Are you reading this blog from your smartphone? If yes, then you are not alone. As of 2024, over 60% of global internet traffic comes from smartphones and by 2025, this figure is projected to increase even further to 70%. The point is mobile usage is growing every year and thus you must opt for responsive web design. If not, you are turning your back on more than half of your potential customers.
Looks like our parents were right, today’s generation is totally hooked on smartphones. In fact, even a 3 year old knows how to operate a smartphone these days. In today’s digital world, it is essential for businesses to have a mobile-friendly website to reach and retain more users. But why is it so important and how can you create an adaptive design that works across all platforms?
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What is responsive web design?
Responsive web design is an adaptive design that fits to all screen sizes be it laptop, tablet or smartphone. Think of it like a stretchable pair of jeans for your website which expands or shrinks according to the screen size. An adaptive design makes sure the user have a great experience on your site irrelevant of the device they are using.
If your site is not responsive, users may struggle to navigate, resulting in a poor experience and most likely they will leave your site. Thus, responsive web design is not just a design trend, it’s a necessity for providing high-quality user experiences and keeping your audience engaged.
Benefits of responsive web design for businesses
Boost SEO ranking
Responsive web design plays an essential role in improving and boosting SEO of your website. A responsive website ensures accessible content and user-centric website which is recognised by search engines like Google and thus they prioritise such websites. This is also because most users tend to visit websites using mobile devices. So if you focus on creating a user-centric, mobile-friendly website you increase your chances of appearing on the top page of search results, driving more traffic to your site and thus growing your business. A responsive website also means you don’t need to create separate mobile and desktop versions of your site, which can lead to duplicate content and reduce your website’s SEO performance on the other hand.
Increase user engagement
A responsive web design improves the overall engagement of the website. Ensuring that your website looks and works well on smartphones is important. If a user cannot find things they are looking for they are most likely to leave the site. In fact, 53% of mobile visitors leaves a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load. That’s a lot of potential customers lost simply due to poor design and slow load times.
So it is very crucial for your website to be mobile optimised and easy to navigate, keeping users engaged for longer. Additionally a website which has better engagement is most likely to be visited again by the users.
Enhance accessibility
Responsive web design increases the accessibility by ensuring the website can be used easily in all devices. Whether it is a smartphone, tablet or laptop, the layout adjusts to the screen size. Imagine you visit a website and you need to zoom in and out in almost every page. Frustrating, right? This is why a mobile-friendly website is preferred and this is also why you need to have a responsive website where text and images are resized automatically according to the device.
In fact even people with disabilities finds it easier to browse through smartphones, so having a user-centric website will make your website accessible for all. Alright, now that you know how important responsive web design is, let’s take a look at how you can create a website that works perfectly on any device!
How to make you website responsive
Use a responsive framework
Frameworks like bootstrap and foundation helps your website to automatically adjust to different screen sizes. They have ready to use layouts, grids and frameworks which you can use effortlessly.
Flexible layouts
Instead of using fixed sizes, use flexible size option like percentage for images, text and buttons. Using this method you can make sure everything shrinks or expands according to the device used. For example, rather than setting a fixed width of 500px for an image, you can use a width of 100% so the image adjusts accordingly.
Responsive Images
Make sure that the images you use can adjust on different screens and always choose the option, ‘fill the screen’ for it to adjust on all screens. This ensures that the images maintain their clarity and visual appeal, no matter the device or screen size
Hire a professional
Consider hiring a professional. A skilled designer or developer can ensure your website is fully responsive, optimized for all devices and provides a seamless user experience. They have the expertise to handle the technical aspects so you can focus on your business. If you are unsure, check out this blog about benefits of hiring a professional for your website.
Test on different devices
After making all the changes, always run and check your website on different devices like smartphone, tablet or desktop. You can even use tools to test how your website appears on various screen sizes. Regular testing ensures that your site is fully responsive and free of design flaws.
Conclusion
In today’s fast paced digital world, having a mobile friendly website or responsive web design is no longer optional, it’s a necessity. By making your website adaptable to all screen sizes, you can improve user experience, Search Engine Optimization and engagement. By switching to adaptive design and user-centric website, you are opening the doors to a wider audience. So whether you are just starting out or updating your existing website, considering responsive design is a smart move for your business.