional messaging or arrows.
5. Speed is vital
especially when it comes to M-commerce. Reducing bandwidth or avoiding large media files and unnecessary code is key. You’ll get to keep the essentials and optimize where you can. And, don’t forget to run and rerun speed tests on your mobile site.
💡Our team of experts built our own Shopify 2.0 theme, containing the best practices we gathered over the years for a speedy Shopify store.
6. Don't be afraid of white space
Are you afraid of the void? Don’t be. It’s a safer bet than a cluttered mobile site. When white space is utilized and well structured, it can help guide users or emphasize elements. Mix in bright, bold colors and interactive graphics to contrast your white space. This will help create a clean and sharp site that’s easy to navigate.
In the end, it’s all about delivering an enjoyable and easy customer journey. With an increasing number of consumers shifting from desktop to mobile, the future of design is a mobile-first design. So, what are you waiting for?
With our Inside the Industry series, we’re exploring the ever-evolving world of e-commerce uncovering trends, technologies, and insights shaping the brands of tomorrow.
Meta’s big algorithm update (Andromeda): what you should and shouldn’t do
Meta (Facebook & Instagram) rebuilt its ad “engine”: Andromeda. The system now picks from a much larger library of your ads and matches the right message to the right person. That means less micromanaging audiences, more winning with creative variety and simple account structure.
Why Retention is key to your brand longevity
Across all segments in fashion, there has been a major gap in businesses' ability to retain customers for more than a one-off purchase.
Shopify Markets: A unified home for business expansion into international markets and seamless implementation
Shopify is always evolving its services and offers. Shopify Markets is an innovation that boosts brands and businesses to wider audiences and growth. A unified home for business expansion, it encourages brands to sell to multiple markets under one store, while still creating tailor-made experiences per market.
Rethinking Marketplaces: How we can help you make the best of them
Change is the only constant in the dynamic fashion e-commerce landscape, and this time, we’re putting a spotlight on how Marketplaces will continue to shape the scene.
Creative is the new Targeting
The world of e-commerce is constantly evolving, always influencing or adapting to user behaviour. With recent innovations and technological advancements such as Privacy updates (like iOS14), rising CPMs, and platform algorithms, targeting is no longer what it used to be.
Why migrating to Shopify should be every fashion brand’s strategy for sustained growth and success
The e-commerce landscape is anything but static, and the ever-changing environment requires brands and businesses to stay sharp for long-term success. Many established fashion brands have switched to Shopify as their preferred online platform due to its many advantageous features that directly address industry challenges – and others are sure to follow.
The importance of securing your Shopify and ad platform log-ins with two-factor authentication: don’t overlook this crucial security step
With cybersecurity threats on the rise and becoming increasingly harder to spot, it’s even more important for e-commerce businesses to protect themselves from hackers. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two forms of identification before accessing their accounts. This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised account access, especially in cases of compromised passwords or phishing attempts.
2024 Peak Season: Our BFCM Results & Learnings
Another Black Friday/Cyber Monday week(end) has been and gone, and it’s time to face the numbers. Looking at the data from all of our clients in north-western Europe, what have we learnt from this year’s most busy weekend in the e-commerce calendar, and how can we help you create a strategy for the upcoming year?
Not selling liquid becomes the exclusive digital partner for CIFF, offering expertise to retail brands in the fashion world
E-commerce agency Not selling liquid (NSL) has formed a unique partnership with the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF). Not selling liquid builds, manages, and grows the online presence of fashion brands in the digital space and their expert knowledge will provide CIFF and its partners with the tools they need to become future-proof. This partnership with CIFF is one-of-a-kind, as there has never been an agency/tradeshow relationship like this in the past.
Important updates to our unique Data Dashboard Services, providing you with even better insights for growth
Since launching our Data Dashboards earlier this year, we’ve continued to refine and develop them to ensure we provide you with the most up-to-date input possible. Our latest release has added several features and has significantly upgraded the services. These Data Dashboards are a game-changing development in fashion e-commerce, combining insights from all ad managers, Shopify stores, and Google Analytics.
Three tips to boost your sales by escaping the standard sales calendar and creating a tailor-made solution for your brand
In the e-commerce fashion world, many brands follow the same calendar: they launch their seasonal (AW/SS) collection and then have a sale before the next season launches. In between you’ll (usually) find an archive sale and then the expected BFCM weekend boost.
Black Friday 2024: Our curated list of resources that can help your strategy
You know that summertime is over when that first flurry of Black Friday newsletters starts streaming in. A mass of information offering you advice, help, and tools to make the most of the upcoming sale weekend. From our fashion perspective, here are the top five resources from our esteemed partners worth diving into.
Black Friday 2024: Leveraging Peak Season for Long-Term Growth
As we enter the month of October, you’ve probably already started receiving tips, tricks, tools, and tactics on how to approach the whirlwind that is Black Friday/Cyber Monday. We’re here to help keep you grounded and share some real advice on how to go about this significant moment in the e-commerce calendar.
E-Commerce Design: How Creativity and Strategy Shape Success
In the competitive world of e-commerce, design plays a pivotal role in driving sales and fostering customer loyalty. There’s a skill in designing a beautiful website that translates the brand identity clearly, as well as being functional and easy to use.
5 things to A/B test in your Shopify store before peak season
A/B testing provides data-driven conclusions that you can transform into actionable insights and drive your business growth. A cornerstone of Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), it systematically compares and tests two versions of a webpage and determines what works better and for who.
How product performance analysis helps you boost profits
Throughout all types of industries, businesses have products that perform brilliantly and generate income and others that don’t do quite as well. The key is knowing which products are the star performers and boosting them as much as possible, and also evaluating the ones that don’t perform well, taking in a number of factors. This is where analysing data correctly is hugely beneficial.