Mobile usage dominates, with most internet searches now taking place on smartphones or tablets.
When people want to find goods or services, they pull out their phone and do a search. In fact, 70% of smartphone owners who bought something in a store first used their mobile device to search for information on it.
If your web design isn’t responsive then it probably isn’t rendering properly on different screen sizes, degrading user experience and increasing your bounce rate.
You want – nay need – to have a website design that is both easily viewable and functional on all devices. But those aren’t the only benefits of responsive design.
Here are 3 reasons why responsive web design is necessary.
1. Mobile User Experience Matters
Yes, desktop user experience is still important but mobile has become more relevant.
Why? Because 60% of consumers exclusively use mobile to make purchase decisions.
And when those consumers have a positive user experience they’re more likely to buy.
Users who don’t make a purchase commonly cite lack of information and poor user experience as the main reasons.
And that’s not where the benefits end. 89% of people are likely to recommend a brand after a positive brand experience on mobile.
2. Responsive Design Beats Mobile Design
Responsive for the win!
There is a difference between a website designed for mobile and a responsive website designed for all available screen sizes.
Both types of design will work for improved viewing on mobile devices, but there are distinct advantages to implementing responsive web design.
Mobile websites – also called mobile-dedicated sites – are entirely separate from the desktop version of a site and live under a different url.
Responsive websites exist on one URL and are designed to automatically adjust the layout to render properly on any available screen size, be it desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
Only requires maintenance of one website, responsive design cuts the amount of work necessary to update content in half.
3. Search Engines Love It!
A lot.
Responsive design allows your site to be viewed on one URL, regardless of what kind of device is being used.
The reason search engines like this is because it:
Helps to reduce instances of common mistakes that occur on mobile sites, such as unplayable content or faulty redirects.
Makes it easier for Google’s algorithms to assign indexing properties accurately to the page.
Allows users to share and link to your content with ease at a single URL.
Reduces the time it takes for a site to load as no redirection for device-optimized viewing is required.
Is your website is rendering well on all screen sizes and keeping both viewers and search engines happy? Implementing a responsive design will create a better user experience while streamlining both the design and development process.