It was in 2010 that Morgan Stanley predicted that by 2015, the world will be running on mobile devices and rightly so. As predicted, mobile technology has exploded to fascinating proportions in current times. In now, we will continue to witness the influx of device fragmentation, smart phone adoptions, mobile internet and responsive web designing across devices. With such a huge proliferation, it is no surprise that responsive websites have emerged as universal favorites for users who access the Net from multiple devices. Responsive websites are essential platforms that intuitively respond to the end user’s needs. It entails the flexible resizing of webpages as per the screen size and device capabilities. This ensures that the end users have a seamless experience, regardless of the platform or device they are on.
What will be the importance of responsive web design?
1. Mobile Usage
In 2014, for the first time in history, mobile usage surpassed the amount of desktop usage globally. Between 2013 and 2014, there was an 80% growth in the influx of mobile devices. The target market will continue adopting new devices as technology continues to make it cheaper and more convenient. Further, 77% of all web searches today come from mobile devices, even in places where computers are likely to be present. For the end users, mobile is an easy way to stay connected 24x7 and this has lent a lot of leverage to new businesses. Mobile usage continues to be especially high in the developing world in areas with poor to no electricity.
2. User Experience
As the end users continue to get more demanding, customization and personalization plays a vital role in the success of a web platform. Statistics further suggest that 46% of users are likely to switch over to a competing platform if they experience any kind of trouble with a particular website. For web developers in 2015, the goal remains to be able to create a satisfying experience for the end users.
3. Multi-screen world
Customers and clients are simultaneously using a variety of devices and screens for their online activities. In many cases, activities that start over a desktop screen end on tablets and smart phones. Web designers need to ensure that this transition is effortless and responsive web designing is the only answer.
4. Device fragmentation
A couple of years ago, a common practice was to develop a parallel “mobile version” of the website and web searches were primarily done on bigger screens. But today, there are more than 20,000 different varieties of Android devices. Add iOS devices, Windows and Smart TVs to the list and the count would be overwhelming. It is not practically possible to have a different set of code for each and every device and platform. Responsive web designing lends a solution by automatically adjusting one set of code to fit the dimensions and capabilities of a device.
5. SEO
Google has recently announced that websites that are “mobile friendly” would be given preferential treatment in SERPs. Further, sites that don’t have a responsive design are also likely to be penalized on ranking. Standards of the web are changing often and the need for responsiveness is increasing. Keeping these things in mind, it’s time for you to choose responsive web design for increasing your business online.
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