With the rise in smartphones, many design agency across the world have implemented responsive design when it comes to websites and web development. In 2018, according to Statista, 52.2% of all global website traffic was generated through mobile phones. Responsive web design has been around since Google introduced it back in 2010 and started recommended from 2015 onward, often referred to as Mobilegeddon.
Following their announcement, Google began using mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal in search results and businesses started to take note. This was followed by the search engine giant implementing mobile-first indexing strategies and in 2018, Google issued a statement that they were migrating sites which followed best practice in mobile-first indexing.
A responsive website is one that adapts the entire web layout to fit within a mobile phone screen, irrespective of the device that site is being accessed from. Earlier to this, a website catered to desktop/laptop versions only and those accessing it via their phones found the layout clunky with certain sections needed to be zoomed in to fill out details or just click a button.
So why should your website have a responsive design and why it is important to Google? Find out below:
Because Google Says So
When it comes to search engines, Google outperforms every other platform. So what Google says, the web design agency does. Today, Google estimates that more than half of all searches are performed on mobile devices. To check this out yourself, simply check the traffic coming to your site using Google Analytics and you will notice visibly higher traffic from mobile organic search than from a desktop.
Enhance Multiple Device Experience
Did you know, over half of online consumers use multiple devices while shopping for a product? Just imagine if your site is not responsive and users have to leave your site. Or the other way, your potential lead has looked you up online via their mobile phone and now wish to either fill up a form or make a purchase using their desktop for convenience. Imagine if your mobile site and desktop are not similar in its look and feel. Not only will your bounce rate go high (Google will start ignoring your site) but you lose out on converting a sale. Responsive design ensures there is a seamless experience when switching between devices.
One Update To Rule Them All
Building a responsive website is a bit more complicated than making just a website, in the long run, there is an immense benefit. Having one responsive website requires a lot less work: when you opt for a separate mobile website, you need to build two different sites. With responsive, it’s all the same. This not only saves time and money, but it also makes life a lot easier on the development team. When you need to make a change to your website, it’s all done in one place.
It’s SEO-Friendly
Since Google uses two indexing models, you want your site to come out on the first page of both desktop and mobile search. With responsive design, you have to manage only one domain and one version of your website. If you opt for two websites, one for desktop and one for mobile, you end up doubling your work and adding unnecessary hassle for your marketing. A responsive website is much easier for search optimization and also for your customers because you can focus all your efforts in one place.
Future-Ready
Today, there is a convergence of devices and connected experience. As technology keeps improving, people will start expecting a consistent web experience. Mobile sites will become obsolete and responsive designs will keep getting better with every update.
