Powered especially by the rise in smartphone adoption, constant connectivity has created many more opportunities for publishers to connect with their users. With a multi-screen centric approach, these opportunities can lead to a larger audience and, ultimately, to higher revenue in the long term.
Why you need a multi-screen strategy
Check out different ways to see the multi-screen shift with your own data:
- What is your score? A score of 85 or above indicates that the page is performing well.
- Read the Mobile Analysis section to analyze your results.
- Avoids software that is not common on mobile devices, like Flash
- Uses text that is readable without zooming
- Sizes content to the screen so users don't have to scroll horizontally or zoom
- Places links far enough apart so that the correct one can be easily tapped
For more information, see the Helping users find mobile-friendly pages blog post.
- Check the "Mobile Traffic Behavior" graph in the Traffic Growth Dashboard to understand which devices your users are using, and their bounce rate per device category.
- Check the "Engagement by Device" graph in the Engagement & Loyalty Dashboard to understand how much time your users are spending (i.e., their average session duration) per device category.
The most common approaches for multi-screen sites
There are three ways to make your site multi-screen friendly:
- Responsive web design: a clever design technique that uses a single HTML code base for all platforms.
- Dynamic serving: in this method, the web server detects the type of device a visitor is using, then presents a custom page designed for that device.
- Separate mobile site: a third option is to simply create a mobile site that’s separate from your original desktop site.
Multi-screen resources to get you started
Here are some resources to help you get started with providing a great mobile experience for your users.
- Web Fundamentals
Web Fundamentals is a comprehensive resource for multi-screen web development, and teaches you step-by-step how to build a multi-screen site.
- Building Websites for the Multi-Screen Consumer
The Building Multi-Screen Websites white paper looks at the common approaches to multi-screen sites, with tips on how to create a great user experience while avoiding some of the more common mistakes. Download
- Google Developers Mobile Guide
If you're looking for a way to make multi-screen friendly sites using a content management system (CMS), check out the Customize Your Website Software section in the Google Developers Mobile Guide. The Mobile Guide also has a quick start section to help you decide on your multi-screen strategy.
