Tap targets are the areas of a web page that users interact with on touch devices.
Buttons, links, icons, and form fields are all tap targets. Many search engines, including Google, consider mobile-friendliness a ranking factor, so making sure tap targets are large enough and spaced far enough apart is essential for both accessibility and SEO.
When tap targets are too small or too close together, mobile users may accidentally tap the wrong element, which can frustrate visitors, reduce engagement, and increase bounce rates.
Ensuring tap targets are sized correctly improves usability, makes your site more accessible, and can boost your search rankings.
What Causes Tap Targets to Be Hard to Use
Several design and layout choices can make tap targets difficult to interact with on mobile:
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Buttons or Links Placed Too Close Together:
Users may accidentally tap neighboring elements instead of the intended one.
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Small Interactive Elements:
Buttons or links that are smaller than recommended dimensions are harder to hit accurately.
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Crowded Layouts
Text, icons, and buttons packed tightly in menus, forms, or footers.
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Non-responsive Designs
Buttons sized for desktop screens shrink on mobile, making them hard to tap.
Recommended Tap Target Sizes
Google and UX best practices provide clear guidelines:
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Minimum size: 48×48 CSS pixels per tap target.
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Minimum spacing: At least 8 pixels between interactive elements.
These dimensions ensure users can comfortably tap elements without mistakes.
Real Examples
Why these elements failed:
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Social Icons (42x42px): In the footer menu, the social icons are just shy of the 48px limit. To a user, these feel "okay," but Google flags them because the "hit area" is too small for a standard thumb press.
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Slider Navigation: The arrows on the image slider are even smaller. Because they sit right at the edge of the screen, users often miss the button and accidentally click outside the browser or the image itself.
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Navigation Menu ($335 \times 35$ px): Even though these buttons are wide enough to span the screen, their height (35px) is too narrow. This "thin" target makes it easy for a user to accidentally click "Returns" instead of "Order Status."
How to Fix Tap Target Issues
1. Increase Button Size
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Make buttons, links, and interactive elements larger, meeting the minimum recommended dimensions.
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Ensure button text remains readable on smaller screens.
2. Add Spacing Between Elements
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Increase margins or padding around tap targets to prevent accidental taps.
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Leave enough room in menus, forms, and footers so users can easily differentiate elements.
3. Use Mobile-Friendly Layouts
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Implement a responsive design so tap targets scale properly across all devices.
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Avoid cramming too many buttons or links on small screens.
4. Test on Real Devices
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Emulators are useful, but testing on actual smartphones or tablets gives the best insight.
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Look for areas where users may mis-tap or struggle to interact.
Why Fixing Tap Targets Matters
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Improves user experience: Visitors can navigate your site effortlessly.
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Boosts SEO: Mobile usability is a ranking factor, so accessible tap targets can help your pages rank higher.
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Increases conversions: Users are more likely to complete actions like purchases, sign-ups, or form submissions.
Focus on High-Traffic Pages First
Prioritize pages with the most mobile visitors, such as your homepage, product pages, or key blog posts, to have the biggest impact.
