Prior to tablets and cell phones, all websites were built in one standard size. During this time, websites utilized horizontal track bars to be able to view all of the content that did not fit the screen size that you had. The idea of a one-sized design was flawed from the very beginning. It did not take into account all of the different types of screens that were created; therefore, in the early 2000s developers started to develop websites in small (640 x 480 px), medium (800 x 600 px), and large (1024 x 768 px) format. During this time, smartphones were not out yet which simplified the sizes available.
Additionally, during this time, liquid layouts (automatically changing size as you scale your browser window) were not created yet. What websites, such as audi.com, did was look at the visitor’s viewport then JavaScript would serve the correct size dynamically.
Today’s Responsive Web Design
Unlike early “responsive design”, modern responsive websites change size dynamically. On a desktop computer, if you were to take your mouse and scale down your screen width, you would see sections adjust to look good no matter the size. This responsive design not only works with desktop computers, but also scales for laptops, tablets, and cell phones.
Why is Responsive Web Design So Important?
The most important reason to be sure that your website is responsive is for user experience (UX). In 2015, the average amount of users who used their smartphones to access the internet surpassed the number of users who used a desktop computer. This has increased the need for websites that are viewable in all sizes. Not only do these websites scale down, but they also reposition themselves to have the best view for your device.
With the incline of social media users, it is important to have a responsive website. More than 55% of social media users access their accounts using mobile devices instead of desktops. This is due to the fact that a user can navigate to your website through your social media profile.
Another important reason to have a responsive website is Google’s Mobile-First Indexing. What is Mobile-First Indexing you ask? Google has yet again changed its algorithms to look at a website’s mobile responsive design first, above all other views. This means if your website is not responsive for tablets and phones then it could negatively affect its SEO which in turn will negatively affect the ranking on a search query.
An additional reason for Responsive Web Design is the increase in online shopping on mobile devices. It is important that your visitors are able to easily navigate your website and find the products that they are looking for. If your website is not ready for mobile and tablet visitors, they may not be able to find what they are looking for and leave your website for a competitor.
Does Your Site have Responsive Web Design?
If your website is not up to date with Responsive Web Design, it may be time for you to reach out to a representative at Nextfly Web Design. We can help you get your website ready for 2020!
