Do you need responsive web design?

Like the other 64% of UK mobile owners, I own a smartphone. I use it to organise my tasks, check emails, chat, message, Tweet, Facebook, track my fitness, consume news, buy things, check the weather in Salisbury or Amesbury, see cinema listings, book my next holiday and browse the web.

To think how far mobiles and hand-held devices have advanced over the past decade is truly staggering, and the technological advance seems to have plenty of steam left. People used to have to be sat in front of their PC to access the wealth of knowledge the web offers, but not anymore – the information age has turned mobile.

Responsive web design

With nearly two thirds of mobile users owning a smartphone, and smartphones accounting for 82% of newly acquired phones, the direction of travel is clear. And it’s not just smartphones. Tablets are everywhere, including in schools where the next generation of consumers, business owners, and innovators use tablets within a lesson environment to enhance their learning.

So, where does this leave what we’re interested in – engaging, effective website design?

The expectations of web users are increasing. If you don’t give them what they are looking for in a short space of time, they will probably go elsewhere. If the user is browsing your site on a mobile device and the website is not responsive (it doesn’t adapt to smaller screens) then the user has the added chore of scrolling and zooming – in other words, reasons to leave your site and find another which makes their life easier.

We started offering mobile web design several years back, and to begin with it was seen by many as a nice “add-on”. In 2015 the online landscape is different. Any good web designer will be able to design a website which adapts to any size screen with minimal additional cost, and a responsive website design would be our recommendation to the majority of clients.

Case study: Mobile web design for Clean Living in Amesbury

Although we’re based in Salisbury, we’re also leading web designers in Amesbury and were asked to design a website for Clean Living, an upholstery cleaning company offering their high quality services in and around Amesbury.

Being a high quality service, both to domestic and business clients, Steve understood the need for a responsive web site which would enable his potential clients to browse his site more easily to find the services he offers and get in contact with him to discuss any work.

Whether you’re on a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, the Clean Living website adapts to the screen size so the user has a hassle free experience. Within a few seconds of landing on Clean Living they know what Steve offers, can navigate to a specific page to learn more about a particular service, and can contact him to obtain his services.

Does your business need a mobile friendly website?

Given the direction of travel, we would certainly encourage it for the majority of businesses and organisations. That said, we believe a lot of our success in down to how we engage with our clients to find the best web solutions for their specific needs, so if you’d like to discuss how a responsive web site could increase conversions and engagement, or if you have any other web related queries, feel free to get in touch with us.