Why Responsive Web Design is the Best Option For Your Website

If there is one thing that we’ve learned about the Internet, is that it is a constantly shape-shifting beast.

This perpetual morphing is not just due to the seemingly endless ways in which the web can be utilized; it is also due to the technology that is being invented to harness its power.

As such, it is imperative that any website that is built is done so around the concept of responsive web design.  If your company does not have a website that is malleable enough to look good on other platforms apart from a PC or a laptop, your business’s online presence is destined to be reduced to a relic.

The Growth of Mobile Platforms

Over the past decade or so, the concept of the taking the Internet with you wherever you went has gone from being a neat novelty to a practical essential.  This is due to the exponential popularity of mobile devices that are fully equipped to handle the Internet on the go, from smart phones to tablets.  It is a popularity surge that has caused a clearly defined paradigm shift in how the general public prefers to receive their news, social media status, and cat videos.  Sales of mobile devices have already topped desktop sales, and tech-industry forecasters are already predicting that mobile internet usage is poised to take over traditional desktop internet usage in the next year or so.  Based on these trends, it would seem logical that mobile search will eventually take over desktop search.  As such, it is in your best interest to be prepared for this destined reality by creating a responsive website.

The Basics of a Responsive Website

Even if you have not exactly heard of the term “responsive website,” chances are great that you seen this term in action.  In essence, a responsive web design is a website that has the ability to determine what type of device you are using, and adjust its look to fit the parameters of the site.  For example, if you pull up a responsive website on your mobile phone, the formatting and the text will present itself in a manner that is easy to see immediately, without you having to enlarge the particular section of the screen that you wish to view.  Conversely, a non-responsive website will force the user to put in a little elbow grease on their end to read a story or get to a link.  This could cause the end user to get frustrated over a perceived sub-optimal online experience, which in turn may cause them to gradually lose interest in your website and eventually, your business.  Considering the rapid rate in which mobile Internet usage is projected to grow in the next few years, this is not a problem that can be ignored.

Responsive Web Design and the Bottom Line

As with any business-related upgrade, the question that may linger in the back of your mind is how much is the cost of making your website responsive.  Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question, as the price tag revolves around a few flexible factors, such as:

• How long it was since your last website redesign
• The size and scope of your website
• If your website was created by a secondary vendor

Regardless of what the final price tag is, making sure you have a responsive website to tame the Internet is a critical step into making sure you thrive in the 21^st century.  Without one in place, your presence as a viable entity in the marketplace may be one that eventually fades away.