We previously wrote an article about 8 benefits of responsive web design in 2014. We thought we’d circle back around and update that article to make it more relevant.
You strive to give your customers the best experience with your business. Whether that is providing excellent customer service or creating a memorable atmosphere, your goal is to delight your customers.
But, a lot of business owners don’t give a second thought to the experience their customers have with their website. According to SCORE, only 64% of small businesses have a website, and 19% of those don’t have a mobile-friendly website.
We know by looking at Google Analytics that 38% of our website visitors in 2018 were using a mobile device. If our website wasn’t mobile-friendly, we would miss out on almost half of our website visitors.
How do I make my website mobile-friendly?
According to Pew Research, 77% of American adults own a smartphone. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that 77% of American adults go online on a daily basis.
When considering a new website for your business, it’s important to think about a mobile-first design rather than trying to make your existing website mobile-friendly.
At Speros, we advocate for responsive web design. So does Google.
Responsive web design is the practice of building websites on a fluid grid. This grid will adjust to any screen resolution, giving your customers the best view of your website no matter what device they are on.
Here are some of the benefits of responsive web design.
Save Time and Money
Back in the day (like, prior to 2011), you would need your primary website for desktops and then a second site for smartphones. You may have even needed a third site for tablets.
You only need one site if you use a responsive design. There is no extra cost of developing and maintaining a separate mobile site. Your time and resources can be spent on making your company website the best it can be.
Better User Experience
Have you ever viewed a website where you had to zoom in and scroll around the page to view all of the text and images? How long did you stay on this page before getting frustrated and leaving?
A responsive website adapts to any screen so that it looks great on any device. Think of each element on your website as a modular unit. Each unit will adjust its size and placement based on screen size. This way no one will have to zoom in to see anything on your website.
Consistency
Having a single website that is adjustable ensures that your website always has a consistent appearance. It also ensures that you’re delivering the same content across each device.
When you have a website that isn’t designed for mobile or is a website made exclusively for mobile, you can experience glitches across devices.
Keep Visitors on Your Site
According to Google, 29% of mobile website visitors will leave your site immediately if they can’t find what they are looking for.
Guess whose site they will go to? That’s right, your competitor.
User experience directly contributes to how long visitors stay on your site, and whether or not they make a purchase. A responsive design will ensure that you aren’t leaving anyone out.
Improve Your SEO
Other mobile website solutions require you to have 2 sets of code. You may even have to have 2 separate URLs as well. This makes it harder for Google to properly rank your website content.
In 2012, Google went on record to specifically recommend responsive design over other mobile design solutions. Responsive design is not only easier for visitors, but it’s also easier for Google as well. It allows Google to crawl your content faster and index your web pages easier.
Future Proof Your Website
The number one advantage to responsive website design is that your site is built for the future. Since your website adjusts to any screen size, you won’t have to worry about how it will look on any new devices.
