Rethinking Web Content

Based on Pew Research Center’s 2015 report on smartphone usage and the expected increase since then, it is important to rethink web content to provide the best mobile experience for users. According to Pew’s data, “nearly two-thirds of Americans own a smartphone, and 19% of American rely to some degree on a smartphone for accessing online services and information and for staying connected to the world around them.” That percentage has definitely grown with the presence of more and more smartphones, tablets, and 2-in-1 devices on the market since 2015.

Personally, unless I am at work, my phone is my go-to device to access the internet. The thought of lugging out my laptop makes me tired just thinking about it. And, a desktop? Yeah, I’ll probably call someone on the phone before I make the commitment to boot up that guy.

Accessing the internet via a smartphone or other mobile device, like a tablet, is just the norm nowadays. Web content needs to be prepared for mobile users and provide the same quality experience for users despite not accessing content via a laptop or desktop.

Mobile Copywriting Strategies

Here are some ways we can make our web content mobile-ready.

• People view images more than they view text– The eye is drawn to images–include them!
• Create short, strong headlines– These are easily viewed in a quick scan.
• Use short paragraphs– You don’t want readers getting lost in long paragraphs.
• Optimize everything– Most people don’t have the time or patience to dig through a standard web page on a smaller screen.

To learn more about the tips above and take a look at even more tip, check out “How to Write Content That Engages Mobile Readers” and “Five Tips on Writing Content for a Mobile Audience”!

My Mobile Experience

When viewing my blog and some of my classmates’ on my phone, it was a really pleasant experience! All of the blogs were optimized to fit the size of the screen on my device. The menu on each blog was adjusted to be easily utilized, and the size of the text and images made it easy to read and view.

I looked into this further and found out that WordPress uses special themes to create this pleasant experience for its users. This is all because of WordPress’s mobile themes.

Mobile Learning

Priyanka Gautam of eLearning Industry defines mobile learning as “a broad term used to refer to any teaching and learning that happens with the use of mobile devices and platforms” in her article “What the Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Learning Are.”

Gautam includes the following benefits:

• Anytime and anywhere learning
• Digital-first thinking
• Dynamic teaching methodologies
• Personalization of learning

Gautam also mentions the following disadvantages:

• Increasing reliance on technological tools
• Distracted learning
• Multitasking hurts recall of course material

“Mobile Learning: Pros and Cons” of CEED Learning also shares a number of advantages and drawbacks.

Ultimately, mobile learning is definitely something we as educators need to be familiar with and be prepared to investigate further in the future.