Responsive design is an approach to web development that aims to create an engaging user experience on a range of devices. Content should be attractive - and most importantly, readable - regardless of whether the user is on a desktop computer or a mobile phone or anything in between.

Content is Like Water

When water is poured into a bottle, it takes on the shape of the bottle. Responsive design treats web content like water - molding it into the shape of the device where it is displayed. This is accomplished by using design elements that use fluid, proportional sizes. A box of text 350 pixels wide will look great on an android phone with a display width of 400 pixels, but a user on a 320 pixel wide iPhone display will have to scroll horizontally to view the content. Instead, make the box width 90% and it will size appropriately on any display.

Mobile First

With more than half of all internet content being delivered to mobile devices (and the numbers of such devices only going up for the foreseeable future) the need to support those customers is obvious. Many site administrators deal with this by developing a dedicated mobile version of their site. In many cases this is an excellent option. When not well executed, however, this can become little more than a "dumbed-down" version of the desktop site which can frustrate users because of missing content and insufficient capabilities.

Also in today''s fast paced world, keeping site content up-to-date and fresh is key to staying competitive. Maintaining two (or more) different versions of the same site adds overhead. Responsive design lets you develop and maintain a single site that works for all customers on all devices. For companies attempting to present a consistent business image and strategy, this is a significant benefit.

Search Engine Optimization

Commercial web sites live and die by their position in search results. Having a single web site - a single URL - makes it that much easier for search engines such as Google to discover content. Responsive websites rank higher in search results, making them easier for customers to find. If your site is device specific, you are effectively being penalized.

Contact us to find out if responsive design is a good fit for your web pages.