Why You Still Need A Responsive Website

In October 2016 global web usage from mobile devices overtook desktop for the first time. According to Statcounter, a research company that tracks Internet usage, 51.3% of traffic came from mobile devices.

In mature markets like the UK and US, desktop web usage still accounts for the majority of traffic (55% and 45%) but the gap is closing.

It is becoming critical that websites are mobile friendly. However, 40% of businesses don’t have a mobile-friendly website. If your business’s website is responsive then great but if you question whether it’s worth the cost then here are six reasons why you should be considering it:

1.     Google prefers responsive

Google openly acknowledges its preference for responsive websites over unresponsive ones. When Google creates an index for a site, it is easier if the website is responsive (has the same URL and HTML for all devices). It is, therefore more efficient for Google to place such websites on the search list and it will rank the sites accordingly.

2.     Optimal user experience

Viewing a desktop website from a mobile phone is problematic. Pinching and zooming is not a smooth experience; it’s much better when the content automatically resizes to fit your screen.

3.     Better conversion rates

If a visitor accesses your website from a mobile phone but doesn’t see a responsive design, it is less likely that they will take the purchase or enquiry further. With responsive websites it is much smoother and the conversion rates are indeed higher - 61% of people accessing unresponsive websites from a mobile phone will leave the site.

4.     Social media is mainly mobile based

Sharing website content with social media can lead to more people accessing the your website from their mobile. If it’s not responsive they are more likely to leave.

5.     Management is easier

Managing two different sites, one for mobile and one for desktop, will take more time and runs the risk of inconsistencies between the two. It’s just not cost-effective.

6.     Your competitors are doing it

If your competitor’s website is responsive and yours isn’t then the chances are that Google will rank them higher and visitors will stay and convert more business.

If you need help with designing and building a responsive website then please get in touch for a free consultation.