According to Nielsen earlier this year, by the end of 2011, one in two Americans will have a smartphone. This was compared to just one in 10 in 2008. As someone who can’t live without her Android, a smartphone is a phone, mini computer, camera, video recorder, MP3 player, game system, and there are more things you can do with it by the minute. This is due to all the apps that are developed on a daily basis.
Therefore, you have to ensure that your web site and/or blog is accessible through smartphones. One way of doing this is by ensuring that your content is 508 compliant. If you don’t know, 508 compliance is a United States law that ensures that people with disabilities (e.g. blind, deaf, colorblind, dyslexic, paralyzed, etc.) are able to access the same information on a site (or program) as any person without disabilities would be able to. Other countries have their own versions, so you should think about this when writing the HTML and verbage for your web site.
Here are a five tipss to ensure that your sites (or programs) are readily available for smartphone and PDA users:
1. Absolute vs. Relative – Ensure that you use relative numbers in your code instead of absolute. For instance, instead of using pixels or points, stick with em or percentages. If someone is using a smaller device, he/she is able to display the information that is relative to the size screen they are using instead of having to deal with unnecessary scrolling.
Example: Bad: <img src=http://www” width=”250px”>
Good: <img src=http://www”. width=“50%”>
2. Use meaningful alt attributes– The 508 standard indicates that “(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via “alt”, “longdesc”, or in element content).” Use the “alt” attribute for your images, tables, forms, etc. that are meaningful if the user goes to text-only mode.
Example: Bad: <IMG src=”…/get_flash_player.gif” width=”88″ height=”31″ alt=”image” /></A>
Good: <IMG src=”…/get_flash_player.gif” width=”88″ height=”31″ alt=”Get Flash Player” /></A>
3. Avoid flowery writing – Can you imagine trying to read something on a little screen, and the pages are written in a way that you have to scroll until you get to the information you want? Get to the point. Your word-processing application should have readability statistics. If the reading level of your writing is not between 6th and 7th grade, then you need to do some editing.
4. Write your HTML like a mouse doesn’t exist – I am a huge keyboard user. I barely touch the mouse. It’s worse on a smartphone because they mainly use scrolling or touch screen. When you are testing your sites, test it without the mouse to see if you can get to where you are trying to go. I hate when I get to a site, using my phone, that the tabbing is totally off. Imagine people who probably have less patience than I do.
5. If all else fails, use a plugin - If you are using WordPress, then you can use a plugin like “MobilePress” to make your site mobile ready without any work.
In this time and age, web content writing is very important. You have to ensure that your writing is clear and concise because people are no longer sitting in front of a computer reading it. Now, people are also moving around while accessing your site, so you need to ensure that smartphone users won’t be running away.
Of course, there are more things to look out for when writing the code and content for your web site. However, these are the first five that will get you started on the right path.
Tags: 508 Compliance, 508 compliant, mobile friendly blog, mobile friendly site
