Your business needs a website, but these days it isn’t just about looking good on a desktop computer screen. As mobile technology continues to evolve, your potential clients are using smartphones, iPads and tablets to surf the web. That means they’re evaluating your business on an increasing number of screen sizes – and you want them to like what they see.
Think about it: in the past week how often have you used your smartphone or iPad to conduct some on-the-fly research online? How often do you think people you know have done the same? According to a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, more than half of smartphone owners use their devices to surf the web. This trend is growing so rapidly that some technology experts believe that
by 2014 the majority of Internet traffic will be on mobile devices.
So what’s a business owner to do? Do you need to create a different version of your website for every possible screen size? Do you throw your hands in the air and let your customers deal with the hassle of using a traditional website on their iPhone?
The solution you’re looking for is responsive website design.
What is Responsive Website Design?
Responsive website design is a technique that allows your site to dynamically adapt to the device it is being viewed on. One prospect might be viewing your site on a desktop computer, while another prospect is viewing it on an iPhone – in both cases your site will automatically detect the screen size being used and adjust accordingly.
Responsive design is more than an “add on” that can be plugged-in to a traditional website. Instead, it’s a way of coding your site from the ground up so that it’s easy-to-navigate and user-friendly regardless of the device your prospects are using to browse your site. This kind of improved user experience has tangible results: improved conversion rates, more page loads per visit and more time spent on your site, to name a few. One company, Skinny Ties, reported a 13.6% conversion rate increase and an iPhone revenue growth rate of 377.6% following their decision to go responsive.
Should Your Website Be Responsive?
The simple answer is: YES.
Regardless of your industry or the size of your business, you need to have a user-friendly site that meets prospects where they are. Whether they’re using their iPhone while sitting on the train, or their tablet while relaxing at home in the evening, you want to capture their attention and convert them into customers when they land on your site.