Why Businesses should go for Responsive Web Design

Gone are the days when businesses could reach out to a large part of the target audience through websites that were compatible with desktops and laptops. Actually, a wide number of people prefer to search the web through their tablets, Smartphones and other mobile devices. In other words, you never know what device your customer would be using to browse your site, contact you or make a purchase. Hence it is essential for businesses to go responsive so that a maximum proportion of the target audience can be reached. Just imagine your potential customer operating his mobile device wishing to make a purchase from your website that is optimized only for desktops. He will face difficulty in using all the features and will not be able to navigate properly. The result is, you will lose this customer to a competitor who has a website that is optimized for a range of devices from desktops to mobiles.

Many businesses talk of enhancing client experience on mobile devices. But it should be kept in mind that a number of mobile devices with different shapes and sizes are available in the market. In such a scenario, responsive web design offers a better viewing experience. Let us discuss some basic reasons why businesses should think of embracing the responsive concept.

• User-experience: This is by far one of the most useful aspects of responsive websites. By going responsive, you do not need to create separate sites but there is the opportunity to deliver the best user experience through optimizing your site for a range of device types. Hence, the user can enjoy your site irrespective of the device from which he is visiting your site.
• A step ahead: It is essential for a business to stay ahead of the competition to derive maximum success in its ventures. Since responsive web design is still at its beginning phase, businesses which adopt this concept will definitely stay ahead of those who haven't made that switch.
• Beneficial for SEO: A responsive website can offer many benefits so far as search engine optimization is concerned. In case you do not have a mobile site or are opting for a mobile web presence that strikingly differs from your regular site, it will cause the user to get annoyed and look back to Google search to find a site that offers more convenient navigation. Remember that if a user lands on your site and instantly turns back to the search results, the same is noted by Google which in turn reflects as an increase in bounce rate and decrease in rankings. In such a scenario, a responsive site enables the visitor to conveniently access the content they need in a readable format.
• Time saving: By adopting this concept, businesses can switch over to a simple online presence that consumes less time. In fact, you can quickly launch marketing initiatives or make changes within your site that gets updated across all devices.
• Looking forward to the future: By going responsive, businesses can future proof themselves in the sense that they do not need to build distinct sites from the beginning in the future. A responsive site is in line with the present industry standards and offers better usability, longevity and interactivity.

Responsive Websites are rapidly becoming a phenomenon within the business world. Going responsive may seem challenging in the first phase, but it will prove to be greatly rewarding in the long run.

Web design and development is a field which offers brilliant opportunities to apply innovative technologies. Explore the awe-inspiring world of responsive web design with Hema Gupta, a professional in a web design and development company. She has authored a number of blogs and articles highlighting different interesting facets of web development and internet marketing.