Did you know there’s a scientific term for people who fear not knowing where their mobile phone is? It’s called nomophobia, born from the constant need consumers have to stay updated. Statistics show that internet traffic is increasingly mobile and less on PCs.

Thanks to the development of more advanced, small, lightweight, and portable devices, computers are losing the importance they once had. A growing number of people use mobile devices to access the internet, check social media, buy products or services from e-commerce, or engage in other online activities. The use of machine learning and artificial intelligence is also becoming more popular.

In a website creation agency like SmartLinks, it’s essential to ensure the adaptability of websites. The most effective way to do this is by using responsive web design. But what does this mean? What is the significant difference between these sites and others?

What is Responsive Web Design? Firstly, it’s essential to distinguish what is most obvious to a website creation agency: a site with responsive web design is not the same as a mobile-friendly site.

• A mobile-friendly site is a site that can be viewed on a mobile without major difficulty.
• A site with responsive web design is much more than that: it’s a site that adapts to the screen of any device without losing speed and quality. An agency creating websites that pays attention to trends will prioritize sites with responsive web design as the first option. But it’s not only the changing consumer behavior that necessitates the creation of sites with responsive web design. Below are the main reasons to adopt a responsive site:

1 – Lower Maintenance Cost. Let’s start with what is most important, for you or for a website creation agency: the budget! Creating a responsive site implies not having to create two versions of the site, one for mobile and another for desktop. Therefore, the maintenance cost will be lower, considering that maintenance is done for only one structure. Although relatively more expensive initially, the maintenance cost is reduced. Moreover, you will save a lot on the time it takes to set up.

2 – Optimized for SEO. A responsive site allows faster page loading, which, in turn, impacts search engine rankings. On the other hand, it records a lower bounce rate, one of the metrics indicating user satisfaction. Additionally, it leverages Local SEO – a good practice that offers location-based personalized offers to direct traffic to a particular site.

3 – Provides an Absolutely Amazing User Experience! This is by far one of the most significant benefits of having a responsive site. Sites without responsive design generally distort the appearance of sites on mobile devices. Texts get mixed up, images don’t align, and users can’t find the information they’re looking for. Responsive design also relates to consumer life moments. Perhaps you’ve been with friends after a day at the beach, trying to plan a dinner. Did you use your mobile to check the restaurant’s website, and it wasn’t readable at all? Most likely, the site wasn’t prepared and didn’t have responsive web design. Just because of that bad experience, you might have chosen to look for another restaurant with a more readable website. It’s natural for this to happen, both for you and for the vast majority of consumers. To avoid similar scenarios, evaluate the quality of your site’s design with the same criteria used by a website creation agency. The benefits this can bring will undoubtedly outweigh the investment. After all, a happy user is more easily converted on the journey to conversion, leads, and a loyal customer! Furthermore, a responsive site is compatible with all devices, operating systems, and browsers. It ensures a consistent visit to any user, whether using an Apple iPhone or iPad, or Android or Windows OS. It can also be viewed seamlessly on Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, or another browser.

4 – Easily Adapts to Any Screen. Another benefit of having a responsive site, ready for all devices, is the ability to adapt to any screen size. Whoever decided to view the site will have no difficulty doing so in a simple and very intuitive way.

5 – Favored in SERPs. Responsive web design sites are more likely to rank well in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Google, in particular, penalizes sites that are not properly optimized for mobile devices. In other words, if the site offers a quality user experience, it’s likely that the time spent on the site will be longer. This implies greater satisfaction and signals to Google that the site meets quality requirements. Another advantage of a responsive site is that it avoids duplicate content. When creating or redesigning a website, it’s common to create two versions, one for mobile and one for the computer. The URLs may be different, but the content is repeated. This can create confusion for Google, which may not know which version is a priority. Responsive web design best practices recommend creating a single responsive version for all devices.

(Extra Tip!) – Facilitates Social Media Sharing. If users like your content, they are more likely to share it on social media with their friends, colleagues, and family. A responsive site facilitates user interaction with the website by including social sharing features. Although it doesn’t have a direct impact on search results, social sharing helps grow online audiences and brand visibility. The more traffic it receives, the more users will visit the site. With highly visible and easy-to-use sharing buttons, a responsive website encourages users to share your content, reaching a broader audience.

In conclusion, with a site with responsive web design, you can save a lot of money, maintenance time, and also grow your customer base! Whether with or without a website creation agency working by your side, having responsive web design is a safe bet.

References: Research.com Internet World Stats Media Gorilla Search Engine Journal