When a website or internet-based application is up for design, re-design, or upgrade, mobile readiness is a high-priority, critical requirement.

In today's world, the sheer number of internet-enabled devices is almost overwhelming. There are smart phones, computers, notebooks, netbooks, tablets, mini-tablets, and many devices that fall somewhere in between. The growth rate of mobile browsing is unprecedented. In discussions pertaining to development, terms such as mobile friendly, mobile optimized, and responsive design are abundant. We'd like to help clarify some of the differences.

A newer form of design, responsive design, is a design method in which the website is created so that it is completely flexible regardless of what device it is viewed on. Rather than having the site do a check to determine what device it is being viewed on, it will automatically adjust itself to take full advantage of the screen size of whatever it is being viewed on. The site basically handles its own reformatting and optimizations. Though this form of development can be the most costly, it is the wisest investment. Contact us today for a solution that is mobile ready.

A mobile optimized site is more advanced than a site that is considered just mobile friendly. An optimized site on a mobile device will reformat itself, displaying larger buttons, easier to read content, and optimized images. Having a site that is mobile optimized will ensure faster and more user-friendly functionality, which will likely keep your audience. A few critical features of a mobile optimized site are:

• Simplified, "thumb-friendly" navigation with larger touchpoints.
• Optimized graphics that are smaller in size and minimalistic as to speed up loading time.
• Avoid unnecessary user input.
• A link to the full desktop version of the site.

When a site is mobile friendly, it displays accurately, whether on a desktop computer or a mobile device. It may appear smaller on a mobile phone or have a few nuances on a tablet, it will work correctly. It is a basic critical step in development to at least make sure your site is mobile-friendly. A few critical features of a site that is mobile friendly are:

• Text-based email addresses, street addresses, and phone numbers appear linked and can trigger a call, email message, or directions from your device.
• Slideshows and image carousels function without Adobe Flash support.
• Images are smaller and faster loading.
• Menus are legible on smaller devices and functional.