What is Responsive Web Design?

It sounds fancy, but what does it mean? When websites were first being created, developers made them for desktops. Once smartphones and tablets were introduced, the websites made for desktops didn’t always work right: images were cut off, websites took too long to load, some websites didn’t work at all on mobile. As a response to the mobile market, developers started creating separate mobile-dedicated sites, which generally had a separate URL (usually m.website.com instead of www.website.com). Finally, after the majority of businesses and developers realized that mobile was the future, the idea was created for a website design that adapts or “responds” to the device being used, thereby introducing Responsive Web Design (RWD).

It can get pretty technical in how it works, but the idea is to create the same usability and satisfaction regardless of the device being used. Images and text render to accommodate any screen size (or “viewing environment”, if you prefer that term). This is especially useful since every new phone seems to have a different screen size.

Responsive web design became even more standard in 2015 when Google announced that their new search algorithm will give priority to mobile-friendly sites in their SERPs (search engine results pages).

These days, responsive web design is pretty standard, with all of the major website builders offering mostly responsive templates. Still, when designing your website, don’t just assume it will look good in mobile. Test out images and content to make sure you are creating the best user experience possible.

Some Quick Stats About Mobile and Marketing

Mobile usage continues to grow. If you haven’t made a plan to utilize mobile advertising, it’s way past time. Do you use email marketing? According to Return Path, a company who focuses on email marketing data, mobile accounts for 55% of the open rate, which is up from 29% in 2012.

What about when it comes to search? Google reports that since 2015, more searches take place on mobile over desktops. In the current day and age, mobile searches account for OVER HALF of all searches. Google also reports that 51% of smartphone users have found a new company/product when searching with their mobile device.

What about social media? According to Statista, as of January 2018, over 95% percent of active Facebook user accounts use their smartphone to access the social networking site, compared to only 32% using their desktop.

For all of these reasons, and many, many more, it’s time to make mobile a priority in your business. Do you already have a responsive website? How mobile friendly is your company? If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

References:

Mobile is Now the Preferred Platform for Reading Email with More than Half of All Email Opens. (2017). Return Path. Source: https://returnpath.com/newsroom/mobile-now-preferred-platform-reading-email-half-email-opens/

What We Searched for in 2015, and What That Means for Marketers. (2015). Google. Source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/advertising-channels/search/what-we-searched-for-2015/

Being there in micro-moments, especially on mobile. (2015). Google. Source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/micro-moments/being-there-micromoments-especially-mobile/

Device usage of Facebook users worldwide as of January 2018. (2018). Statista. Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/377808/distribution-of-facebook-users-by-device/