Web Designer East Elmhurst

What is Responsive Web Design?

Desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets: there are so many different screens that people can use to view the content they’re looking for on the internet. While all these devices can provide users access to the same website, how the site loads and is viewed from one device to another is different. A desktop computer screen is much larger than a smartphone screen; for example, the size difference dramatically impacts how a website responds to each device.

If you’re visiting a site that has a “fixed” design when you view it on your desktop, it might have four neatly arranged columns, but when you visit the same site on your smartphone, you might have to scroll to the left or the right to view all of those columns. Additionally, the site may be slow to load on your mobile device, images may be distorted, and you may not be able to find the same elements that you were able to see on your desktop (such as the shopping cart or contact information) on your smartphone. It is not very convenient and is pretty frustrating.

Responsive web design fixes these issues. Responsive sites automatically adjust to the devices they’re being viewed on. A place with four columns on a desktop computer may have two when viewed on a smartphone, for instance. It loads faster, the images are correctly sized, and all elements can be easily found. In short, a responsive design makes your site easy to use on all devices.

• • It lets you appeal to all users. There’s been a massive increase in mobile device use; most consumers use their smartphones and tablets to find the products and services they’re looking for. However, that doesn’t mean that desktops and laptops are entirely out of the picture. Many shoppers use their computers and mobile devices to look for products and services and make online purchases. Responsive design allows you to appeal to all users, no matter their device.

• Increased satisfaction. When your website meets the needs of all users, satisfaction significantly increases. Think about how frustrated you are when you can’t access all of the content on a site you’re visiting on your mobile device; your visitors experience the same frustration if they’re having that type of experience with your website. When your site is functional, attractive, and easy to use on all devices, your visitors will be much more satisfied.
• Increased conversions. According to recent statistics, users with a bad experience with your site on their mobile devices are more than 60% less likely to purchase a product from you. Therefore, if your site is responsive, it’s safe to say that your conversions will increase.
• Improved SEO. Due to increased mobile use, responsive design is now an essential component that search engines consider when ranking sites on their results pages. When visitors have an easier time accessing your site on all their devices, they’re more likely to stay around for a while, and the more time users spend on your site, the more value it offers. Search engines give higher rankings to more valuable sites; therefore, responsive design has become crucial to website optimization.
• Reduced costs. When your website is responsively designed, you don’t need to have two different versions of the same website, which can significantly reduce your costs. While it might be a bit more expensive initially, maintaining one site instead of two is much more cost-effective.