With the staggering growth of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, and mobile device usage, via games, apps, social media, and websites, it is now essential that your business website is mobile friendly, so that your clients and prospects can easily browse and find information, regardless of what type of device (phone, tablet, desktop, etc.) they are using.
In 2015, Google rolled out a change to the search engine algorithms which now factor in a website’s mobile presence as a ranking signal. This reason alone can justify why responsive web design is important!
A website needs to be usable on a smartphone and responsive web design is the solution
Responsive Web Design includes elements such as:
– readable text without requiring zoom,
– adequate space for tap targets,
– no horizontal scrolling.
Can you recall the shrunken version of a desktop site on your phone? It was likely not an optimal experience!
Why Responsive Web Design Is Important ?
1. Mobile usage is on the rise
Currently, more than 58% of American adults own a smartphone and almost 60% of all website traffic is from mobile devices.
2. Social media increases mobile visitors
Over 55% of social media consumption now happens on mobile devices, so sharing links from social media sites like, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or Google Plus to your website will mean even more traffic and viewing of your website from mobile devices. So if you have a social marketing strategy and want to leverage social sharing of content, get responsive.
3. Responsive web design websites improve seo rankings
Responsive development is Google’s recommended approach for mobile web design. Per Google, responsive websites will perform better in search rankings because they provide a better user experience than sites that are not mobile friendly.
4. Responsive web design adapt to multiple devices sizes
Want your web design to look great, no matter the device or screen size? Then responsive web design is the way to go. But don’t just think about today with smartphones and tablets. Think about tomorrow with smart watches, and Google Glass, and whatever new devices pops up for internet viewing. Responsive web design and development will work for them too.
5. One site is easier to manage and increase ROI
There are currently many organizations that actually have two websites: 1) their main site and 2) a second mobile version of their site. This was a fairly common practice before responsive development became the preferred method. That meant mutiple versions to manage and update – inefficiency!
With a responsive web design, your website will adapt to each device, providing the relevant layout and content that best meets the users’ needs. It also means that your business will only have one website to manage, meaning you’ll only have to update content one time, regardless of how different people consume your content. That also means lower web content management costs and higher R.O.I.
6. Responsive sites provide a better user experience
There are plenty of business reasons to implement a responsive website, but they all connect back to the goal of providing a better user experience for your audience. A responsive site means no more pinching and zooming, and no more side scrolling, to see an entire site that doesn’t fit on a mobile screen. And a better user experience reduces bounce rates, boosts website conversions and improves brand perception.
7. A better bathroom experience
Finally, the most disturbing statistics about the growth of mobile usage:
75% of Americans bring their phones to the bathroom!
That’s certainly gross and it may also be an indicator of the downfall of mankind, but it is a fact! And if people are going to browse from the restroom, you can at least provide them with a positive user experience.