7 Tips for Building a Website for Android — With Android

Android is one of the most popular open-source mobile operating systems on the planet, and while it has differences and similarities with iOS, Android currently holds the distinction of being the system that’s growing its user base the fastest. As tablet and smartphone use continue their meteoric rise, the importance of having a website — whether you’re a blogger or a small-business owner — that’s optimized for Android devices and systems is increasing also. Don’t get left out in the cold. Here are seven tips for building a website optimized for Android by using Android.

1. First, Dot Your I’s

Building a website requires a lot work, but before you jump into it, make sure you complete a few basic prerequisites. Sign up for and purchase a unique domain name that fits with the name of your endeavor. Be sure to choose something that will resonate with the demographic, customer base, or audience you’re hoping to reach.

You’ll also need to find someone to host the site on the Internet for you — click here for some good options. Make sure to sit down and design at least a rough outline of the types of pages you want to include in your site, so you can be sure to build out everything you’re going to need.

2. Use a Website Builder for Android

Once you’ve crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of building. If you’re someone who doesn’t have a massive amount of coding in your background, you’ll want to look into using a website builder that’s specifically make for Android.

There are hundreds out there, but one of the simplest to use is SimDif. Built for Android, you can build it from your Android device relatively easily, or switch between devices, computers—even iOS. Another great feature is that SimDif gives tips for writing content, improving search engine rankings, and increasing traffic. They also have a helpful support staff if you run into any trouble.

3. Get the JavaScript Reference App

Even with a good website builder, it’s possible you’ll still need some help in a couple of areas. One of the most common is in working with JavaScript. The JavaScript Reference App is a must for this need. There are a lot of coding languages out there, and you may, at some point, need assistance with all of them. The benefit of this app is that it was made by W3School, which makes it thorough and simple, and should you ever need any help with other languages, W3Schools can still be your go-to source of help.

4. kWS

A great Android web server, kWS runs on any Android device. You’ll want to have it up and running when you’re building your site, so you can easily test pages as you work on them. Beyond that, though, it’s a great tool to use it to load pages, content, images, video, and more because it’s optimized for Android and is, therefore, really fast.

5. Get Analytics With Analytix

While you don’t need to necessarily worry about it at the outset of building your site, you should concern yourself — at least a little — with analyzing how many people come to your site, how they get there, how long they stick around, and what they do while they’re there. A feature of Google Analytics, knowing these sorts of stats and others like them allows you to make changes that yield more sales, heavier traffic, and more overall engagement. To accomplish this end well with Android, you’ll want to install an app called Analytix. It can give you almost real-time views into your stats, so as you’re doing ongoing improvements of your site, you can see what’s working and what’s not.

6. Make Sure You Can View Your Web Source

Being able to view a page’s web source is not a common feature of Android devices and browsers. In order to see what’s happening on pages you like or want to emulate, then, you’ll need to install and use a View Web Source app. Once you have this app up and running, you’ll be able to see behind all the curtains that are running Android to further your site’s functionality and design.

7. Don’t Ignore Design

Design — especially as it relates to usability — should never be an afterthought. Research the most popular Android apps and sites, and see what they have in common from a design perspective. Let what makes their sites a pleasure to browse inform the way you design your website.

Building a site for Android with Android isn’t just possible; it’s surprisingly simple and common. Just follow these seven tips, and you’ll be and running in no time.