In a world that has no shortage of devices that come in many different sizes, web design had to evolve and adapt to better meet the needs of the users at the other end of these devices. For those familiar with the term responsive web design, you’d know that a responsive website can kill many birds with one stone.

Lets dive into the concept of responsive web design and why it is important.

What is responsive web design?
In short, responsive web design refers to a way of designing a website that allows it to adjust to the size of the device users are viewing the website on. These include mobile phone, tablet and desktop viewing.

Why is responsive web design important?

User experience
When it comes to a website, the user experience is crucial and it’s important that they’re able to navigate their way around your website without any issues from any device.

Google ranking
A responsive website helps you get into Google’s good books. When Google sees that you have a high bounce rate (the percentage of people exiting your website), you’ll be severely penalized and your rankings – both organic and paid will drop.

Loss of potential business
Your website will help you generate business, but when it’s not easily accessible to a user on their preferred device, people are far more likely to lose interest and this will lead to a loss of potential customers.

Credibility
Your website is more than just the destination that allows people to view your products or services. It’s the digital face of any business. A website that is not responsive can create an unprofessional perception of a business, which can result in it being stripped of its credibility as a service provider.

Increased mobile traffic
Before responsive web design, two variations of a website was the norm – one that accommodates desktop users, and another specifically aimed at mobile users. But two versions of something that serves the same purpose can be both costly and time consuming in the long-run. Now that people are utilizing their mobile devices much more to access information they’re looking for, responsive web design makes it easier for you to reach mobile users.

Responsive web design is not a concept that is likely to die down. With the constant rise in the types of devices available to us, responsive web design needs to be forward-thinking. This will ensure a positive user experience, help with your ranking, credibility and traffic that can result in potential business.