We talked a few weeks ago about some first steps toward optimizing your website for mobile devices — and responsive design is a great start. Need a refresher? Think of responsive design this way: imagine if movies were only available in the original dimensions they played in at the theater. Whether you later watched it on the flatscreen in your living room, a smaller set in your bedroom, or on your iPad, it only came in that one, giant size.
You’d have to scroll and scan around in order to see the entire picture and figure out what exactly was going on. At best, it’s inconvenient — and before long, you’d probably say, “why bother?”
Most websites work the same way. They’re designed for the larger screens of desktop computers — so when you view them on a tablet or smartphone (which now account for over 25% of all internet traffic), you’re not getting the full picture.
Responsive design is a way of making things easier for the user — and protecting yourself from that dreaded “why bother” syndrome. Your website is coded to recognize and respond to the type of device it’s being viewed on, making sure your visitors see all you have to offer, right away.
Need more reasons to revamp your website with responsive design? Look no further:
1) 61% of mobile users will leave your site right away if they don’t see what they want. If they can only see the top left corner of your non-responsive mobile site, there’s a good chance they won’t see what they want.
2) Just like doctors carry tablet computers around with them as they make diagnoses, the devices also lend themselves to procurement and maintenance employees using them on shop floors and in troubleshooting situations. Make it easy for them to see – right away – that you can solve their problems with the right product or service.
3) If you’re using social media to build your brand – and you should be – most of that audience probably reads your posts via mobile. Make sure that when you do post the (very) occasional link back to your website, they have a well-designed landing spot when they click.
4) You may already be falling behind — in 2012, Mashable dubbed 2013 “The Year of Responsive Design.
5) Reconsidering how your site looks and works on a mobile device can help you create a better, more intuitive user experience overall, on every platform.
6) Still not convinced? See for yourself — check out Hubspot’s Device Lab to see how your site looks on all types of devices.
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