Mobile website viewing is going to surpass desktop viewing soon, and unless you are planning on building and launching your firm's very own app, you need a responsive design website. According to a ClickZ Study from January 2015, "For Google, mobile comprised almost half of all traffic from June to November, with 52 percent coming from desktops and 48 percent from mobile." As smartphone and tablet use rapidly increases, a redesign that makes your website mobile friendly is an essential unless you don't mind giving up on half the web viewing audience. Even Google’s new algorithm uses “mobile friendly” factors to determine page rank. (You've probably heard the doomsayers as of late) Smartphones and tablets have changed the approach to website design regarding user experience. In the past, you needed to create a cool looking website that was compatible only across browsers. Today your website needs to function across various screen sizes, devices, and operating systems to engage all of your visitors. Luckily, that’s what responsive design allows you to do.

What is responsive website design?

Responsive web design (RWD) is a design approach that, using specific code (usually Bootstrap) that allows your website to adjust automatically to provide the optimal user experience across all devices.  Designs feature minimal resizing panning and scrolling and automatically adapt to a broad range of devices from smartphones to smart TV.  If you’re planning a website redesign, it’s important to include responsive design elements.

Here a few reasons and some advantages you should consider a responsive design website for your business.

Grounds for upgrading to a responsive website design

The reasons are pretty undeniable. RWD is here to stay, and if you're going to compete online, you’ll need to apply RWD techniques when doing your website redesign. Here are a few reasons is important:

• Mobile use is growing – Mobile is the fastest growing segment of online engagement. More users are using portable devices to get information while on the go!
• Social Activities Bring Mobile Users – Social media is most often accessed on mobile phones. If your business is active on social media, users will often click through to your website. If your site is hard to navigate, the user will click off (and curse).
• Responsive websites have SEO advantages - Google prefers responsive sites over mobile template sites. It is a factor used by their algorithm when ranking and having a single URL makes it easier for Google bots to crawl your site.

What are the advantages of responsive website design?

There are significant advantages to incorporating responsive design elements into your online presence. It doesn’t require a lot of extra coding, and the benefits are more than worth the effort!

• Responsive is flexible – RWD sites are fluid, meaning that content adjusts across devices to provide the best user experience no matter how or where it’s viewed.
• Loyalty begins with user experience – Website visitors have come to expect an easy and intuitive experience online. RD allows you to give the busy executive on their smartphone, and the student was surfing on their laptop the optimal experience, simultaneously!
• Responsive design is cost effective – Responsive design sites mean one URL to manage, one website to the program, maintain and update and improved search engine optimization.

Responsive design is the tool used to make websites that provide an optimal online experience. If you’re planning on a website redesign, use a responsive design website platform like Squarespace. Website visitors expect an optimal user experience, using the browser they are accustomed too and on whatever device they are using. If they run into any difficulty or poor user experience, they will click off your website and most likely not return.

About Michael Conway and Means-of-Production

My firm builds Squarespace websites, Houzz profiles, and content marketing and advertising solutions for architects, interior designers, design-build contractors and landscape design firms. Our all-in-one tactics attract the right clients with exceptional architectural photography and brand messaging that sets you apart from the competition. Contact me for a free-of-charge consultation and marketing review. It takes about 40 minutes and you'll be provided a list of actionable improvements designed to solve your specific marketing problems.