Using Responsive Design for Your Conversions

If you keep up with our blog, you’ve heard us mention the importance of “responsive” web design. Having us slam you with buzzwords like “responsive design” isn’t going to do anyone much good, though, unless readers like you actually know what the heck we’re talking about. So what is responsive design and why should you care about it? After all, if you’re not getting something out of it, so what’s the friggin’ point? Here’s the skinny: responsive design creates an optimal web browsing experience for users — regardless of the type of device they’re on — and the level of a website’s responsiveness makes a huge difference in the number of lead conversions you can expect.

So, yeah. It’s a pretty big deal.

The question is, what are you gonna do about it? A good place to start is by checking out our thoughts on the matter. This post will help you determine whether your web design could use an overhauling and how to go about making your site more responsive.

How Responsive Are You?

Grab the nearest mobile device. Got it? Okay, now visit your company’s website from that device. How does it look? What happens if you turn the device sideways? Does the page rotate with you, and if so, is all of the pertinent information still clearly visible and easy to read? Can the site be navigated from any angle? Alright, now repeat this process on a second mobile device of a significantly different size and record the results. If it’s much more difficult for you to view or navigate your site from a smaller device than a larger one (or vise versa), and if your experience on your site is much different from one device to the next, you’re not nearly as responsive as you should be.

The goal of responsive design is to create a uniform user experience across screens of all shapes, sizes, and resolutions. This shouldn’t be confused with creating a completely separate mobile site, though. While a mobile site requires a user to navigate to a separate platform, responsive design is centered around code that aligns itself within the parameters of a device that is much faster and more efficient. A responsive site, then, will instantly adjust parameters for smooth, transition-less web browsing. Make sure that yours fits the bill.

Reaping the Benefits

If, after putting your existing site to the test, you’ve discovered that your website isn’t up to par, it’s time to re-evaluate your web design and, yes, that means setting aside some money in your budget for improvements to your online marketing strategy. Trust us — we know that the idea of spending money isn’t always fun, but when it comes to responsive design, you really can’t afford to skimp. Today’s consumers are relying on mobile devices more and more as they do their shopping. Whether they’re doing research on a product in-store, looking for a local business, or planning on making an online purchase, they expect to be able to quickly access that information from a multitude of devices.

If a visitor lands on a page that doesn’t respond properly to their device, they’ll quickly navigate away and go to a competing site that does. It’s really as simple as that. The businesses with responsive web design will continue to grow and thrive as they convert new leads from a generation of mobile shoppers. Those that ignore the importance of responsive design, on the other hand, will lose lead opportunities and slowly (or maybe even quickly) die out. Which type of business do you want to be?