Q: What is responsive design and how can it benefit my company?
A: Responsive design – put simply – is a website design that adjusts to fit a desktop, tablet or mobile device. It allows people to view and interact with your website seamlessly, regardless of which device they're using. And, if you're a business owner who doesn't currently utilize responsive design for your company's website, it should be at the top of your priority list for 2014.
Why? As of August 2013, 145 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones, according to a comScore report. In addition, a new study (sponsored by Facebook) found that web browsing was the second most common activity U.S. adults do on their smartphones, surpassed only by accessing their email.
This means that, if your website design isn't responsive now, you have no control as to how your website displays for these mobile users. They may be forced to zoom in to make your content legible. Your phone number may be getting pushed to the bottom of the screen. Or maybe people are searching endlessly on your site because the navigation menu isn't mobile-friendly. That is, if they even stick around at all. More than likely, they simply left, frustrated and ready to move on to the next option: your competitor.
If redesigning your website sounds like a daunting task to undertake, you're right. It can be, especially if you're an owner who already wears many hats. But when you consider the alternative – losing customers – responsive design is time and money well-spent.
