Making your WordPress blog mobile-friendly is no longer a nice option; it’s now a necessity. According to the Nielson research group, 65 percent of all Americans own a smartphone and 47 percent of them visit at least one social media site daily.
Whether you’re promoting your posts through email, social media or both, chances are a large percentage of your readers are trying to reach your blog through their smartphone. So what’s a blogger to do? Keep reading to learn two easy solutions that make your site mobile-friendly.
Install WPtouch Plugin
The first method involves simply adding a plugin to your self-hosted WordPress site. While this method is free and easy (just 3 simple steps), you will not have the freedom of maintaining your site’s unique theme when viewed from a mobile device. For beginners or those on a zero-balance budget (like many of us), this may be the way to go:
Step 1
Log into your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins. Click on “Add New” and search for “WPtouch Mobile Plugin.” Click “Install Now.” Alternatively, you can go to the plugin’s page on WordPress.org and download the zip file. You can then upload the file from the “Add New” plugin option in WordPress. (But this sounds like a lot of extra work if you ask me.)
Step 2
Now that the plugin is installed and activated, it should show up in the admin bar on the left side of your WordPress dashboard. Click on the plugin and go to “Core Settings.” Enter your blog’s name and set the display mode to “Normal.”
Step 3
Spend a couple minutes exploring the plugin’s options and configure your desired settings. You’ll be able to select how many posts are shown, upload your site’s logo and choose a color scheme that best suits your site. Be sure to save all your settings and you’re good to go. Please note that since this solution requires a plug-in, this will only work for self-hosted WordPress sites. WPtouch offers paid-for options if you want more customization choices or to purchase multiple licenses.
Responsive Themes
Today, “responsive themes” are designed to be fluid and adapt to any of the latest devices including desktops, mobile phones and tablets. You will have the freedom of maintaining your site’s theme throughout all viewing devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.) and your site will automatically respond to each. Well-designed responsive themes will adapt completely to a mobile device. Theme, font size and content will be adjusted to offer the reader the best possible user experience.
As a matter of fact, IvyCat’s team of super-kitties offer affordable and reliable solutions for creating the perfect responsive theme for your individual needs. Check out our services and drop us a line to let us know what you’re looking for.
If your site’s already mobile-friendly, share your favorite solutions, plugins or responsive themes in the comments below.