In just one year, from 2015 to 2016, the number of people using mobile phones grew by almost a quarter, reaching over 15 million at the time. Imagine the numbers today. About 70% of users are young people with money to spend, so they're potentially ready to pay for the product or service you offer. But will they, if your website doesn't display properly on their phone? That's why responsive design is so important.
Why a website needs to be responsive
First, let's understand what responsive design is. Without going into detail, it's a design that lets mobile users view pages properly. In essence, the website automatically adapts to the browser being used. You don't need to build the site for a specific gadget, whether phone or tablet — a responsive site does this by itself. So even on a TV everything will look correct, readable and attractive. Importantly, the site must not only look right but also work properly on any device. For example, buttons should be easy to tap, so users don't have to zoom in to do something.
It's easy to check whether a website is responsive: open it on a mobile device or try shrinking the page's width and height.
If the site is properly responsive, blocks rearrange automatically depending on the screen size, and there's no horizontal scrolling. There are also special tools for testing responsiveness. Unfortunately, not all business owners understand why mobile-friendly development matters and what makes responsive sites valuable. Here's why.
A responsive website is convenient: you can use it easily on any device. Making your site responsive is quick and affordable, and it makes life much easier for users. Another plus is that all pages are available at one address, so you avoid SEO problems and duplicate content later. Aesthetics is another advantage: a properly responsive website looks good, with all images and text displayed correctly. The site keeps its structure and doesn't require special effort from users to take action.
Responsive development has its downsides too
Keep in mind that making a site responsive means removing some elements for users' convenience. This version may load a little slower than the desktop version, even with all unnecessary elements removed. Another downside is that you can't link to the full version of the page, which is possible with a separate mobile version.
But these are minor issues compared with the benefits of a responsive website. The number of mobile users keeps growing, and so do conversion and profit. Websites with a mobile version also rank higher in search than non-responsive ones. That's why such a site is a necessity today. Most business owners have already seen how effective it is and how much it boosts profitability.
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