Mobile internet browsers make up over half of the global online traffic. And Google has tweaked their algorithms to adjust for the overwhelming chunk of the mobile browsing pie. There has been a major push for web developers to create a standard for website functionality.

A responsive website design layout is the answer to needing websites to work on all devices. For those who still have businesses built on aging and outdated websites, it's time to upgrade. No matter how large or how polished your traditional website is, it's losing customers.

For more reasons why you need to switch, let's look at what's at stake.

Why Change Your Website Design Layout?

There are many reasons why you need responsive web design, besides following a trend. This is a chance to future-proof your business online.

Do it for Google

Not in a charity kind of way, but rather do it to boost your page ranking based on what Google deems mobile-friendly. Responsive websites, while not explicitly listed as the only preferred mobile browsing option, will perform better on search rankings than those who are only using a separate mobile HTML-based website.

You'll Lose Out on Tablets

Any website design that isn’t responsive will usually leave tablets and hybrid tablet users with a lower-quality experience. This may mean that their screen space is either not being utilized, resulting in blank spaces on the sides, or that they are forced to browse the desktop-size webpage. That requires more scrolling and swiping to navigate. 

All that pawing at the screen gets tiresome.

Simplified Code

Responsive web design doesn’t just look more polished, it behaves better as a website. There is a lot of coding needed to deliver a consistent experience for all types of devices, without using responsive templates. Even if you do have some coding experience under your belt, the likelihood that you’ll probably run into trouble and need to update code is highly likely if you are trying to keep a fresh and slick graphical interface running.

Responsive websites are simple, yet visually impressive. You can easily update, migrate, and reorganize without having to constantly adjust the code to work on all devices. Taking out the time and money wasted on the guesswork is well worth the price of admission alone.

Updated UI Standards

As processors and networks get faster, you don’t want to get left in the past with clunky, unimpressive web design. Graphics and user interface buttons are becoming much sharper, more animated for mobile users. Users will start to look at webpages that aren't responsive as lazy or unaccommodating.

If there is one thing that an online business cannot afford to do these days, it’s losing trust, even if the business itself is honest in practice. Evolve or die is the model of the online business world, so make sure you evolve yours.

Responsive Web Design Advantages

A clean user interface presents many areas to improve your business' presence. Each category of web design and marketing has something to gain here.

Purpose

Each page on your website should serve a clear purpose for the users. If you take a look at social media platforms, you will notice how carefully they have designed each page of the website according to the purpose they serve. They make it easy for users to use without having to think about it.

Communication

Users need fast access to the information they are looking for. Good website design means something that makes content easy to find and skim through to you find what you’re looking for. Responsive websites cut the fat and make information clear and legible.

Readability is one of the key tenants of good web design.

Imagery

A responsive website will have images that fit the browser's screen, no matter how big it is. This retains a consistent user experience while cutting down on load speeds. Images include everything, from the icons on buttons to featured images on blog posts.

If your mobile website contains poor sizing or fewer images, you still lose. Too much text without any use of images isn’t something people want to see these days. Multimedia is king when it comes to website content.

Layout and Navigation

A responsive navigation system on your website design will make easy for the users to move across your website. You should follow the 3 click rule where you must ensure that users find what they are looking for in 3 clicks. Most responsive templates compact all menus to a single button.

You can also go for a streamlined design that allows users to scroll through content without having to backtrack. Using a grid-based layout for your website design becomes outdated and incompatible with mobile phones. Look at news websites, like ESPN, for an example of how to serve multiple categories efficiently.

Page Speed

Responsive web design tackles long page load speeds in two ways. One, it consolidates the amount of information displayed. Two, it compresses images and how they get loaded in. 

The code that is needed to draw the website itself is much more condensed. This means less wait time for users upon entering and while navigating. Responsive web pages won't suffer the dreaded stutter that old websites had.

Final Verdict

A responsive website design layout is all about capturing the widest demographics. As the internet becomes overwhelmingly mobile, you must make sure that your website design is mobile-friendly. Making the transition to responsive web design doesn't need to feel complicated. 

The first step is finding a professional web design service that you can trust. One that offers custom and affordable website solutions. Let us help you make that transition easy and efficient. 

Request a free consultation at your convenience. We'll call you and walk you through all the steps to getting a great website that reflects your brand.