It seems as if responsive design is taking the web by storm. Everywhere you look websites are upgrading their sites to a responsive design. If you have a non-responsive website, you may be thinking about if you should make the switch or not. There are positives and negatives to both sides, however the real decision needs to be made in what’s going to be the best decision for your business.
In this article we’re going to focus on what responsive design actually entails, as well as how you can make the decision to switch over to a responsive design or not. With the emergence of the mobile market it can be a smart decision to cater to this growing group. As this group continues to grow and possibly overtake the market of desktop users it would be smart move to switch over your design sooner rather than later.
What is a responsive design?
A responsive design essentially adjusts the design of your site to fit the window it’s displayed on. This means your site will look similar across any device it’s displayed on, although not exactly the same. Some older sites, simply have the same version of their site display, no matter the screen size. Responsive designs responds to the size of the screen.
How would a responsive design benefit your company?
A responsive design can go a long way towards increasing usability on a smaller screen. If a visitor gets to your site and has to spend extra time re-sizing the window, or trying to navigate on the tiny screen, there’s a good chance they’ll leave your site.
Overall, your goal should be to serve your customers. Your website is essentially an extension of your website. If your website doesn’t serve your visitors what do you think this says about your service? If your site adds any extra steps to your users experience, then it’s not doing tis job.
When you’re making the decision for responsive or not, you’ll want to consider the motivations of the person using your site. Is your site primarily a desktop experience, or do they have reasons for reading your website when they’re outside of the house? The motivations of your customer should shape your design. So, ensure you have a good understanding of your market before you move forward.
A solid way to check out how your visitors are currently using your site, is to examine the analytics of your website. The analytics will be able to tell you how visitors are coming to your site, as well as the times when they’re viewing your site. With these details you’ll be able to make a better decision regarding the design.
In which cases would you not need a responsive design?
If you already have a separate mobile website there’s a good chance you don’t need to upgrade to a responsive design, at least not yet. Often, a mobile website will have been developed with the needs of your user in mind, so you won’t have to do any added research. As long as your website already caters to your visitor’s needs, you won’t have to do any added upgrades.
Also, if you found earlier in your research that your website hardly gets any mobile traffic. Then you may not need a responsive website at this time. However, it’s important to keep checking in, as the mobile portion of your audience might not have developed yet.
I hope this article has been helpful and you can make a better decision regarding the implementation of a responsive design.
Written By Jason Brietstein
