If you don’t have a responsive web design, then chances are you’re missing out on a lot of potential visitors and customers. You may even be losing some. Here’s why a responsive web design will help you get more visitors, and how not implementing this design could be handicapping your business:
You cater to mobile platforms
Many of your current (and potential) visitors are probably accessing your site through one type of mobile device or another. A responsive web design automatically adapts and conforms to different screen sizes. If your web design is unresponsive, it could be shrinking the text too small for the visitor to see, distorting your images, or it may not properly fit into the screen at all, meaning it won’t be a draw to potential mobile visitors.
Image via Shutterstock
Improved visitor experience
Responsive design means no redirection, no duplicate content, no awkward site or page renditions that look different on every platform and that may not even translate properly half the time. Responsive design translates into a site with a consistent look and feel
that works on all devices, thus offering a better experience, which attracts more visitors and can lead to a higher conversion rate as well!
Image by Optimized marketing
Every business wants to reach as many consumers as possible in their target market. With responsive design, you seamlessly integrate your campaigns into all mediums, from desktop to cell phones, thereby reaching more consumers and attracting more
visitors.
Increased visibility on search engines
Google and other search engines like responsive sites, and tend to feature them most prominently in the main SERPS (search engine result pages), as well as local searches. That means not only increased overall visibility, but also increased community exposure
for your website, equaling more local, national and even global visitors.
Image by You stay relevant
Refusing to update your old website design is a great way to lose visitors and miss out on the opportunity to gain new ones. Employing state of the art technology on your site that improves your visitor experience keeps you relevant and keeps your website looking great, and that’s a major step in helping you get more customers.
Your web design needs to be more than a polished, visual representation of your business and brand these days; it needs to work with whatever medium your potential visitors can find your site on, including their laptop, cell phone, tablets and other devices. If you haven’t already implemented a responsive web design, then it’s time that you do. It will help you get more visitors and help keep your business growing.
Couldn’t agree more with the points raised in this post. Mobile users will soon be the majority so you’ve got to cater for as many platforms as possible. Not supporting anything other than desktop screen sizes will only alienate potential visitors and if your clients aren’t getting the interest they think their site deserves it will have an impact on your own business.
I used to work with 2 agencies at the same time, both actively refused to use responsive design. They insisted on using tables and not using CSS for layouts, in 2012. Safe to say I don’t work there anymore and they don’t make websites anymore either. Lesson to be learned here for everyone.
Great article and all valid points, in fact we’ve seen the difference it makes by monitoring stats following a response website development. Also, it’s worth mentioning the cost to upgrade needn’t be that high for most websites and therefore the ROI is good. Responsive websites, reach more of your audience, it’s the way to go!
Funnily enough, I thought of a similar situation to highlight the importance of responsive design. Imagine a person walking into their favourite coffee shop and walking out in disappointment that s/he couldn’t order a drink-to-go. Possibly the potential visitor might experience the same feeling, while using the alternative device to view their picked website.
Here are some visual examples of some designs:
http://www.awwwards.com/websites/responsive-design/
Yes, very true.
What disturbs me is the number of very big names out there, with thousands of subscribers, who still do not have responsive websites.
Thanks Jared Chelf for the great article. I’ll be back later for some great tips and information.
No problem, thanks for reading!
My website is not responsive (not enough time yet for a redesign) – yet I am top result for several search terms relating to my artwork and genre. Is this search bias against legacy websites being implemented slowly, or are a plethora of great back links and solid content still trumping those changes?
Great Article Jared Chelf! Responsive Web design is one of the best ways of ensuring that your audience’s online experience is equally viable across mobile and desktop environments, particularly if yours is an e-commerce site. Thank you so much for sharing your unique ideas with us.
You’re welcome!