Mobile devices are becoming more and more popular for browsing the internet and getting stuff done online.  Users are able to get online with their smart phone or other device which is driving more people to try and get things done while away from their home or work computer.  Websites need to be made mobile friendly to allow for users to be able to navigate the site in a way that is not completely frustrating.  Here are four key tips and trends to get your site ready for mobile devices.

1. Keep it simple:  sites should be scaled back so they get users to the information they need quickly and easily.  If there are unnecessary navigation items or fancy flash elements, remove them. Chances are, if someone is visiting your site on a mobile device, they are looking for something in particular and need an easy and quick way to get to it.
2. Avoid over-crowding:  Mobile device screens are pretty small, so you do not want to overwhelm users with too much information in that small space.  White space is a necessity and should be used carefully.  A balance of information and white space is crucial in the design.
3. Minimize image use:  Connection speeds are slower on mobile devices, so reducing the amount of images used will help the site load faster.  A text based mobile site will load much faster and will be easier for the user to navigate than a site that uses a lot of images.  Leave the fancy designs for the computer browser.
4. Consider the domain:  There are multiple issues a company should consider when deciding the domain of the mobile site.  A sub-domain keeps everything in one domain and reduces the chances of confusing visitors.  A separate domain for the mobile site will help the user know they are on the mobile version.  Depending on the device being used, the user may not know if they are on a mobile version or regular version of the site

There are many challenges in designing sites for mobile devices.  One of the major problems is there is no consistency in screen size.  There are a multitude of devices available today and more being released all the time which makes it impossible to have a standard.  Devices are rapidly changing also.  Some mobile devices run a full browser that can view a site like normal or view the mobile version.  Even testing mobile sites is a challenge.  There is no good way to test for all devices, so care should be taken to make sure the design is flexible so it will work for different devices.  Spend some time deciding which information is essential.  You'll want to slim down the site as much as possible without removing vital information.

Mobile sites are being utilized more and more every day.  Creating one is not an easy or overnight project.  If you are considering a mobile site, do some research into the topic to make sure your site will be useful and decent representation of your website.