As web users continue to make the shift to viewing websites on mobile and tablet devices, building a responsive site is key to keeping in touch with your consumers and showing them you are here to provide them with the best experience possible.
What is responsive design?
Responsive design is a web technique that allows a web page to reflow its contents, adjusting to fit on any screen size. A responsive web site does not require a separate website and URL like mobile sites do. Also, there is no need for the user to zoom in on the page as the text and graphics are scaled automatically for easy viewing.
A mobile site is a site specifically built for mobile devices that is completely separate from your normal website. However, the content on both sites are the exact same.
One site is better than two.
We’ve all heard that two is better than one. But for websites this is not true. Before responsive web sites were implemented, it was normal to have two sites: your desktop-based site and a coexisting site specifically for mobile devices. Now that responsive design is possible, it the preferred method of website design. There are several reasons why a responsive website is a better option for a website:
A responsive site provides a better user experience for your consumers. A mobile site generally has less content than the desktop version, but still has the same design. A responsive site is easier to read and navigate; giving the viewer access to the key content they are looking for quickly and efficiently.
Second, duplicate content on the web, especially for Search Engine ranking, makes things difficult. If you have a web site, such as domain.com, and a true mobile site, such as m.domain.com, then technically you have two websites, two domains, and duplicate content. Duplicate content is not a preferred practice for achieving a high ranking in search engines. It won’t hurt your ranking, however it will cause more difficulty for Google to determine your primary page and rank accordingly. For example, your mobile site can show up higher in rankings than your actual website when users perform a search from their computer.
Third, a responsive site saves time when editing. As Dana Nevins says in her post regarding responsive design: “If you ask Google’s Developers and Webmasters, they actually recommend using responsive web design due to the benefits it will give you. It will consolidate your site so you do not need a separate mobile URL, giving you one easy to manage site.” (2013) Without responsive design, in order to make an edit, you would need to log in to both sites and change the content separately. Doesn’t seem like much of a hassle at first until you have to update several pages at once.
In conclusion…
Responsive sites are where websites are going. Keeping your site up to date is a must. Most prospective consumers visit your website first whether for location and hours, or looking for contact information. Statistics show that nearly 74% of consumers were more likely to revisit a site, and 67% were more likely to buy, if the site was mobile friendly. (Miller, 2012)
Want to know more about how responsive design can change your website for the better? Our web experts will be more than happy to talk to you. Give us a call at (817) 616-0320, or shoot us an e-mail at digital@glintadv.com.
Citations:
“5 Benefits of Responsive Web Design.” WebShopManager. Dana Nevins, Web. 10 December 2013 <http://webshopmanager.com/n-9447-5-benefits-of-responsive-web-design.html >
“72% of Consumers Want Mobile-friendlly Sites: Google Research.” Search Engine Watch. Miranda Miller, Web. 26 September 2012 <http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2208496/72-of-Consumers-Want-Mobile-Friendly-Sites-Google-Research>
