Sixty percent of mobile phone users access the Internet from their preferred device on a regular basis. Stats like this stress the importance of having a website that’s designed for mobile viewing and browsing. If you can’t afford to invest in a separate mobile version of your existing site, there are cost-effective steps you can take to make your current website universally accessible.

Turn Off Auto-Correct

Turn off the auto-correct option to avoid frustrating attempts to correct what’s entered in the name and address fields. Use the auto-capitalize feature to make it easier to enter a first and last name without the need to hit the caps lock key. You can also make a similar adjustment to the email field to automatically enter the “at” symbol.

Adjust Window Width

Set the width of your window to the narrowest possible width that doesn’t sacrifice readability. For your mobile visitors, this will eliminate the need to zoom or scroll.

Give Images Maximum Width

Mobile screens aren’t shaped in a way that naturally accommodates all images. Keep images from being cut off by increasing maximum width to 100 percent to automatically resize images that are too large to fit on the screen.

Don’t Disable Submit Buttons

The purpose of disabling submit buttons after one click is to prevent desktop users from clicking more than once when placing an order to avoid duplicate charges. Mobile users, however, sometimes experience network disruptions, making it necessary to click again.

Use Word Wrap

Long strings, as may be necessary when entering a phone number or account number, may run off screen on smaller mobile screens. Remedy this by using word wrap to prevent the need to scroll.

Increase Button Size

Smaller buttons increase the odds that a mobile user will hit the wrong button when trying to add something to a cart or complete the checkout process. Reduce this risk with a larger button size. The standard recommendation is 44px by 44px.

Use High-Resolution Images

Mobile screens typically require an image resolution that’s double what’s necessary for desktops. Upping the resolution of images will prevent certain images from appearing pixelated or blurry.

Use YouTube Videos

Place any videos you wish to use on your site on your YouTube account and use the code from the video for your site. YouTube videos are already coded for viewing on any screen, so you won’t have to worry about fiddling with settings.

Check Page Load Times

If your site is heavy on images and videos, your page load times may be slower on mobile devices. If you’re going to stick with one site, minimize the use of any features, like scrolling text, likely to slow page load times.

Test Your Site

Don’t expect mobile users to automatically let you know if they’re having difficulty accessing your site. Instead, test your site yourself on smartphones and tablets to get an idea of what the average mobile user experiences and make adjustments accordingly.

With an estimated 5 billion mobile device users worldwide, ignoring remote browsers isn’t an option. Simple steps like those mentioned here can make your website more appealing to mobile visitors. Yet such adjustments won’t sacrifice the usability of your site for traditional desktop browsers.