How Responsive Web Design Works

There is no denying more and more people are now accessing the internet using their mobile devices. In fact, this year, the number of mobile users is already at 6.95 billion! What is even more impressive is the number of mobile users is expected to rise to 7.1 billion by 2021 and 7.41 by 2024.  

If you are a brand, the statistics are even more compelling. For instance:

• At least 40% of consumers are using their mobile devices to conduct research before making in-person purchases.
• More than half of the 40% make routine purchases using their smartphones.
• At least 55% of shoppers make mobile purchases after discovering products through social media.

Taking into account all the aforementioned statistics, it is easy to see that having a responsive website can help you generate more leads and achieve that competitive advantage.

Responsive Web Design in a Nutshell

By now, you are probably wondering what exactly is responsive web design, how it works, and why you should make the switch. In this article, we will provide answers to all those pressing questions and help you understand why responsive web design is the next big thing.

In essence, responsive web design refers to a website that is designed with mobile-friendly content, media, and features. Websites that are responsive adapt and change depending on the device the visitor is using, regardless if it is a tablet, desktop, or smartphone.

Nowadays, responsive web design is no longer a suggestion. It has evolved into a critical investment that can help diversify the user experience (UX), build brand awareness, and convert more site visitors. 

It can also save your business valuable time. Responsive web design also helps warrant that your site is compatible with all the screens and devices to ensure a great user experience.

The Importance of Responsive Web Design

Responsive web design allows you to build a vast, more engaged audience regardless of the device they are using. Without a responsive web design, you can alienate visitors that are in the lookout for a desirable and more engaging mobile experience. 

Research shows that you can lose a staggering 90% of your potential customers if you provide a poor mobile experience. That is a lot of customers and revenue! 

Responsive web design offers several peerless benefits. Below are three of the most relevant:

It can help your target audience find your site more easily.

At least 63% of people access Google using their mobile devices. Mobile-first indexing has also been known to impact how the website ranks on the search engine results pages (SERPs). Also, if your target audience searches for your site using their smartphones and your site is not mobile responsive, they will not find your site at all.

It can help shoppers stay on your site longer.

The bounce rate on smartphones is at 40%, compared to only 27% for tablets. If your web page loads in five seconds or less, you are guaranteed a 70% longer viewing session. Mobile users want (and expect) a quick and top notch website experience and you can achieve it through responsive website design.

It can help build positive brand recognition and trust.

At least 57% of consumers say they will not recommend a business that offers a poor mobile experience. The same report also indicated that at least half of online shoppers that have a disappointing mobile experience will also think negatively about the business itself. 

In essence, responsive web design will not only delight the customers, it will also encourage them to recommend your business to others and come back to buy more. 

Responsive Web Design Best Practices

With an intuitive site builder or CMS, responsive design is easy. However, even if you are using the best CMS, it will not be able to compensate for mobile-friendly content. 

Below are some responsive web design best practices that can help you provide the best mobile-friendly web experience for your customers and visitors:

Use scalable vector graphics.

If your site has icons or illustrations, it is recommended that you format them as scalable vector graphics (SVGs). Unlike PNGs and JPGs, SVGs can be scaled infinitely. This is important so you can provide a high-quality browsing experience for your site visitors regardless of the device they are using. 

A responsive web design can also help your site load faster, a great thing for both SERP rankings and user experience. 

Do not neglect your buttons.

What is it that you want your site visitors to do when they make it to your site? Take action, of course! You can encourage your visitors to take action by  providing a call-to-action (CTA).

It is also important to consider how your site visitors interact with the buttons on your site. If your CTAs are located at the bottom of your website, you might need to do some reevaluation as it might not be ideal for online visitors. Ideally, your CTA should be at the top of your site so visitors can see it from every angle.

Consider your typography.

If your font looks great on your desktop, it does not always follow that it will appear the same way on a mobile device that is a quarter of its size. If visitors cannot read your website accordingly, they are also likely to not click or buy anything.

When it comes to typography, the following are some of the best practices you can consider:

• Refrain from using uber thin fonts as they can fade away on smaller screens.
• The rule of thumb for both mobile and desktop web content is 16pt body type.
• Ensure all the headings are larger than the subheading and body.
• Use contrasting colours for your typography so it does not fade into the website’s background hues.

Test your website often.

As much as possible, test your responsive website on different browsers and devices. You can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool so you can gauge how your site is performing. You can also use other tools that can help you get an idea what your site will look like on devices of various kinds.

Over to You

With countless consumers browsing and shopping using their mobile devices, you should consider responsive design a must-have. Without it, you would lose your share of customers, leads, and revenue.