Responsive Web Design for Companies
Responsive web design is all about making sure that no matter where your customers come from, they get the information they need on your website. The days of a standard web template and simple, small business design are over.
The facts are simple: Most people are using the internet to find the services they need. More than ever before, people are using mobile devices for on-the-go information about products and services. And this trend isn’t going away. Reports state that mobile web is the internet of the future, which makes responsive web design all the more important for your company.
What is Responsive Web Design?
In principle, responsive web design is simple. It’s a design mode in which your business website is developed in a way that makes it automatically respond to the device being used to access it. That means that whether a customer accesses your site on a PC with a wide, flat screen monitor or an iPhone with a small, vertical window – your website will automatically adjust to present the most appealing view to that user.
Responsive Web Design Makes a Difference
At first glance, the difference between you and a competitor is quite often the accessibility of the information on your website. From the way your website displays information to the images you choose to use, customers will get an impression of your business as soon as they view your web pages. For people using a mobile device, your website can be a nightmare if not properly designed for their particular device. Scrolling from side to side, hunting to get the information they need, and then trying to use a thumb to click on a tiny link is enough to send them to your competitor.
The good news is that responsive web design solves all of that. With a properly built website, your customers and potential buyers will always see the very best version of your website – regardless of the device they may be using. Buttons and links resize based on their device, photographs are compressed, and pages are aligned vertically instead of horizontally. A website using responsive web design can automatically detect the type of device in use and its capabilities, presenting the best possible version of your site to the end-user.
Why Responsive Web Design Benefits Small Business
It may sound counterintuitive to say that a small business should spend even more on its website. But in the long-run, responsive web design is a smarter investment. Even though a responsive web design takes longer to build – and is often more expensive – the facts are simple. With more people accessing information on mobile devices, it is simply impossible to keep up with the multiple versions of a website that will suit them all.
Imagine creating a new website version for every new device that comes to the market – smartphones, tablets, and PCs. The variety of screen sizes and user interfaces will drive your developer crazy just staying on top of the latest trend in electronics. Not to mention how much more expensive this approach will be over the years. This is where responsive web design becomes a necessity for small businesses.
Will Peters | @bizstrategist
The Anstad Group
