Responsive web design is that type of technology that allows websites to adapt systematically and fit into different screen sizes. This is made possible through the use of small blocks of conditional code (media queries) in the website’s cascading style-sheets (CSS) to alter the styling as per the size of the screen. This technology is commonly used to hide a website’s main dashboard on smaller screens and substitute it with a compact drop-down menu that is easier to manipulate on a mobile phone. The following are 7 advantages of responsive web design:
1. Better User Experience
The responsive web design negates the need for designing separate sites for the various screen resolutions landing on your website. It caters for all traffic sources and delivers a user experience that visitors will be accustomed to as they use different devices. For instance, users who bookmark websites with apps such as Pinboard, Instapaer or Pocket, will automatically view a similar design if they use another device. In addition, if the URL is shared on social media pages, the singe URL will be compatible for both desktop, tablet and mobile users.
2. PPC and SEO Benefits
Responsive web design makes PPC campaign management much easier, owing to the simple fact that it does not differentiate between tablet and desktop users.
On the other hand, Google, through the help page titled “Building Smartphone-Optimized Websites” advises web owners to utilize responsive web designs above other mechanisms. It states that the use of a single URL assists Google in assigning indexing properties for the content. Moreover, it reduces load time because no redirection is required, and it saves resources for the website and Google’s crawlers. This improves websites’ ranking on search engine results.
3. Easier and More Comprehensible Reporting
The use of a single URL means that there will be only a single set of analytics to assess and report. The merged reports can facilitate easier analysis of conversion paths and funnels so as to identify areas that need improvement.
4. Easier Maintenance
Due to the fact that a responsive design is a single web property and not an independent mobile website or website, it is very easy to maintain.
5. A Unified Code Base
This technology is implemented with a unified set of source code. This implies that modifications can be done in a central place and viewed by all website visitors. This simplified administration process can help to reduce the time and costs needed to update the site.
6. Higher Conversion Rates
Recent statistics show that more people access the internet via mobile devices than regular computers. Hence, by increasing the focus on tablet and smartphone users while still catering for desktop users, the responsive design can be effective in boosting the overall conversion rate of websites. For businesses this means higher sales and profits.
7. Stay Ahead of the Pack
Lastly, the internet is a highly competitive environment. Luckily, research has shown that just about 3% of websites are optimized to take advantage of mobile web users via responsive web design. Therefore, web owners have the opportunity of gaining a significant edge over their rivals by embracing this technology.