Responsive Web Design: Tips & Tricks
With our busy lives, it’s no wonder mCommerce has been taking precedent as mobile devices become the primary way for people to browse the web. As a result a focus on responsive design is more important than ever. It allows you to provide an unforgettable user experience across different devices and various screen sizes, and it also makes managing SEO strategy easier. In today’s article we’re going to go through what it is, why it is so important these days, and how to do it right.
WHAT IS IT
Responsive web design simply means making websites that can adapt to the size of the visitor’s device. No matter how customers access your online store, the goal is for your content to render differently depending on the device or screen size so that all your customers have an optimal experience. Also, responsive web design allows sites to load quickly without any distortions, so visitors don’t need to manually resize anything in order to view its content.
WHY RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN IS A MUST
- No more duplicate content. You don’t need a (separate) mobile version of your store. It’s easy and cost-effective to maintain, support, and update responsive website.
- Satisfied customers. You can provide an exceptional user experience on all devices.
- SEO gains (there is only one link for one content). Also, Google desires to treat responsive websites in the special manner.
- You can get ahead — many SMB websites are still not responsive to mobile devices, so it’s a good way to stand out from other companies. Plus, you can reduce bounce rate by providing content which is easy and comfortable to browse.
TIPS & TRICKS
Whether you’re planning a responsive re-design or just starting it all from scratch, these five simple yet powerful tips and tricks will help you along the way. Without further ado…:
#1 Content Before Design
Content and design flourish when developed together. So before you get to designing, plan your content organization. You need to have at least a surface idea of how the content is going to be organized so that you can see the bigger picture. Desktops allow for more text, smaller devices don’t, so it’s crucial to be economical with what you want to say. Make sure every word on your site contributes to move your story forward.
#2 No Distractions, Simplify
Pay attention to your navigation. Create the simplest path you want your potential customers to take without distracting them. Avoid long-scrolling, sidebars — simplify the navigation as much as possible, and aim to create something that is friendly and will invite customers in.
#3 Layout, Lay It Back
Scale font size, line-height, and width to best fit different screen sizes. Larger font sizes can dramatically improve readability for your customers. Whitespace can help highlight the right parts of your layout and bring longed-for attention.
#4 Loosen Up Your Buttons
Make your CTAs easy to identify and understand. Remember that the size of your buttons is just as important as their color and shape (especially for those with disabilities). Ensure generous space around them to avoid mis-clicks.
#5 Fast Loading, No Furious Visitors
Keep your website moving with images that load quickly, on every device. Responsive images might be hard to code, but it will definitely pay off. The faster loading, the better.
A WORD FROM A GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Mobile or desktop first? There isn’t much of a difference if a project is started from a smaller screen to a bigger, or vice versa. However, to avoid limitations down the road, it’s always a good choice to start with both as it helps you to decide on certain elements. For example, Breakpoints. These allow the layout to change at predefined points depending on the device (i.e. having 3 columns on a desktop, but only 1 column on a mobile device).
Does your icon have lot of details and some fancy effects applied? If yes, use a bitmap (jpg, png, gif). If not, consider using a vector image (SVG, icon font). In either case, go for quality over quantity, and keep in mind the size — no pictures should go online without optimization.
It’s crucial to focus on typography for different devices and to optimize text and content accordingly. The basic premise of any graphic design is this: to test as much as possible and optimize whenever necessary to create a well arranged website. An effective website is clear, user friendly, and simplifies the navigation and overall customer experience. Must-have!
Recommended posts: 9 Basic Principles of Responsive Web Design, Responsive vs Adaptive Design, 20 Best Responsive Web Design Frameworks
Petr Bilek, Head of UX / Design at MonkeyData
STILL NOT 100% SURE YOU NEED IT?
Check your own data and find out! Take a peek at the metrics of your own customers and visitors. What devices do they use to make purchases in your store the most? Is the conversion higher on desktop or other devices?
The moral of the story here is that good design practices translates to minimalism. If the organization of your content, navigation, and graphics all make sense on a smartphone, they’ll also be clear on a tablet or on a larger device like a desktop. Responsive design lets us strip away what we don’t need, so everybody can get what they need done, and done faster.
If you want to stay ahead of today’s competition, start making a responsive website. Should you need any help, there are lots of companies who can help you to develop the responsive websites such as Shopify, Bubble, Weebly, WiX, Squarespace, Webflow, and of course WordPress.
