Can you recall the smaller version of a desktop site on your phone, where you have to pinch and zoom to see anything? Definitely not the optimal experience of today
Responsive web design has dominated websites for the past few years, transforming the way businesses build their online web presence. A website with a responsive design is a site that is able to adapt to any screen its being used on, regardless of what device it is. The website automatically re-formats to give the user a better experience, that is well suited to their device, and can give your site a number of benefits as well as being in line with Google recommendations.
In the past 9 years, the use of smartphones has grown rapidly. In 2014, only 22% of users turned to their phone first to browse the internet. Only 2/3rds of people even owned a smartphone at that time. Since then, the roll-out of 4G/5G internet and other innovations impacted the way people used mobile devices; throughout 2014, 4G subscriptions skyrocketed from 2.7 million to 23.6 million.
By the end of 2016, mobile web usage had overtaken desktop for the first time, which just goes to show how many people browse on smartphones and tablets instead of a conventional laptop or desktop computer. This highlighted a dramatic shift in user behaviour; with the UK using their mobile devices to shop online, carry out online banking and scroll through social media. Ofcom reported at the time, that 7 in 10 adults use a smartphone, with over-65s now more likely to use one too, as the public becomes even more tech-savvy.
For these reasons alone, its hugely important to invest in responsive web design ; your business needs a website that works well on a smartphone or other mobile device screens, due to the sheer amount of people who could be using your website through a smartphone or tablet. This is where ICS can help. Our team of expert gurus will design, develop and implement your complete web solution without the headache. Responsive web design, and mobile-first indexing, is now also important as a ranking factor. Sites that are responsive will generally load faster which is likely to boost your ranking and decrease your bounce rate. Responsive web design can also make social sharing easier, helping you to grow a bigger audience for your brand.