Why Responsive Web Design is Important
As the number of devices used to access the Internet continues to increase, responsive web design rapidly gains importance. Having a website that can be accessed by a smartphone and tablet obviously helps to greatly increase your visibility, but responsive web design takes this a step further. The practice ensures that users receive the same, optimal experience no matter what device or screen size they are using. Creating a seamless web experience across devices gives your brand a reputation for attention to detail and customer service, which is an invaluable asset.
Mobile Purchasing
Mobile purchases are now greater than desktops sales, and mobile internet use is predicted to exceed desktop use by 2014. In addition, 67 percent of smartphone and tablet users say they are more likely to make purchases when websites are mobile-friendly. This is a tangible reason for how responsive web design can benefit your bottom line, and why it is a good long term investment. Mobile browsing will only continue to grow in the future, so your site needs to be capable of handling whatever future devices come about.
SEO Advantages of Responsive Web Design
If your business is to adhere to consumer demand, it is essential to embrace responsive web design. The only other option is to create a separate mobile version of your website, but this lacks many of the advantages found with responsive web design. There is a reason why Google recommends responsive web design for mobile configuration and calls it the best industry practice. Not only is it easier for their search engine to crawl, index and organize the content of your site, it is also much simpler for you to keep the same URL and HTML. You also do not need to manage two separate sites and two different SEO campaigns.
A More Positive User Experience
If you have two different sites, or if your site is not configured for mobile use, when a customer shares content from your desktop site and it is viewed by a user on a mobile device (or vice versa), the second user will receive a lower quality experience. In contrast, responsive web design allows users to easily share, interact with, and link content through means such as social media. Responsive web design ensures that all users receive an optimal experience with all devices and screen sizes. Furthermore, it ensures consistency; all users have the same experience. Users are likely to become frustrated if they need to find a different URL from a friend’s referral or from when they were browsing on a different device. For you, this could mean the difference between making or losing a sale (or even a potential customer).
Google Recommends Responsive Web Design
Responsive web design is recommended by Google for Search Engine Optimization as well as user experience. Implementing responsive web design will make it easier for you to manage your site and campaigns now, and will most likely be even more necessary in the near future as mobile Internet usage continues to expand.
Watch this video for more information on Responsive Web Design:
