As an IT professional what makes you stand out, confident and reliable is your ability to adapt, use and understand the ever changing technology advancement. In web design and development there has been a series of improvement in technology applied in development of dynamic websites. With more people using their smart phones and tablets to browse the internet, it has become increasingly important to create a website that works across multiple platforms. After exploding onto the scene in a blaze of glory in early 2012, responsive web design (or RWD) is now firmly established as the best way to create a website mobile visitors love, and has become a central feature of the modern web design landscape.
This article seeks to explain the merits of developing responsive websites. In our previous article titled “UNDERSTANDING RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN” we were able to explain in detail all you need to know about developing responsive websites. Responsive design will optimize a user’s browsing experience by creating a flexible and responsive web page, optimized for the device that is accessing it. Below are some of the advantages of applyng responsive technology in developing your websites.
1.) Your Sites Visibility In Search Engines Will Be Increased
Content is vital in SEO, good quality content which is regularly released improves your search engine ranking page positioning, therefore an advantage of responsive design is that fewer resources will be wasted in low-level duplication of content across sites, the content need only be applied to a single site, increasing your chances of a higher search engine ranking. Responsive Design allows you to manage one website with a single set of hypertext links; therefore reducing the time spent maintaining your site. This allows you to focus on link outreach with a consolidated Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. SEO campaigns can be time consuming and costly, but by creating a responsive site, all of your efforts can be focused on a single site, with unified strategy and tactics across devices.
2.) Increase Sales And Conversion Rate
Use of custom Style Sheets (CSS) across devices and unified design approach will create a consistent look and feel leading to Consistent user experience which will have a positive impact on conversion rates as people are familiar with the site navigation and or system use across devices. Responsive design removes some of the barriers that having multiple sites can present, i.e. in functionality, performance and consistent look and feel leading to increased sales and high conversion rate.
3.) Enhanced User Experience
Websites are important tools for sharing content. A user-friendly web site makes it easier for visitors to find, absorb, and pass on this content. Responsive web design places an emphasis on designing for the user and with user experience being a big ranking factor; it makes sense that Google is encouraging developers to embrace responsive web design. Responsive design helps modern websites appeal to modern users; users who are increasingly likely to traverse the internet using a mobile or tablet device, but who still expect their desktop experience to be as smooth as ever. Going responsive is the most effective way to make the most of mobile and tablet traffic, and to offer visitors the best possible user experience.
4.) You Will Enjoy The Benefits Of One Website One URL
If you have a responsive website, it enables you to build social shares for just one URL, and when the site does get shared, wherever the link is viewed whether on a mobile, tablet, or on desktop all of the content will be clear and easy to navigate. One of the main challenges posed by having a separate mobile and desktop version of your site is that you will have to spend more resources building both sites. Most separate mobile sites do not rank well in search engines, as they are duplicate of their desktop counterparts. Responsive websites enables you to maintain your backlinks, which helps you focus your SEO on one single site. All of your links will be directed to one domain (as opposed to one mobile website and one desktop site), giving your responsive website a boost in Search engine rankings.
5.) Save Time And Cost In Site Management And Analytics
A single responsive website means that all of your tracking and analytics will continue to function and be condensed into a single report, allowing for easier monitoring and analysis. Your clients will also find it easier and less time consuming to manage and maintain a single site. In addition a single administrative interface can easily be optimized, using layout and workflow tools to manage the correct content, or site templates that are being used for different devices. Business logic can be applied such that the overall multi-device experience can be significantly enhanced within a single administrative interface.
Conclusion
We strongly recommend responsive web design as it allows one website to provide a great user experience across many devices and screen sizes. It also makes managing the site and your SEO strategy easier. With the increase in sale and use of Tablets and Smartphone devices, responsive web design is key to keeping up ahead of your competitors.
