convert-mobile

# Convert Mobile - Mobile-First Compression of the Donahoe Method

> *"60%+ of web traffic is mobile. The Method must hold there or it doesn't hold."* - Wayland conversion playbook

Mobile is not "the desktop page, but smaller." Mobile is a different reading device, a different interaction surface, a different physical posture. This skill takes any direct-response asset built with The Donahoe Method and engineers the mobile rendering so that every Method layer survives the 375px squeeze.

## When to Use

Trigger phrases: "mobile sales page", "mobile conversion", "mobile thumb zone", "thumb reachable cta", "mobile-first design", "small screen sales page", "donahoe mobile", "mobile compression", `/convert mobile <product>`.

Use when:
- Designing or rebuilding the mobile rendering of a long-form sales page, VSL page, squeeze, OTO, or lead-magnet page
- The desktop page exists but mobile feels broken, slow, or under-converting
- A net-new page where mobile is the primary or sole device
- Diagnosing why the mobile bounce rate is high and desktop is fine

Do NOT use for:
- Native iOS or Android app design (this is web-only)
- Desktop-only spec - use `/convert above-fold` + `/convert scroll-rhythm`
- Auditing a live URL - use `/market landing <url>`
- Generating the desktop page first - desktop is downstream of mobile in this skill's worldview, but if the user wants the full asset, route to `/convert sales-page`

## Why Mobile-First (the operating principle)

A mobile-first page works on every device. A desktop-first page that's "responsive" almost always loses something on mobile - a layer of the Open compressed away, a CTA pushed below the fold, a proof block that wraps awkwardly, a Cascade Close that fragments.

So: design the mobile version first. Then expand for tablet and desktop. Every Method layer must be present at 375px or it doesn't ship.

## The Mobile Operating Constraints

### Constraint 1 - The viewport

| Device class | Width | Design baseline |
|--------------|-------|-----------------|
| Smallest still-shipping | 320px | iPhone SE 1st gen - design must not break |
| Modern compact | 375px | iPhone SE 2/3, iPhone 12/13 mini - design baseline |
| Modern standard | 390-430px | iPhone 14/15, most Android - abundant space |
| Large mobile | 430px+ | iPhone Pro Max, large Android - extra space, treat as standard |

Design and test at **375px**. Verify nothing breaks at 320px.

### Constraint 2 - Fitts's law (1954) - touch target sizing

*Fitts's law (Paul Fitts, 1954): the time required to acquire a target = function of the distance to the target and the size of the target.*

Translation for mobile: bigger CTAs that are closer to the thumb get clicked. Specifications:

| Element | Minimum | Method-grade |
|---------|---------|--------------|
| Primary CTA height | 44pt (Apple HIG) | 56-64px |
| Primary CTA tap area | 44×44pt | 56×280px+ (full-width on mobile) |
| Secondary CTA / link | 44×44pt | 48×120px+ |
| Form input height | 40px | 48-56px |
| Tap-target spacing | 8px gap | 12-16px gap |
| Body text size | 16px (anti-zoom) | 17-18px (comfortable read) |
| Line height (body) | 1.4 | 1.5-1.6 |

Anything below the minimums creates rage-taps and abandonment. Method-grade is what we ship.

### Constraint 3 - The thumb zone (Hoober, 2013)

*Steven Hoober's research ("How Do Users Really Hold Mobile Devices?", UXmatters, 2013, replicated since) maps mobile reachability into three zones based on one-handed grip.*

```
+--------------------+
|      HARD          |  ← top corners - slow, awkward
|   ~~~~~~~~~~~~     |     (especially top-far-corner for the dominant thumb)
|--------------------|
|       OK           |  ← middle - comfortable
|                    |
|--------------------|
|      EASY          |  ← bottom-center - natural thumb arc
|     ~~~~~~~        |     (sticky CTA lives here)
+--------------------+
```

Application rules:
- **Primary CTAs in the EASY zone.** Sticky bottom CTA on long pages = +10-25% conversions vs top-fixed (varies, folklore-leaning).
- **Hamburger menus in the HARD zone are standard but ergonomically poor.** Accept the convention (Jakob's Law); don't reinvent.
- **Long-press destructive actions stay in the HARD zone** - friction is a feature there.

### Constraint 4 - Single-column composition

No multi-column layouts on mobile. The three-thirds of the desktop scroll-rhythm collapse to a single vertical column. Section ordering becomes the *only* visual hierarchy. Sub-heads do more work.

### Constraint 5 - Speed budget

Mobile loads on cellular. Web Vitals targets:
- **LCP** (Largest Contentful Paint) <2.5s; >4s is failure
- **CLS** (Cumulative Layout Shift) <0.1; layout shifts cause accidental taps
- **INP** (Interaction to Next Paint, replaces FID 2024) <200ms

Practical implications for Method assets:
- Hero image: WebP, <100KB, lazy-load below-fold images
- Hero video: poster-image preview only; lazy-load video chunk on user gesture
- No render-blocking JS in the hero
- Fonts: subset to characters used; preload primary font; system-font fallback

## Inputs

Required:
1. **Asset type** - long-form sales page / VSL page / squeeze / OTO / lead-magnet / bridge
2. **Method skills that have run** - outputs from `convert-open`, `convert-three-locks`, `convert-bullets`, `convert-proof`, `convert-close`
3. **Desktop spec (if exists)** - output from `convert-above-fold` and/or `convert-scroll-rhythm`

Optional:
- **Brand visual constraints** - colors, typography, image style
- **Existing mobile rendering** - for porting / compression
- **Primary device target** - if the audience skews iOS or Android (rarely matters; Hoober applies)
- `out_path` - caller-controlled output. Defaults via `build_report_path("business-conversion", instruction)`

## The Mobile Method Compression Rules

Every Method layer must survive. Six compression rules:

### Rule 1 - Open compression (Four-Layer Open)

Desktop hero shows Layer 1 (headline) + Layer 2 (subhead). Mobile shows