What Does Responsive Web Design Mean?
It’s funny how it doesn’t feel that long ago that we were complaining about trying to fit all of our website elements into a grid that was 960 pixels wide. Only web developers would remember those challenges, and ironically now I wish we could all go back to those days. The reality today is that depending on the kind of audience you have the vast majority of your visitors are using a mobile phone or tablet. Even small screen laptops are much more common than they used to be.
While it may sound silly this dramatic shift in user behaviours has led to a fundamental shift in the way that web developers build and test websites. If you are buying a website, or even building one yourself there are some very good reasons why you need to understand why responsive web design is so important in a website in 2024.
Why Responsive Design is Important
Responsive Web Design (RWD) is a design approach aimed at creating websites that provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience across a wide range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. So what does that mean? Simply put, it means that no matter what kind of device you use to visit a website - whether on your smartphone, tablet, or any other device - it adapts and looks great and readable on every screen size. You’ve probably seen this in action if you’ve ever look at a website on a desktop computer. Or even a tablet and then looked at it on your cellphone.
Consistent User Experience and Improved Engagement.
Responsive design provides a seamless experience as users switch between devices. In fact it is so important that many web developers now start with designing the site to work on mobile sized screens and then work their way up to the desktop size, understanding that how your website functions on a cellphone screen is more important than its desktop counterpart. A responsive website keeps visitors engaged no matter their device, helps make sure that the key things you want them to do, like click a button, fill out a form are easy to do and don’t get lost in the clutter of the screen.
Reduced Bounce Rate.
(What the Heck is a Bounce Rate anyway?) Bounce rate is a term that’s been around for decades and simply means what happens when a visitor arrives at your website. Do they “hit” the site and then “Bounce” away immediately? In other words, how long do visitors stay on your website, do they visit other pages, do they scroll and interact with your site is any way? Good responsive design makes navigation much easier, makes sure that images are the right size, text is easy to read etc. All of these things encourage visitors to explore more of the website content. When users can access information effortlessly, they're more likely to stick with the service or product, and guess what? Search engines love when people come to your website and stick around.
Overcoming Challenges in Responsive Web Design
So responsive web design is important, so what? Isn’t this just something that the web designers and web builders need to worry about? Well as a client you can play a part in making sure that you make things as simple as possible for the developer.
Complex Layouts. Creating complex layouts that work on all of the various screen sizes can be tricky. Our web developers do their best to balance aesthetics, functionality, and readability while accommodating different devices. Making crazy demands, trying to overload the page or looking for really outlandish design elements don’t make it easy and can in fact make the site far less attractive to visitors.
Navigation. Designing a navigation menu for small screens is challenging. Making decisions on how to handle navigation is a critical one. While everyone loves a simple navigation approach are the decisions you are making going to cause your website menus to have not enough information to be useful, or so many links that the menu fille the entire screens and becomes unusable.
Images and Media. Everyone loves big images, and so do we! Beautiful images are one of the key components that make a website come alive and really communicate who you are, what your company and brand stand for, and can help communicate complex messages in an easy way. With that said you need to understand that images, videos and graphic elements need to take into account that they may not look as great on a tine phone screen. Make sure that your consider what these elements will look like when the screen people will be using will fit into your back pocket! Images need to be optimized for different devices to ensure fast loading times without sacrificing quality, and can be displayed in a way that works for the visitor.
Typography. We have our background in design, so it’s safe to say that Roddis Communications has its share of Font Nerds. Yes there are people who are VERY passionate about fonts, and for good reason. It is important to choose fonts that look good on all screens, match your brand and don’t involve a lot of bandwidth to load. Some fonts may not render well on certain devices, affecting readability and the user experience of your visitors.
Content Prioritization. When we talk to customers about their website some will tell us that everything they have on the site is of critical importance, and that may well be true. One thing to consider is what PRIORITY does specific content, messages or calls to action have on specific pages. Remember on a smaller screen content is going to be moved around and displayed differently. This is a great reason to think carefully about what the purpose of your page is, and what information is going to be most important to visitors regardless of their screen size.
Forms and Inputs. Forms should work well on touchscreens and keyboards. Remember that filling out endless forms or providing a lot of information just isn’t as easy on a small cellphone screen. Endless dropdown menus are a common issue. Think carefully about what your actual goal is before you clutter up your responsive website design with massive forms.
Optimized Load Times. Fast load times are critical for retaining users and reducing bounce rates. Our development team will be the first to tell you that David can be VERY particular how quickly the websites we develop load quickly on all devices. This is particularly important for mobile users, who may be accessing your site over slower network connections, or need to worry about how much data that awesome video of cats and dogs from your website is sucking up.
Consistent Look and Feel. One of the key aspects of responsive design is maintaining a consistent look and feel across all devices. This consistency helps build brand recognition and trust with website users. Our designers and developers collaborate closely to create a cohesive visual identity that translates seamlessly from one device to another, ensuring that the brand remains strong and recognizable.
Client Satisfaction on Any Platform. Our ultimate goal is to create websites that our clients love, no matter what platform they’re viewed on. By focusing on responsive design, we ensure that the sites we develop are versatile and user-friendly, providing a positive experience for every visitor. This not only satisfies our clients but also helps them achieve their business goals by attracting and retaining more customers.
In today’s digital landscape, responsive web design is not just an option; it’s a necessity. Despite the challenges involved, the benefits of creating a responsive website far outweigh the difficulties, but remember that you have a role to play in the decisions that can make the difference between an awesome website or one that causes visitors to become frustrated and go running straight to your competitors!
By investing in responsive web design, we help our clients reach a broader audience, improve user satisfaction, and stay ahead of the competition. Whether on a smartphone or a desktop, our responsive websites ensure a positive and engaging experience for every user. We’d be happy to talk to you about how we can take our 15 years of experience in put them to use on your website.
If you are looking for industry specific websites, consider finding design agencies who provide specific approaches for an industry. As an example if you are in the automotive industry, some agencies are 100% focused onthe unique requirements of your business and should be considered for any automotive web design.
