With the improvement of smartphone technology, websites are constantly being accessed from browsers and mobile devices. This means that conventional design techniques may need to be modified to accommodate different screen sizes and support the myriad of devices on the market. With multiple companies releasing new templates every day, the competition for what your website will look like is also intensifying. The experience of a mobile user is so important in making or breaking a sale that websites are now being forced to change the way they look or behave based on what users want. This article explains why you should make your website responsive or mobile friendly if you haven’t started yet.
High ranking in Google search
Starting in April 2015, Google will begin prioritizing websites that have a mobile-friendly version of their site. Google has already started providing tags to search results that indicate which web page is mobile-friendly, that is, it can be easily viewed on a web page. According to the Google Webmaster Blog:
“Starting April 21, we will expand our use of mobile friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages around the world and will have a significant impact on our search results. Accordingly, users will find it easier to get high-quality, relevant search results that are optimized for their devices.”
They go on to say: “When it comes to searching on mobile devices, users need to get the most relevant and timely results, regardless of whether the information is found on mobile-friendly web pages or apps. As more people use mobile devices to access the Internet, our algorithms have to adapt to these usage patterns. In the past, we’ve made updates to ensure a site is set up correctly and can be viewed on modern devices. We’ve made it easier for users to find web pages that are optimized for mobile devices and we’ve introduced App Indexing to display useful content from apps.
Other search engines are also more likely to follow suit and give preference to mobile friendliness on a website. Yahoo and Bing, like Google, also prioritize responsive websites and openly indicate this.
Multiple screen sizes
The main objective of any website should be to offer what the user wants and how the user wants. With the drastic change in the use of the Internet to mobile devices, websites must also adapt to this change in pattern. This is called Responsive Design. Responsive design is used to reduce data usage on mobile connections by removing unimportant parts of the website and focusing only on the important aspects. Modern web design must make adjustments for different types of screens, including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, projectors, and even storefronts. Each screen should have unique characteristics based on its use and functionality.
W3CSchools says that “RWD stands for Responsive Web Design; RWD can deliver web pages in variable sizes; RWD is a must have for tablets and mobile devices.”
Focus on important features
Larger buttons, larger font size, and a design optimized for a mobile screen are ideal for providing the best website experience for a mobile user. Other factors that are given priority is element spacing, especially for things like links, popups, buttons, and even dropdowns. The goal of this is to ensure that the end user is focused on exactly what they want and not on the flowery features of your website that are presented to desktop users.