Responsive Website Design – Respond or Die

Recent research shows that somewhere in the next five years the number of mobile Internet users (people accessing the Web via their smartphones and tablets) will surpass the number of people accessing it over their laptop or desktop computers. Smartphones are such powerful little gadgets today and they can be used on the move so this should come as no surprise to anyone.

This changes the paradigm of web design completely. Businesses need to adapt or they will start noticing a dwindling number of visits on their pages, if they already haven’t.

What Exactly IS Responsive Website Design

Since people are using various devices to browse the Web businesses need to make sure they are providing them with an optimal user experience. Responsive website design does exactly this. It makes sure that your webpage easily navigable and user-friendly on every possible device that is used to access it. Responsive webpages recognize the constraints of the device used to access them and adapt, in layout and format, to those specific devices.

4 Reasons to Use Responsive Website Design

Actually, there is a plethora of reasons why responsive website design should be your first choice. It is easier to maintain, easier to optimize and ultimately easier to convert with it. Here are four reasons why having a responsive website should be your priority.

1. Google loves It
   Google is all about user experience. Algorithms take their cues about website relevance from user behavior. If your site is not user-friendly over all devices then you might be in a trouble. Your ranking will reflect this as Google favors sites that are optimized across the board.
   
   
2. It lowers your bounce rate
   This one ties well with the reason we previously mentioned. Users accessing your good old boring site via their smartphones or tablets will quickly find that it is a nightmare to navigate. No one wants to spend hours zooming in and out, getting lost in a forest of unnecessary information. Responsive website design allows you to get rid of clutter on mobile versions of your page. This significantly lowers your bounce rate which in turn reflects favorably on your Google ranking.
   
   
3. It helps consolidate your efforts
   Responsive website design cuts your maintenance, marketing and SEO efforts in half. If you are running separate versions of your webpage for different platforms you are stretching yourself thin. Every little tweak must be repeated for every version you run. With a responsive website the changes you do are applied immediately and for all viewing devices.
   
   
4. It increases your conversion rate
   When people find your page easy to navigate and view they are more likely stay on it for longer periods of time. This gives you and your content more time sell to them. Unresponsive pages annoy people and annoyed people are not the best consumers.
   
   

The bottom line here is that responsive website design might just be the thing that helps you boost your performance. It will make your webpage more user-friendly, something that’s highly appreciated by both the users and Google. This will improve your ranking and conversion rate ten-fold so don’t miss this opportunity to give your business a leg up!