What are we supposed to do with all of these options available for Internet enabled devices? The idea of targeting specific devices and resolutions today is absurd.  There are more resolutions, phones, and platforms then you can list. By the time you finish designing and coding for each device, your website is out of date.

Here are some quick/simple fixes you should consider:

Avoid Flash, QuickTime, or any other plug-in that might not be available to a mobile user.

Do not exceed 960px wide or people will be scrolling forever.

Do not use fonts smaller then 11px.

Make sure primary site navigation is large.

Here are some long-term solutions to adopt:

Responsive Design is a viable solution. The idea to build a single web property that has the ability to dynamically change its display based on the device. This applies to low-resolution devices and high-resolution devices.

Remember when you are viewing a Responsive Designed site it is still the same website, but no matter what device your end customer is using the site is optimized. Responsive Design is the idea of having a single website that renders well on a multitude of devices.

Responsive design begins with your website, but becomes a part of your marketing strategy. How? The first step when contemplating a redesign of your website using responsive design is to look at your analytics. What types of devices are your visitors using to access your site? If your traffic has changed and they are now using tablets and mobile devices to access your site, you will benefit from a responsive website.

Here are six positive effects:  increased conversions, lower bounce rates, increased page rank, a stronger online presence, decreased development costs, and a competitive advantage.

The worst thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

This might sound obvious, but less than 10% of the ‘Top Million Websites’ were mobile ready less than two years ago. As Smartphones, tablets, etc. continue to proliferate, the failure to provide for these visitors will mean you risk alienating a significant portion of your target market.

Also do not make assumptions about the behavior of mobile users; or that mobile users are ‘on the move’. Did you know that 40% of mobile searches have local intent? Google showed that almost 80% of mobile searches occur at home or work.

Make sure your decisions about how to treat mobile visitors are based on actual data; in other words Test and Track. You cannot figure out how your mobile visitors are behaving if you do not track them separately from desktop visitors. You need to segment out the mobile visit data in order to make informed decisions.

Did You Know? Taken individually, spending on tablets increased 87.6% from the end of 2012 compared to the end of 2013, while the increase on Smartphones was 118.1% in the same period.

Typography –

During the embryonic phase of the internet, text was rendered almost entirely in the system default font. Then designs were limited to the fonts available on personal computers. In time, solutions were developed to load fonts for users. With this greater flexibility in design came a greater responsibility on the part of designers to use the resources available to them. Today, designers are recognizing the importance of typography in conveying brand message and improving usability. Websites and web applications will have to continue to adapt to mobile screen sizes. Tablets and other such devices have comparably different reading experiences and navigation than standard personal computers. One of the major issues with websites and web applications viewed via mobile, stems from the difficulty of reading text. To help solve this challenge in 2014, web developers will begin experimenting with the size, location, and layout of type-based content.

One page websites –

A single page website is simpler to use and navigate. They are the latest trend many are considering. The fact remains simpler websites with higher resolution images can attract the attention of the users and convert visitors into your consumers.

Less Content –

Those who visit your website (most likely) only read a few lines on a page. Leading web designers are eliminating content on their sites. The first couple of paragraphs on the pages should be enticing, well-laid out, and convey your message effectively and efficiently. However, do not go overboard and inundate your visitors with text-heavy pages – you will lose them.

Scrolling to Sections –

Web developers have given a gift to users who are sick and tired of incessant scrolling – visitors wanting information without scrolling can simply click on links that move the page down to the desired section. This creates an easy-to-use and overall pleasant experience, for the browser.

Photography –

Now that we have better displays and high-resolution mobile devices controlling the market, website designers are employing alluring, large-format photographic backgrounds. However, remember the devices which these are viewed necessitate accommodations in order to optimize effectiveness. An image, presented in one format on a desktop should present in a comparable style on mobile sites, for brand identity.

Keep in mind a well-designed website is worthless if it is not well-developed – S.E.O., S.M.O., mobile, responsive, etc.

Responsive design was one of the leading trends in web and mobile development during the past two years. Designing and coding for mobile, as well as personal computers is familiar to all in the industry now; however, the line between mobile and desktop experiences still is not clearly defined. Experts say as a result of this ambiguity, throughout 2014, we can expect websites to seem much more like applications.

*Did You Know? Online shoppers in the United States will spend more than $327 billion in 2016.

Consumers were most likely to purchase in response to two things in 2012 — discounts and free shipping. All businesses need to consider promoting these and additional deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, on their website and through email marketing.

You should be accumulating a database of email addresses through your website, and you should definitely be sending email newsletter campaigns and offers to advertise Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on a weekly, if not daily basis.

Online press releases are also a tool you can employ to increase your website’s exposure. You can send a press release for Black Friday and additional holiday promotions.

Never underestimate word of mouth marketing –asking people to visit your website for quality deals should not be undervalued. Having a website URL that can be emailed, posted on social sites, or otherwise communicated is a simple, but effective strategy.

The goal should be to use your holiday season activity to acquire consent and information you will transform into sales in 2014. The easier you make it for your customers and prospects to achieve their objectives, the more they will be loyal to your business. They will remember the positive experiences when things settle down after the holidays.

Do not forget to capture email addresses and permissions by offering a free gift, discount, or bonus for people to opt in to your email programs. The email obtained today can become future profit.

Use Black Friday and Cyber Monday to bring people back for more. Create triggered email messages that do more than provide status updates. Educating customers about your products and services improves their experience and your revenue.

Plan your follow-up, so you do not neglect your customers, which is paramount just like good service. Create customized follow-up website and email strategies targeting specific customers.

So here are some things to consider for this holiday season.

The mobile focus will intensify during the holidays. The National Retail Federation is forecasting mobile to drive e-commerce sales gains of between 13 and 15%. Last year, e-commerce sales increased 15.5%. They are predicting retail sales to gain only 3.9% as the United States economy continues to improve, however, online sales across-the-board, and mobile sales more specifically, should be very positive.

Did You Know? According to data published by the National Retail Federation, more than 35 million Americans visited retailers’ stores and websites during Thanksgiving, 2012 – up from 29 million in 2011.