The way we are surfing the internet is increasingly diverse. Now we can view and browse any website not only on our PC monitor or notebook but also on our smartphones, tablets, TVs, or any other devices with internet access.
Having a Responsive design allows websites to be viewed seamlessly across all of these different devices, as it adjusts the layout of the pages to any screen size.
Let’s check some of the reasons why it is imperative for businesses to have a website with responsive design:
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Meet new demands from the public
New consumer behaviours show that customers are increasingly able to maintain the entire buying process in digital media. Also, according to Think with Google surveys, 91% of users search for information on their smartphone while performing other tasks. Thus, mobile usability is a differential, when compared to the desktop or even the notebook, due to this simultaneous use.
Promote a positive shopping experience
According to the same Google report, 82% of smartphone users look at their devices while they shop to choose products. Among them, one in ten users changes the purchase decision because of the search.
So, every business should be concerned with providing a positive buying experience that includes the stage of discovery and consideration of the purchase journey. That is, those specific moments when the potential customer is performing searches for information about a product but not yet sufficiently interested in finalizing the purchase.
A user-friendly website should focus on mobile usability that is not impaired by the channel used by the consumer, as well as enabling and facilitating phases such as conversion, order closure, delivery tracking, and post-sales through any channel, mobile or not.
Better browsing experience
The user experience is one of the most critical factors, as it directly influences the purchase journey. A responsive website allows the visitor greater ease of navigation between pages, thus increasing the chances of conversion of your product or service. If the consumer enters your site on the smartphone, for example, and can find what he is looking for quickly, the experience becomes positive.
When faced with simple navigation at the first access to the site, the possibility of the user returning is higher than 60%. The fact that the consumer can access the site from any device also adds value to the favourable practice. In this way, your brand stays accessible in any device, and your visual identity strengthens in the mind of the consumer.
Faster page loading
The agility of navigation is one of the critical factors for the visitor not to leave your site. One of Google’s recommendations is that full page loading takes less than 2 seconds. Generally, this situation is not feasible when a desktop version of the site is loaded on a mobile device. Therefore, responsive websites are designed to fit the characteristics of such platforms to optimize the search process of the user.
Adopting a responsive layout allows faster page loading speed, making the site lighter. It is important to note that the quicker your site is, the higher the chances of your customer staying in it and consequently making the purchase. Also, the upload speed is one of Google’s ranking factors.
Better placement in search engines
The most significant search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, have algorithms that comprise better layouts that fit a variety of screen formats. Therefore, among their criteria for ranking searches conducted by consumers, responsive sites are one of the most impacting.
Decreases bounce rate
One of the main advantages of a responsive website is the decrease in the rejection rate. This index is the number of users who access a page on your site but then quickly leave without performing any interaction. These figures indicate those readers who have given up on the survey or have moved to the competitor’s website.
If the bounce rate is high, Google interprets this as a sign that the content of the page is not relevant. That way, there is a higher chance that the page will lose rankings, causing your brand to lose visibility online. The bounce rate can be reduced by using a responsive setting, which promotes a better user experience.
Increases sales
The number of purchases made through the internet on mobile devices grows each day significantly. Having an easy-to-navigate, fast, and accessible site is paramount to increased sales. As the rejection rate decreases with the usability of a responsive website, the generated contacts increase. It is imperative that all pages have a design that stimulates the conversion of leads, including the purchase decision. E-Commerce, for example, does not survive without the application of an easy layout for the user.
Improves SEO results
As previously stated, responsive websites are Google’s preference and thus, can increase organic traffic.
Therefore, having a responsive website reduces the chance of SEO errors on your website because it has better performance and is easier to maintain. Besides, the URL structure remains the same on all devices, meaning there is no need to create multiple versions of a site. With a single URL, Google can also crawl your pages more quickly due to your preference for mobile standards.
Nowadays, having a responsive website is no longer a market differential and has become a necessity for companies that want to maintain relevance to customers and greater visibility on the internet.
If you need help creating a new website or want more information about web design, drop us a line at SWOT Digital, and we’d be happy to discuss how we can help you.
