How to use Mobile Stylesheets to Improve the Usability of your Website

(407 Words)
Ever-increasing numbers of people are accessing the Internet through mobile phone devices such as iPhones and Android phones. Websites designed for a large computer screen do not always translate well to the much smaller mobile devices. Mobile spreadsheets can allow you to adapt your webpage for mobile viewing and improve its usability.
According to Webmaster-Source, mobile spreadsheets are made by adding a CSS stylesheet with a media of handheld. Preceding styles are not utilized as mobile-appropriate styles emerge. It can be set to automatically activate when the browser senses that it is a mobile device, according to Stylized Web.
Fluid Layouts
Because the mobile screen is so much smaller than other computers, a set 960px container will not necessarily look good. A fluid layout incorporated into your style can make it much easier to read and view your webpage. The layouts will change in order to fit the size of the screen.
Hiding content
You may not be able to comfortably include as much content on a webpage meant for mobile viewing as on one for a full-size computer. On your traditional webpage, you may include many different boxes with information. Consider how much of that is really necessary, especially for someone who is accessing it from a mobile device.
Use mobile spreadsheets to hide the content that is less important or appropriate for mobile viewing. The “display:none” property can be utilized to accomplish this. According to speckyboy Design Magazine you should make sure that the material is easy to read, able to be scrolled through and contain adequate spacing.
You should also consider how many input opportunities should be on the webpage. Areas that are interactive notoriously go wrong on mobile pages. Consider what people will need on their mobile devices and what can work well.
Viewing images
Images appear far different on full-size computers versus mobile devices. The max width command can help you size the images down. Also, if the picture is to act as a link, make sure that it can be properly activated by the fingertip of a person on a mobile device.
Default zoom
White space used for readability on regular-sized screens may only necessitate immediate zooming by mobile users. You may want to include a default zoom so that the content is more legible.
Mobile spreadsheets can change websites so that they are appropriate for mobile viewing. Experiment with the different design elements until you create a user-friendly mobile page.