Consumer-oriented marketing via interactive video ads and free in-game credits via mobile apps appears to have taken root and has been a burgeoning trend in mobile advertising. Naturally, online retailers that have already made their fortune and established their brands through the Internet are now expanding their reach in the market by optimizing their digital content and website design for different screen resolutions and mobile platforms. They target tech-savvy consumers who frequently use their smartphones and tablets to watch blockbuster movies through paid streaming services like Flixster and to purchase songs, ringtones, and apps from iTunes or Google Play.
Responsive Web Design (RWD) principles were intended to address usability issues when displaying websites on different platforms and screen resolutions. Designers must create multiple versions of a website design for at least three screen sizes, including 320×480, 480×768, and 768x browsers. Most designers assign a fixed layout to each screen resolution and simply adjust the margins for a convenient style. On the one hand, web design experts see a fluid and scalable design as a more optimal option for a better user experience on a greater number of mobile devices, including aftermarket products that run on older versions of Android.
The old trick of simply adjusting the width of a web page in relation to a smaller screen no longer works. Forcibly compresses other elements on the page, such as a built-in media player and interactive menu, into a very limited area. Now designers must work with website owners when selecting content to display on smaller screens. However, all versions must have the same format for text and images and must use the same design elements, such as an image or a font type, either in part or in whole.
By way of illustration, the home page of a website appears on a 10-inch tablet just as it appears on an LCD monitor. On a mobile browser that is 480 pixels or more wide, the display area can only accommodate a single column layout with three or four links, an image or two, and a few lines of text. Users do not have to scroll down on a longer screen (ie 480 pixels wide by 800 pixels high for some Android and Windows 7 devices), which also provides more space for additional content. Some creative ways to get the most out of a mobile device’s limited screen include placing text in collapsible or expandable containers and splitting long blocks of text across multiple two- or three-paragraph pages.