Almost 60% of all internet access is done through the phone. Yes, you did read that correctly – 60%. It is no secret that mobile devices have taken over in many different ways; this of course is not a bad thing for your business as long as you have a website that is mobile friendly. Responsive design may or may not be something you have heard of before, but the most important thing is that you are hearing about it now. With that in mind, what is responsive design and why does your site need it? Responsive design is something that in the long run is going to help you solve a lot of problems for your website – every web designer and business owner’s favourite words.
What is responsive design?
So, first things first, let’s establish what exactly responsive design is. To keep this simple, it is ultimately a way to put together a website so that it automatically scales it’s content and elements to match the screen size of the device being used. As we start to see people accessing websites on mobile phones, it is vital now more than ever to ensure your site works hand-in-hand with that. Responsive design keeps images from being larger than the screen and prevents site visitors from having to do extra work in order to read your content. It is a way to replace the need to design a dedicated mobile website for smartphone users; you can now simply design one website that scales up or down automatically to match the device’s needs. So overall responsive design is a way to make your site more mobile friendly, improve it’s looks and increase the time people spend there. Did we mention that it also improves your rankings in search engines? With that said, let’s now take a deeper look into the importance of responsive design for your business.
Why is responsive design important for your business?
The popularity of mobile devices has been constantly increasing over time which means that as business owners, you have to keep up with the movements in order to stay on top. Now it has been established what responsive design actually is, why should your business invest?
Cost-effective
It is important that you are always choosing the best and most cost-effective solutions for your business. So, let’s not beat around the bush, responsive design is going to save you money. This is because you won’t be having to pay for the extra cost of a mobile device; you will simply need one site design that appeals to visitors and matches all devices. Think about how much easier it would be to only manage one responsive site rather than trying to maintain two versions. This is not only going to save you money but will also open up spare time which you can then use and dedicate to work on other important areas of your business.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) improvements
Every business owner wants to be on top and will do whatever they can to stay at the top of those search engine rankings. It is simple really, the closer you are to the top, the better the chance that potential customers will find you. It is said that 94% of people judge websites on their responsive web design. However, it is not only visitors who are judging, you also need to be impressing Google. This is because Google gives preference to those websites that are mobile friendly. When combined with other factors, responsiveness can help to give your business a boost when it comes to search engine results.
Good user experience
You want people to like your site and make it a place that is easy to use so that people come back. I am sure everyone has had a bad experience trying to look at a website that simply is not mobile user-friendly; it is a frustrating five minutes that ends in giving up and going elsewhere. Not only is it aggravating for users but could also make your business seem unprofessional. This is exactly what you want to avoid which is why responsive design is the answer. Good user experience is one of its greatest benefits. Responsive design creates a better user experience because it allows content to be viewed quicker, eliminates zooming and creates a more positive impression overall.
Increases traffic from mobile users
It is important that someone can access your website from any device, whether that is a mobile, tablet or desktop – you must cater for everyone’s needs. As we see more and more people use portable devices to access the internet, it means that having two separate versions of your website is going to become a time consuming and high maintenance practice. By simply having one responsive site, it means you can ensure you retain your mobile viewers and have a site that is ready for any device.
Flexible
One of the great things about responsive design is how easy and quick it is to make any changes to the site. Sometimes you may find that your site needs the smallest tweak or a simple change; a huge advantage is that when you want to make this change you are only having to do it once. You will lose that worry of having to make changes on two different sites.
So, our question to start with was what is responsive design and why does my site need it? It is easy to see that responsive design comes with many different benefits. These range from saving money all the way to improving your SEO; without it you are going to struggle to provide your audience with a positive mobile experience.
Here at Worcester Web Studio, we hold extensive expertise and knowledge to ensure your company’s marketing is helping you to succeed. For information on how we can help you, contact us on 01905 34740 or email us at info@worcesterwebstudio.com.
