Design

Why Responsive Web Design Is Increasingly Important in 2018

October 23, 2018Alyssa Wychers

The latest reports say that more than 4 billion people are now online and just for reference, that number represents well over half of the world’s population. This statistic illustrates how rapidly we are moving into the age of complete digital connectivity. It also means that as a business, you need to have a clearly defined strategy for connecting with your audience online and one of the most important tools you can have in doing so is responsive web design.

At this point, the concept of responsive design isn’t exactly new but with the recent Google algorithm changes, having a responsive website design has become more critical than ever. Let’s talk for a minute about what responsive web design is and why it’s increasingly important for your business.

What Is Responsive Web Design?

Back before everyone had a smartphone in their hand, businesses were focused on creating websites that looked great and performed on desktop and laptop screens. Then as mobile devices began to gain popularity, users struggled with sites that we slow to load, challenging to read and nearly impossible to navigate. This difficulty caused significant frustration, and smart businesses began to adapt by creating sites designed for the mobile user.

The popularity of mobile devices exploded and soon having a mobile responsive website was a necessity, but today the focus on mobile alone isn’t enough. Consumers are using a variety of devices to access your, and they’re expecting a seamless experience across all of them.

Cartoon graphic of various devices showing responsive web design attributes on each screen.

Enter responsive design.

Responsive web design gives your site the flexibility to perform equally well across any device that’s at your customer’s fingertips, and it helps your website keep pace with the rapidly advancing technology of digital devices.

Google Influences the Importance of Responsive Web Design

Having a responsive website has always been an advantage, but with Google’s recent changes in their algorithm, not having a responsive website can tank your digital success. As more users are accessing the internet through mobile devices, Google has stepped up and set the bar for providing the ultimate level of user experience no matter what device someone is on.

Recent changes in Google’s algorithms include many aspects that can affect your SEO, but one of the most important is their focus on mobile first ranking. What this means is that Google will crawl and index mobile sites before even thinking about paying attention to outdated sites optimized for desktop devices only. It’s not that those sites won’t get ranked, but with so much focus on mobile first, you can count on them getting left in the dust.

The solution for your business is in responsive design web development. Let’s face it, the need for websites to be functional across multiple devices isn’t going anywhere so why not do what you can to adapt to the changes and provide your business with the tools it needs to survive in the changing digital landscape?

Web Design Agency

We’re the website design company that can quickly transform your website into a high-ranking performer that’s optimized for generating leads and influencing conversions.

Contact us today and let’s talk about what our web design company can do to improve your online presence in a digital world.

Alyssa Wychers

Alyssa graduated from John Brown University and joined our team in 2017. She moved from Michigan to Atlanta the following year to join the team in-office. When she’s not coming up with the next creative design idea, she loves being outside, reading all of the classics, and convincing anyone she meets that Michigan summers are actually the greatest.