Having a responsive website design is vital in today’s internet age. A website that is responsive is one that is capable of adapting to the screen that it’s displayed. It doesn’t matter what type of device it’s being used on the website will reformat itself automatically. A responsive website gives users a better experience and has a number of benefits. Nowadays, people are using mobile devices more and more so it’s important for businesses to update their websites.

Increase in Mobile Usage

A number of reports have revealed that in the past few years people have turned to their smartphones. The availability that people have to 4G has impacted how much people have used their mobile device as well. In 2014, the subscriptions to 4G took off, growing from 2.7 to 23.6 million over the year.

During that year, it was also reported that the number of people with a smartphone was over 2/3rds of the population, and the internet was used by approximately 33 percent of users that said that their phone was their most important online device. You spend twice as long on the internet on our mobile devices than you do your personal computer or laptop.

By the end of the year in 2016, the use of the web on mobile devices was reported to have taken over the use of the desktop computer. The public is becoming more tech-savvy, including those who are past middle age. This means that more people are scroll through their Facebook timelines, using their phones for online banking, and shopping online. On average, seven out of ten adults use their smartphones.

The sheer number of people that use their mobile devices alone should be enough to convince any company that they need to invest in responsive web design. If a website isn’t mobile friendly, it’s highly likely that potential clients and customers will click off of your website. Getting responsive web design is as easy as using WordPress website design. Google even rewards those who optimize their websites.

Google’s Recommendations

In 2015, Google introduced the world to recommendations which reward those sites who were fully optimized for mobile devices. Google has incorporated mobile friendliness into their ranking algorithm; those who optimize rank higher.

Even more recently, they’ve taken it a step further by implementing a mobile-first index method. This method shows rankings in order of the mobile version of the sites, as opposed to the ones optimized for desktops. This helps mobile users find what they need quickly and encourages others to convert their websites to mobile formats.

Benefits of Responsive Web Design

Pages and content are made flexible.

A responsive website shows across all devices and at all screen resolutions, meaning it will be easy to navigate despite differing screen sizes. Responsive sites make it easier for users to scroll and browse.

Designs can improve the user experience.

Positive user experience translates into a positive perception of your company and brand. It allows customers to access you across all platforms and makes it easier for return business. So much traffic comes from mobile use, it’s important to take advantage of it when you can.

Web design that is responsive is extremely important to ranking.

As mentioned earlier, search engines have incorporated the responsive design to help rank websites. Those sites that are optimized for mobile-use often load faster. Faster load times help drive traffic to your site; therefore, your ranking is boosted. It also decreases your bounce rate and makes sharing to social media easier. It can help you reach a broader audience.

Marketing campaigns are a much smoother process for the mobile format.

Campaigns for SEO can be done easier now. Web maintenance is also easier since you only have one website to maintain. It’s quick and less expensive than caring for your desktop site and creating a mobile application that stands alone.

Websites that are mobile-friendly are becoming the industry standard. To succeed, it’s vital that your company is updated so that you can reap the benefits that responsive websites have.