Computers and laptops used to be the only way of accessing the internet. Now we have tablets, smartphones, iPods, smart TVs, e-readers, game consoles, and more. Not only are these devices connected to the internet, they’re connected to each other, allowing us to spread out our activities, tasks, and experiences over time and across devices.
In this digital age, your business needs a website—one that people can view on mobile devices. However, due to varying screen sizes, having a website that works on each of these devices can pose a challenge. One of the must-haves for a good business website is that it is responsive. This way, your business’s information can be accessed on every device.
What Are Responsive Websites?
Responsive websites are websites that are capable of rendering successfully and being functional on any device, regardless of screen size. They are built with responsive design, which uses special coding and flexible elements that adjust proportionally and automatically. As a result, responsive websites respond accordingly to any screen size—requiring no action from the user, such as changing or choosing settings, or pinching, zooming, or rotating. Responsive design ensures that your content is delivered uniformly across all devices, desktop or mobile.
Why Do I Need a Responsive Website?
Responsive websites ensure that your business website is accessible, navigable, and useful to people on mobile devices. However, you may be wondering, “Why is that so important?” Well, with more than half of all web traffic coming from smartphones and tablets, responsive websites are pretty important.
Yet you may still be wondering, “If a customer can’t see my site on their phone, won’t they just switch to a computer?” The answer, unfortnately, is no. Aside from this fact that most people won’t switch from one device to another just to access your website, often times people are using the only device they have available at the moment. It is highly unlikely that a customer will take an extra step, so if your website isn’t easily accessible on their device, chances are you’ll lose potential customers. You need a responsive website to make it as easy as possible for customers to engage with and learn about your business.
With the number of distractions in this world today and the need for instant gratification, there is a higher chance that if presented with a barrier to engaging with your business, a potential customer will lose interest, get distracted, or turn to something else that is easier to accomplish. You need a responsive website because it enables people to engage with your business in the manner most convenient to them.
Benefits of a Responsive Website
Responsive websites for small business are crucial for brand consistency, customer satisfaction, content quality, and promotion. While there are many benefits of a responsive website, here are four benefits related to search and sales.
1. Improves SEO
Google crawls websites in order to provide searchers with the most accurate and relevant information. Google prefers responsive websites because they’re easier to read, which means that they’re better for search engine optimization (SEO). The more you can improve your website’s SEO, the greater the chances that it’ll show up in search engine results, which leads to more website visits and increased sales.
With one responsive website, you only have to focus on the SEO for one site. In addition, all links and shares—whether on desktop, mobile, or tablet—get attributed to one URL, which naturally improves its ranking on Google SERP (search engine results page). Having a responsive website benefits your SEO and increases your online presence.
2. Improves Readership
Having a responsive website can help improve readership and traffic to your blog and other content you publish on your site. Mobile use is commonly associated with on-the-go quickness, but many people also use their phone during leisure or down time, such as on a long flight, in a waiting room, or while watching TV. You may have a standout blog, but how accessible is it? The benefit of a responsive website in terms of readership is that it make your content available in more places, and at times when people may be more likely to read it. Make your blog stand out
3. Increases Store Visits
Not only are there are now more searches on mobile than on desktop, 76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day. A responsive website makes your business website easy to use and navigate on mobile, and also enables you to maintain the look and feel of your brand, which helps customers resonate more with your business.
If your website appears in a person’s search results, such as through a Google business listing, they will likely want to visit your site before going to your store, whether to learn more about your services or simply to get your name or address. The benefit of a responsive website is that it makes it easier for customers to learn more about you after finding you online, which increases their chances of actually showing up at your location. If they have to pinch, zoom, rotate, or wait, they are likely to disengage.
4. Increases Purchases
Of the 76% of people who visit a store after finding via mobile search, 28% of those searches result in a purchase. A responsive website makes that journey—from discovery to purchase—seamless! A responsive website reduces page load times, so it enables people to quickly and easily get the information they need in order to make a purchase—whether that information is about prices, services, location, or simply what the atmosphere of your business is like.
Another way that responsive websites increases purchases arises from the fact that when shopping online, 67% of people start shopping on one device and continue on another. While it was mentioned above that people are not likely to switch devices, this relates to acute searches for local stores and quick purchases. For less immediate circumstances and larger purchases, many people will complete this journey over time and with multiple devices. Having a responsive website benefits businesses with online stores because it facilitates the process by which most shoppers achieve a purchase. In addition, the improved navigation and load time of responsive design offers yet another benefit.
5. Boosts Facebook Advertising
Facebook advertising is a great way to market your business to a highly targeted audience. The ads drive users to your website, and with most Facebook users accessing it via mobile, it is important for your business website to have the mobile-friendliness of responsive design. Getting people onto your website is not going to increase sales unless it is easy for them to follow your intended path for them once they are on there.
Another benefit of responsive websites is that it decreases the chances of Facebook disapproving your ad. If your website is slow, glitchy, or confusing, it will not deliver the experience that your CTA (call-to-action) promises, and your ad is likely to get disapproved.
The benefits of a responsive website are not just limited to your website. They extend to your customers, your store, your web presence, and ultimately your sales. When it comes to connected devices and online users, the numbers are only growing; and a responsive website is essential if you want your business growing too.
