What is responsive design and why do you need it?

Different routes lead to different views

The days of purchasing a domain and throwing some content in its general direction are over. Everyone uses the internet, but not everyone accesses websites using the same methods. If you’re viewing this article on a laptop, drag the right handside of the page and see what happens. You should find that the webpage responds to its environment — i.e. it changes in size and the text, font and image alignment, follows.

For business owners, brands, bloggers and others dependent on web traffic, responsive design is increasingly important. Websites are no longer one dimensional holding pages, they are (or should be) an extension of your brand, built for purpose, functional and interactive.

Responsive Design: Why do you need it?

Smartphone users check their devices 150 times a day, irrespective of whether it’s rung, binged, bleeped, buzzed or not. In 2016, people searching online using a smartphone will increase from 800 million to 1.9 billion users, 34% of these will go online using only their phones.

The responsive approach

Responsive design is about enhancing the users’ experience by anticipating or (without stating the obvious) responding to their needs. It’s also probably the easiest way to show them that you care enough to optimise their user experience.

Responsive story-telling

A website that responds to its enviroment is now one of those things in life that we will continue to accept without question. Yet, as the web continues to evolve — so does the art of story telling. Responsive design explores and forces us to consider our brand message.

The best way of promoting your brands message? Solid, valuable and shareable content that can be viewed across any device. Although your latest blog post or HD video promo might look great on a desktop — you have to ask yourself, what will it look like on an iPad or a Blackberry? There is little point spending hours on content that will lose its impact in different environments, if anything it will dilute your message.

Being able to offer consumers an optimised experience regardless of their choice of device or screen size means you will expand the reach of your service, and the chances you have of engaging with individuals.

If you want a conversation about maximising the responsive potential of your website — please get in touch with us at www.creativeand.co.uk or drop us an email at hello@creativeand.co.uk!

Statistic Sources: Marketing Land, Pew Research Center.