What is a Responsive Website?

Do you remember when you used to have to zoom in and scroll on a mobile website? In 2015 Google rolled out a change to the search engine algorithms which now factor in a website’s mobile presence as a ranking signal. Simply put, a website needs to be user-friendly on a smartphone. If it is not, your brand may be losing out on leads and sales. In fact, 40% of users have gone to a competitor’s website after a poor mobile experience.

A responsive website changes the layout to offer an experience based on the device being used, especially ideal for mobile viewing. This includes design elements such as:

  • Readable text without requiring zoom
  • Adequate space for tap targets
  • No horizontal scrolling

To ensure your website offers an experience tailored to handheld devices (without creating a separate app), it is important to make sure your website is responsive.

Benefits of Responsive Website Design

  • The number one benefit of a responsive layout is the guarantee that any user on any device will have the best experience possible on your website. And, the most consistent.
  • Website responsiveness is also a great way to refine the content on your site, making sure that people using a mobile device are only seeing the most essential information.
  • With the Google algorithm update, a responsive web design increases visibility on search engines—because it is mobile-friendly. A site with an effective mobile experience will show up in search results above one without.

Why Responsive Website Design is Important for Businesses

  • Increase reach to customers and clients on smaller devices (tablets & smartphones)
  • A consistent experience that can increase lead generation, sales, and conversions
  • Analytics, tracking, and reporting can all be in one place
  • Time and cost of on-site content management are decreased
  • Stay ahead of the competition

Google accounts for over 5.7 billion searches conducted on the web daily. There has never been a more important time to make sure your website is responsive.

For more information, get in touch.