Most people know to make their websites compatible across browsers, even though Google Chrome dominates with 62.5% of the market share. People also understand by now that they should make their website designs friendly to both computer and smartphone traffic, as those are two of the most common ways people access the web (though their screens couldn’t be more different).
Tablets — like iPads, Kindles, and the Microsoft Surface — are an underappreciated medium, however. They’re somewhere in between the regular computer screen and the mobile phone, but they should be treated with just as much thought and care when it comes to web design. Here are some of the top ways to maximize page layout and functions so that they’re equally tablet-friendly, too.
- Get Touchy
To make a responsive website design for tablet users, make sure any buttons, links, or swipes are finger-friendly. They should be big enough to accommodate taps without having to pinch-zoom or double-tap to make it larger. - Be Big
Like with smartphones, you want your text font size large enough to be readable, no matter the orientation of the tablet. Content-heavy sites might want to consider user-controlled options for changing the size of the font, too. - Stay Speedy
In this day and age of go-go-go, you’ve got to load fast. Estimates suggest 39% of people will stop engaging with a page if it takes too long or the images won’t load. Make sure your design is the right blend of sweet and simple. - Offer Teachable Moments
Sometimes even regular tablet users have a hard time navigating a site for the first time, precisely because it is so different from using a mousepad or thumb scroll. Include arrows for browseable page links, pop-up keyboards for information, and autofill options where you can to minimize clunky type.
Increasingly, personal laptops are becoming 2-in-1s, which means that tablet accessibility is more crucial than ever. Two out of every three online minutes are now conducted through a mobile device, and our bets are that number’s only going to increase with new and more engaging technological advancements.
Professional web design packages often include build-ins for mobile compatibility. Make sure you’re getting the most out of your hard-earned page traffic with a website design that caters to all kinds of electronic users.
