5 Reasons Why Your Website Must Offer a Responsive Design

If you are in business, you probably have a  website, but did you know that your website is incomplete if it hasn’t been built with responsive design in mind? Responsive design refers to websites that are designed so that they can be used and viewed on any kind of device, especially mobile devices like smart phones and tablets. According to the Pew Research Center, 97% of American own a smart phone and 15% of American access the Internet exclusively through their mobile devices. Whereas we once only viewed the internet on our desktop PCs or laptops, the evolution of digital technology has brought all manner of gadgets ranging from smartphones to tablets, smart watches, and more. All of these devices mean that your website must offer a responsive, mobile device-friendly design.

Here are five reasons why your business’ website needs to be build with responsive design in mind.

More People Surf the Web on the Go

Globally, 97% of the world accessed the Internet from a mobile phone in 2023. This year’s numbers show a significant increase in mobile surfers, meaning that websites need to be optimized for mobile devices more than ever. The website that isn’t responsive simply will not get the same amount of visibility as those that are.

Google Could Penalize Your Search Rankings

You’ve heard about all the changes Google and other search engines continue to make in their algorithms. The fact is websites that are built with responsive design rank better online. Google started this back in 2016, so responsive design is a ranking signal that has been around for a while now.

If your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, Google may take notice, especially if your competition does have site that is optimized for mobile devices. As more and more people use their mobile devices to surf the web, they expect your website to work well no matter how they access it.  If it doesn’t, then it is a missed opportunity.

It’s Just Good Business to Have a Responsive Design for Your Website

If you’ve never seen Give ‘Em the Pickle, Customer Service Trainer Bob Farrell shares this nugget: “Remember, our business is not what we sell, it’s who we serve.” Your first obligation to your customers is to focus your efforts on their experience.

With an eye toward user experience (UX) on your website, responsive design is critical to meeting customers’ expectations. Yours won’t be the first website they have visited. If yours does not measure up when they access it through their tablets or smartphones, how do you think they will experience your business? Make a positive first impression by making sure that responsive design is built into your website design from the beginning.

It’s Simple to Request Responsive Design from Your Web Designer

Creating a responsive design does not have to be difficult. It is a critical question to ask the web designer you are working with. Many of the most popular WordPress website themes or templates include responsive design which is built it. This means that all that is needed is some finetuning and a little extra setup.

Your web designer might already offer the option to have responsive design built in. If you aren’t sure, make sure you ask. It has been our experience that adding responsive design to a web design package is affordable and pays for itself in new business and customers over time.

Get More Traffic from Responsive Designed Websites

We aren’t saying that you should jump on every bandwagon that comes your way, but having a website that is mobile-friendly is a pretty big deal.

Because so many people are accessing the Internet from so many kinds of mobile devices, it makes sense that having a website that can adapt to smaller screens will bring you more traffic over time. Responsive design is essential to building online traffic to your site and helping your search engine optimization.

Responsive Website Design Done For You

As you might have gleaned from this blog post, having a responsive website is critical for your business. If you are looking for a simple, cost-effective, results-driven way to boost your website traffic, then we recommend following suit and transforming yours into a responsive website. It may be even easier than you think!

Our Alexandria-based web design firm has helped thousands of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and associations navigate smart website designs that deliver results. Set up a complimentary consultation with us and learn how we can help you succeed online with a website optimized for mobile.