The Power of a Mobile First Website Design for Utilities
When the power goes out, phones immediately light up. As the lights suddenly turn off, people turn to their phones to search for quick answers. Does your website have the capacity to provide these real-time answers?
The Rise of Mobile
It is telling that the rise of smartphones means that more people are using the internet from a mobile device.
Smartphone usage by the numbers:
- Every day, more than 5 billion people globally access the internet using their mobile devices.
- By 2025, an estimated 6 billion people per day will use a smartphone to access a webpage.
- 59% of all website traffic comes from those using mobile devices
- 9 in 10 internet users access the internet using a mobile phone
Looking toward the digital future, mobile-first strategy reflects a company’s vision for the successes in that future landscape. Digital initiatives support the ongoing transformation of a company’s overall goals in improving member services. As a result, members benefit from true value and improved services.
Mobile Minded Members and Customers
To meet the needs of mobile-minded members, utility websites must be fast, concise, and clear. Considering the importance of the utility industry, from power outages to shortages, members and customers expect real-time updates and personalized services from the palm of their hand.
Mobile-first design is increasingly becoming the industry standard. If a website loads slowly or incorrectly, research shows that a one-second delay in page load times causes 11 percent fewer page views. A mobile-first design can stay ahead of this curve with its simple design aspects.
Same Experience, Different Device
It is of utmost importance to deliver a positive experience to website visitors, regardless of the device used. The mobile-first design approach prioritizes the mobile user, designing a site from the ground up– or in this case– from a smaller phone screen to a larger desktop screen.
It’s all about adaptability. To avoid pinching and zooming, websites must be designed to respond and adapt the content to any screen size. Responsive webpages ensure a seamless layout with visible and readable content.
Other best practices include buttons and links that are clearly accessible, actionable elements that are easily identifiable, and important information placed before page scroll. These features benefit all site visitors, including those with short-term memory disabilities, limited mobility, and low vision.
Standing the Test of Time
As emerging technologies continue to shape the industry, utility companies must blend future technological developments and their workforce. To understand the effects of ever-changing technology is to understand its long-term value on utility workers and members or customers. Now, more than ever, members rely on their phones to access vital information.
From unexpected natural disasters to the impacts of climate change, utilities continually face notable challenges. With the advances of mobile technology, utilities will have the tools digital needed to enhance the member experience, improve connectivity, and withstand the test of time.
The Powerful Approach
Here are our 5 mobile-first design tips:
- Prioritize important content: Help website visitors find the content they are looking for quickly
- Keep it simple: Use easy-to-read fonts and plain language
- Go bold: Emphasize call-to-actions with bold and clear design
- Key to speed: Avoid unnecessary elements to ensure fast loading speeds
- Test, test, test: Check, double check, and triple check design and code to make sure the website functions properly on all types of devices
Need help getting your responsive website started? Our team of trusted web experts are here to help!
