So you’re planning to build, re-design or overhaul your website and you’re hearing about responsive web design and asking why it’s so important to keep pace with this technological advance. By responsive, I mean a website that will support all types of devices; so that it will display and function on the different screen resolutions of smart-phones, tablets, laptops and PC’s.
I recommend responsive functionality to all my clients; when redesigning or building a new website. Clients will consider the design, functionality, user interface and content, and to ensure the best accessibility – responsive design. This is so important for several reasons:
1. Mobile internet use is increasing all the time; creating incredible access to your chosen market. This mobile-web savvy market demands optimum display and functionality from your site – whichever device they use – and a responsive web design means your site will always provide the best user experience (UX). The happier the visitor, the more likely they are to return.
2. You can keep better track of all your web stats; recording and reporting on web analytics and visitor information for each different device platform can all be viewed from a single console. This helps with identifying areas that need improvements or specific attention and can ultimately make significant improvements to your business.
3. SEO is boosted; this is often a must-have for digital marketing strategies and mobile friendly websites are becoming an essential component. Keeping the content for each device platform within a single set of code (this is what makes it responsive), means that Google rankings are not diluted when it finds multiple versions of the same content.
4. Managing your site is quicker and easier with a responsive web design; when you post an update onto your site, it appears and functions properly across each mobile internet platform. Imagine doing that multiple times for every new post or update to your site – it would take way too long, and time is money!
5. Better PPC performance; with Google AdWords targeting tablets, smart-phones and laptops alike, you get better value from a single landing page that makes managing your PPC campaigns easier.
6. Google recommends responsive website design; the search engine with over two-thirds market share regards it as industry best practice for to crawling, indexing, and organising content efficiently. This will help with your rankings!
Google also prefers responsive web design because content within a single website and URL for all device types, makes sharing, interacting and linking much easier for users. And that helps with your visibility!
The best web design for your business will depend on many factors; the objectives of the website, the target audience, whether SEO and Ad campaigns are required and so on. But as virtually everything is available on the move, every online business is going in for a website that can be viewed and used on smart phones, iPads, iPhones, tablets, laptops and desktops.
Responsive web design is fast becoming standard practice; all the sites the team in our studio design are built to maximise the reach and effect that being responsive can achieve. When you’re planning to invest in a new website for your business, ask yourself these few simple questions:
• Is the mobile Internet user important to my business?
• Are web stats and visitor information valuable to my sales or marketing?
• Do I want good search rankings with Google on all device types?
• Do I want management of new content & updates to be easy?
• Do I want to get the best returns from PPC and AdWord campaigns?
• Do I want my content to engage with a wider audience?
If the answer to all or most is yes, then a responsive design will give you the best results. We’ve been building responsive websites for all type of clients and the feedback we receive on site performance as a sales tool is always extremely good and that the initial investment always pays dividends.
If you have a question about responsive web design, Get in touch with Ben. I head a team of creative designers, developers and digital marketers that specialise in websites & bespoke apps of all types and scale.
Alchemy Internet is a division of Alchemy Systems International.
