What is Mobile Responsiveness?
Date: June 11, 2019
By: Shaun Pingitore
Mobile Responsiveness has become somewhat of a buzzword among web designers as of late, but what does it mean? Why is it important? And of course, how will it affect my business?
Mobile Responsiveness, or Responsive Design as it’s often called, refers to the process of building a website in a way that will function optimally across devices; Whether it’s a desktop computer, a smartphone, or a tablet. Many web designers (us included), tout Mobile Responsiveness as a selling feature of their websites, however, it has become such a standard practice, that if your Web Team isn’t doing it, they really aren’t worth their salt!
Have you ever opened a website on your phone, and it looks the same as on a computer, except everything is very small, hard to read, and you have to zoom in to get anywhere? This is a site that isn’t mobile responsive. A mobile responsive site will scale and “respond” to a change in screen size. As you make your web browser bigger or smaller, the elements (pictures/text/etc.) will move with the window. But why is this important for your business?
How Does This Help My Business?
The most obvious benefit to having a Mobile Responsive website is that users will have an easier time navigating the site. This will make it easier for them to purchase from you, contact you, or sign up for your mailing list. The easier your site is to use, the less chance of users getting frustrated and leaving, as well.
Approximately 50% of all web traffic is on mobile & this number is expected to continue to rise. Is your site optimized for the more than half of people who are viewing it?
Having a Mobile Responsive site is also important in terms of Search Engine Optimization. When your site is easier to use and navigate, people will spend more time on your site. While this will increase the likelihood of them completing the desired action (making a purchase, for example), it will also cause Google to look favourably upon your site.
When users spend a long time on your site, Google may deem the content on your site as valuable, since users aren’t immediately leaving. When the content on your site is valuable, your site will appear higher in search rankings, over sites with “less-valuable” content. Further, in 2015 Google changed its algorithms to account for the mobile usability of a site, favouring those that perform well on mobile.
How Do I Do It?
The next time you are upgrading or redesigning your website, make sure your Web Team is conscious of the Mobile Responsiveness of the site. It may have a bigger impact on your business than you think!
If you are unsure if your website is mobile responsive, or need help to make sure it is–make sure to get in touch with our digital marketing team in Vancouver today!
