If you are reading this, chances are you’re doing so on your phone. This assumption is based on the fact that over 95% of internet users access the internet on mobile devices.
As a result of this, you’ll lose a larger part of your audience if your content is not mobile-friendly.
The problem is that creating content for mobile devices is more than just making it fit smaller screens.
It involves making your content easy for your mobile audience to consume quickly, even in the face of multiple distractions. Mobile friendliness is also an essential factor for SEO.
In this post, we’ll reveal common mistakes people make when creating content and how to avoid them.
Whether you create newsletters, blogs, social media or visual content, you’ll find this post useful.
Mistakes to Avoid When Creating Content for Mobile Devices
1. Neglecting Scannability
Have you ever seen a caption that looks like an essay? I bet you weren’t convinced to open it.
Whether it’s a video description, social media posts or WhatsApp messages, long blocks of text are repulsive.
They make your content hard to read, clumsy and unattractive. Mobile users skim online content, and if they can’t scan yours, they will leave.
You can fix this by using short sentences, subheadings, lists and bullet points, clear spacing and emojis (when appropriate) to break text up.
2. Using the Wrong Visual Dimensions
Using the exact visuals and in its size for TikTok, Instagram or your newsletter? That’s not a good idea.
While it’s a convenient thing to do, different platform has their specific aspect ratios.
Using the wrong visual format will cut out edges, texts and layouts. Also, if your image or video doesn’t fit or is hard to see, people will likely skip it.
If you want to use the same image or video, resize it to the right ratios for each platform.
3. Not Optimising File Sizes and Load Time
We often think this is reserved for blogs and websites, but it applies to other forms of content.
Heavy images can load slowly, especially on mobile data, and so they can lag or not load at all.
Solve this by compressing images and videos without affecting quality. Smaller files load faster, which is a major concern for mobile users.
4. Overloading Visuals with Text
If you create visual content on a desktop, it’s easy to overlook clutter, illegible fonts and layout.
This is common with graphics, thumbnails or carousels.
When creating visual content, leave breathing space, use legible fonts and size to make it easy for mobile viewing.
Don’s miss our post on tips for creating catchy thumbnails and headlines.
5. Ignoring Dark Mode Compatibility
Dark mode is a popular preference for many mobile users. And for good reasons, it conserves battery and reduces eye strain.
However, if you are not intentional about creating content for mobile devices, text and buttons can disappear against a dark background.
Use high-contrast backgrounds and text, and avoid transparent images with dark fonts.
6. Burying Key Message Too Far Down
Due to the size of mobile devices, only bits of content are seen at a time. Also, mobile users want quick answers without delay.
Besides our shorter attention span, they are on the go or multitasking while online. If your key information is buried too far, they will likely not see it.
Place your core message or offer in a prominent position early on and repeat it to increase retention and visibility.
7. Inconsistent Typography on Mobile Devices
Some fonts and text sizes appear fine on desktop but are unreadable on mobile, particularly in web content.
In addition, your format may seem perfect on your laptop, but it can appear as a brick of text on a 6-inch screen.
All of these can lead to viewer frustration, which may cause them to leave.
Use legible fonts that are visible on mobile for your web content, social media graphics, PDFs and others.
Font sizes 13px and above are suitable for mobile readability.
Here’s more on formatting tips to boost content’s readability.
8. Presuming All Platforms Display Content the Same Way
This matters because each platform’s audience behavior and algorithm preferences differ.
Their preview rules, character limits and point of truncation also vary.
And so, copying and pasting the same content across different platforms won’t work. You have to adapt, repurpose, resize, and reedit content to suit each platform.
In addition, always preview your content before publishing to ensure they are suitable for mobile viewers.
Related Post: Guide for Writing for Different Social Media Platforms
Parting Thought
Creating content for mobile devices is no longer optional but crucial for content success.
Your content is more than just text and visuals; it’s also about how it’s presented to your predominantly mobile audience.
Before you publish or post, check if your content is mobile-friendly.
If it’s hard to read, has slow-loading visuals, is not scannable, or the core message is buried, it needs some tweaks.
Don’t chase your audience away; let your content serve all kinds of screens.
Which of these mistakes have you been making? We’d like to know.
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