The use of mobile devices likes smartphones and tablets have increased rapidly in the market, and they have overtaken the desktop and the primary method of accessing the web. Users accessing the Internet via Smartphones and tablets rather than a desktop computer, the importance of having a mobile-friendly website becomes paramount.
Each client today needs a Responsive version of their website that could run on all the devices (desktop / mobile / tablet) smoothly. Responsive web design is one of the most powerful modern concepts in the web design arena but the question arises: Why does responsive web design matter for your website? Before we understand that, we must understand what exactly “Responsive Web Design” is.
What is responsive web design?
Responsive web design is simply a technique for developing websites in a manner that all the website content, images, and structure remain the same on any device which means the website can work seamlessly on mobile devices, tablets, and desktop screens. Responsive web design is a design that can handle all types of users either on mobile devices or any other devices.
This technique is very popular because with responsive website design, we don’t have to worry about the different websites for various devices. In other words, there is no need to design separate websites specifically for laptops, mobiles and desktop screen resolutions.
Let me share some reasons why responsive design matters and why it is important to the success of any website:
1. Increasing Mobile usage
Recent studies have proved that mobile usage and adoption have overtaken desktop penetration and responsive design allows the same website to work on all devices.
2. The Best User experience and increased conversion through the improved user experience
Responsive websites make visitors happy with your site. And the click-through-rates increase 21-24% with a responsive website as compared to mobile versions or any other versions.
3. Maintenance is Minimum
Before responsive design we had only 2 options:
1. Create a desktop site that would look small and inconvenient on mobile devices.
2. Create a separate dedicated mobile site that would work on the mobile device browser.
The above options increase the cost and time involved in maintenance as you need to update both websites on a regular basis and if you chose only the desktop variant, you run the risk of losing the mobile users and eventually revenue loss.
With this responsive technique, there is only one site that can be easily accessed across 3 variations Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile.
This also ensures that we need to make an update to the site only once and it will be updated on all versions.
4. Responsive Design is Preferred for SEO
Google and other Search Engines prefer Responsive websites. Google recommends and promotes a Responsive website design. In many research studies, it has been found that Responsive websites usually perform better and load in just one second or less than that making it easier for users to share and link to your content with a single URL.
This is the reason SEO guys prefer a Responsive version because these sites have one URL and the same HTML, which makes it easier and more efficient for Google to crawl, index, and organize content from just a single URL.
5. Reduced Bounce Rate due to a better User experience
Did you know that a high bounce rate is usually taken as a negative sign by search engines and there are a number of reasons that contribute to a high bounce rate with a major reason being non-responsive design? So how can you reduce your bounce rate?
The solution is Responsive design. Responsive websites have lower bounce rates as compared to their non-responsive websites. Responsive websites offer all the website content to users in a package that is easy to view and manage, hence ultimately keeping users on your page and a lower bounce rate.
6. Reduces the page load speed
Page load time is one of the major factors when it comes to search engine rankings. Google always rewards fast-loading web pages, which load in just one second or less than that. Responsive design results in fast loading and Google can discover the content more efficiently and easily index all the content.
7. The Future is Mobile
With mobile phones being increasingly used for search and making purchases online, you need to provide the audience with a mobile-friendly site. So making your website responsive becomes an essential aspect of your online presence and increasing sales and revenue.
Responsive web design is like the backbone of online marketing and is recommended by Google as well. It allows your website to provide a great user experience across multiple devices and screen sizes.
For more questions about Responsive Web Design, please Contact us today!
