Today's businesses are focused on driving a competitive advantage by developing mobile sites. Mobile sites help businesses to accelerate their sales and overall return on investments. However, in order to achieve success, it is  essential to follow the basic principles of mobile site design so that it can perform better. Here are a few principles of mobile site design: Homepage and website navigation Unlike desktop versions, mobile sites have less space; that is why, it is important to make a wise use of space and keep call-to-actions visible. Tips:

• Keep menus short, intuitive and accessible.
•  Segregate categories for better understanding.
• Don’t let promotional messages hide your site’s layout.
• Make navigation clean and clear.
• Never distract your users.

Make use of site search Make use of site search feature to help your visitors. In fact, make it visible, fast and accessible. Tips:

• Ensure that your site search feature provides the most suitable results.
• Use smart-search features like auto complete and corrected misspellings.
• Implement filters to get better search results.

Help visitors to browse Some site owners implement many check points or gates, which frustrates users and force them to leave the site. So, allow users to browse through your website the way they want. Tips:

• Allow visitors to use your mobile site without registering for an account.
• Ease navigation.
• Increase site’s usability.

Align information entry Some websites repeatedly ask for personal information, which irritates users. So, limit the number of entries  and make sure to provide them with a "number pad" so that they can fill numeric information easily. Tips:

• Keep your information entry forms minimum.
• Provide sufficient features to ease browsing.
• Choose the simplest input methods by using toggle keys or a drop down menu.
• Make sure that users easily tap keys.

Add greater functionalities Use "calendar app" and other such date selection applications. Calendar applications help visitors to book efficiently without any sort of confusion. Tips:

• Use visual instructions.
• Use calendars.
• Provide clear instructions.
• Use clearly visible labels.
• Validate errors in real time.

Use smaller forms Some websites use exhaustive forms to gather information, which is quite irritating. Hence, use design efficient forms for better conversions. You also need to take advantage of autofill function to help users. Tips:

• Remove complex steps of form filling.
• Use pre-filled information to speed up the process.

Use expandable and high quality images Expandable and high-resolution product images help users to choose products efficiently. If possible, use close-up views for greater visibility. Tips:

• Allow users to switch to the optimal screen orientation.
• Use call-to-actions wherever possible.

• Always keep your users in a single browser window for the ease of navigation.

Developing a mobile website requires careful planning and implementation. So, use these basic principles of mobile site design to enjoy the flavour of success.