Make Your WordPress Blog Mobile-Friendly with WPtouch
The Growing Importance of Mobile-Friendly Websites
The influence of mobile devices on internet usage is substantial. While mobile internet access was once limited, current data indicates that over 47 million individuals in the United States access the internet via their mobile phones every day. This figure is experiencing rapid and continuous growth.
Implications for Bloggers and Web Publishers
This statistic may seem inconsequential to the average internet user. However, for those involved in blogging or web publishing, it underscores the increasing necessity of optimizing websites for mobile viewing.
Adapting a website's interface and code to accommodate mobile devices can be a challenging undertaking for webmasters. Fortunately, a streamlined solution exists for those utilizing self-hosted Wordpress: WPtouch.
WPtouch: A Solution for Mobile Optimization
WPtouch offers an easy and stylish method to address the challenges of mobile optimization. It simplifies the process of re-designing and re-adjusting code for optimal mobile viewing.
Benefits of Using WPtouch
- Effortless mobile optimization for Wordpress blogs.
- Stylish and user-friendly mobile themes.
- Reduces the frustration associated with manual code adjustments.
By implementing WPtouch, web owners can ensure their content is accessible and visually appealing to the growing number of mobile users, enhancing the overall user experience and potentially increasing engagement.
Optimizing for Mobile: WPtouch Installation and Initial Overview
WPtouch is a WordPress plugin designed to adapt your website’s presentation for mobile devices, specifically optimizing the user experience on touchscreen phones. Initially created to support the iPhone, this plugin has significantly evolved. We previously reviewed an earlier iteration in 2008.
Its compatibility now extends to a wide range of mobile phones, warranting a fresh examination of its capabilities and features.
Installation Process
The installation of WordPress plugins has become remarkably streamlined. You can now locate and install plugins directly through the WordPress plugin directory.
Eliminating the need for manual file transfers via FTP, the process is now significantly easier for users.
Begin by searching for the desired plugin within the WordPress plugin menu. Once the search results are displayed, select the "Install Now" option.
Allow the installation to complete, and then activate the plugin to begin utilizing its features.
WPtouch offers numerous customizable settings. However, it’s beneficial to first observe its default appearance on a mobile device before making any adjustments.
Exploring the Touch The Blog Interface
This assessment was conducted utilizing an iPhone as the testing device. Due to limited device availability, experimentation on alternative mobile phone types hasn't been possible. If you have experience with other devices, please contribute your observations in the comments section.
The homepage presents articles in a series of boxes, each displaying the publication date, title, and a brief summary. Tapping the arrow located in the upper right corner of each box expands the view to reveal an introductory excerpt and a "read more" option.
Interface Elements and Formatting
Each article is designed for optimal readability on mobile devices. This includes a comfortably sized font, proportionally scaled images, and borders that extend across the screen width.
A dropdown menu is situated in the top right corner of the screen. This menu provides access to the RSS feed, an email function, tag listings, category selections, and a login portal.
Switching Between Themes
Users have the ability to disable the mobile theme by navigating to the bottom of the page and toggling the provided switch. A confirmation prompt will then appear to prevent accidental deactivation.
To revert to the mobile view, simply access the switch at the bottom of the standard website display and toggle it back on.
Accessing Administrative Features
Selecting the login button will display the necessary fields for username and password entry. Successful login grants access to administrative menus typically found within the Wordpress administration panel.
Configuring the Settings
Access to the various settings is provided through the "Settings - WPtouch" menu within your WordPress administration area. The initial section, "General Settings", manages a wide range of configurations.
These include options for "Regionalization" and the customization of the "Footer Message".
Within the "Advanced Options" section, numerous settings are available. A particularly useful feature is the ability to specify user-agents for mobile phones that are not natively supported.
WPtouch facilitates the delivery of push notifications to both iDevices and Growl-enabled computers (Mac or PC). This functionality requires the prior generation of a Prowl API key.
Further details regarding Prowl will be covered in a subsequent article.
The "Style & Color" options allow for the modification of font styles and colors used throughout the WPtouch interface. Background styles can also be selected from this area.
The "Icon Pool" serves as a repository for icons. These icons can then be utilized to personalize the appearance of your blog's mobile version.
A selection of icons is pre-populated, and users also have the option to add custom icons to this collection.
For those utilizing Google AdSense, the platform allows the inclusion of your AdSense ID. This enables the display of advertisements through the mobile interface.
Regardless of whether your WordPress blogs are maintained at an amateur or professional capacity, WPtouch offers a straightforward method for adapting the interface to be more mobile-friendly.
This ensures a better experience for visitors accessing your site via mobile devices.
Have you implemented WPtouch on your blogs? What were your results when viewing your site on mobile devices? Please share your experiences and feedback in the comments section below.