Today, most of our web traffic comes from mobile users which make requires our websites to be in the best position to serve them. One of the easiest things one can do is to remove all the unnecessary content from the site. While it may not always be the best solution. In this blog post, we have proposed some ways to conserve space and create a more engaging UI for your content on mobile.
Today, unlike before we prefer to search from mobile devices than from desktops and laptops. The simple reason for this shift is that it is much easier to open a smartphone and type in the search than to open desktops or computer devices.
CNBC says nearly three-quarters of the world will be using their smartphones to interact with websites by 2025 which is nearly equivalent to nearly 3.7 billion people.
What does it imply?
This simply implies that today and even in the future around 75% of traffic on your website will be from mobile devices only. of course, you can’t be stringent about the figures but you can suspect that.
Since, 50% of traffic is coming from mobile devices, making your website responsive and user-friendly for customers is the need of an hour.
There are 3.2 billion smartphone users in 2019 across the globe and this graph will exponentially be growing to cross 3.8 billion by 2021.
So, it has become all the more important for businesses to optimize their website for smartphone users.
But, for most people optimizing their website for mobile devices means removing the clutter and excess of content. For, them its mobile website means less text, fewer images, and removing features that get in the mobile visitor’s way.
With so many regulations, it can be tough to prioritize the mobile experience as it often feels like a compromise.
But what people need to realize is a mobile visitor needs less text, fewer images, or shorter pages for easy consumption on a smartphone. The simple need content which doesn’t feel like so much work.
But, how can you make content simple without cutting short on text and images?
The simple answer is data visualization for mobile.
If you look closely at your website pages; you will find so much written content that can be easily converted into data visualizations.
So, in this blog post, we will look at some things that you can do to start converting your content into data visualization and enhance mobile visitors’ experiences in the process:
1. Use New Data Visualization Formats
What do you envision when you think of displaying data in a graphical format? Probably graphs and charts like this:
The above image deals with the given information that is not statistical yet it made sense to convert it into a simpler format. While this information could have been in the form of text but by creating a simple visual representation, we made it simpler to consume.
The same is true for other types of information including stats, comparisons, and so much more.
It has been proven multiple times that when a strong data set is designed rather than written, it is less likely for readers to skip over and miss critical information.
Web designers need to think outside the box if they want to identify different kinds of data worth turning into graphics. For that, they need can start by acquainting themself with the different kinds of data visualizations for android.
For one, they can check out The Duke University Library which is an entire page showing different kinds of information that can be translated into graphics, let’s take an example of a to scatter plot:
The Duke University Library provides an example of a scatter plot visualization.
So, next time, when you are thinking of adding a newer element to make your blog more interesting, consider the following elements:
- Statistical data,
- Short bulleted lists,
- Highly complex topics,
- Step-by-step explainers,
- Page or topic summaries.
All these elements combined present the best opportunities for turning essential data or topics into data visualization for mobile.
2. Filterable Design
Most of us are on a mission to preserve our website’s message on mobile. But you don’t want to overdo it and create so many graphics that it compromises page speed and overwhelm readers.
Solution- create a single graphic but use multiple filters to control which one will be displayed.
Multiple filters can enable you to deliver visual information in a compact space.
For instance, Google CDN can out your website geographically closer to your target audience. In case, it doesn’t do the job then it’s not worth the trouble.
Hence, people need to look at their points of presence while finding providers.
Akamai who competitor to Google Cloud CDN, has designed its media network map this way:
A map shows you Akamai’s media delivery network (in orange) and its storage locations (in pink).
Users can use filters at the top of the page. For instance, for someone searching for the Asia region this is what they see:
This data visualization for android allows users not only to closely survey the relevant data but also aids in their decision-making process.
Why this approach is useful?
For one, it allows you to turn a whole bunch of data into a data visualization without overwhelming the page. You can also spare your visitors the trouble of having to pinch to zoom in and out of the graphic. They will be able to customize the view on their own and easily get to the most relevant bits.
3. Make it Interactive
To make your page interactive, you can pack a ton of information into a single graphic. Not only it will declutter your mobile UI but also it will get your visitors to take time to understand the information.
In a recent post by Emojipedia, they share a study conducted on emoji usage during the coronavirus. It’s chock-full of data visualizations are like this:
While the design is attractive, however sometimes you might not find details easy to see within the graphic on mobile. This is where interactivity would come in.
Users will be able to get more information by making clicking on each bar and so on. For instance, take the example Statista, they have clickable bars and graphs which are much more interactive and user friendly.
By turning data points into a clickable element, you will eliminate user struggle to gain all the information within a single graphic. Besides, interactivity can be applied to a wide array of data visualizations for mobile. For taking an example of this bubble chart:
By clicking on the bubbles, users can access more information is about the topic.
Another great thing about prioritizing the mobile user experience is that it allows you to find creative solutions while designing minimally.
Interactions are a great way to pull all that off as the UI remains easy to navigate.
Conclusion – Is Data Visualization Key to Better Mobile Experience?
We can always do something more to improve the mobile user’s experience. And, if you have done so much and haven’t got the results, maybe it’s time you consider data visualization for mobile as a large part of your strategy.
What does Better Mobile Experience do?
- Condense the amount of space and time
- Makes your page more visually engaging
- Preserve a copy of your page for mobile and desktop visitors
That doesn’t mean that you should stop not focus on reducing the content on mobile. Any content which is unnecessary and doesn’t add value should go and the remaining can be evaluated for data visualization.
What’s your opinion on having a data Visualization for Mobile Web Experience?
Let us know in the comments below.
