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.
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