According to StatCounter GlobalStats data from 2021, the share of global internet traffic generated by mobile devices was around 53%, while desktop devices accounted for about 46% of the traffic. This suggests that a larger percentage of users today use mobile devices.
Responsive Websites: What Hides Behind Responsiveness?
Responsive websites are characterized by their excellent adaptation to various device sizes and screens, providing users with comfortable experiences, whether they are using a computer, smartphone, or tablet.
What does responsiveness entail?
Responsive websites are sites that automatically respond to the screen size on which they are displayed. This means that their layout, elements, and proportions are flexibly adjusted depending on the device.
Whether you are browsing the site on a large monitor screen, horizontally on a tablet, or vertically on a smartphone, the site will always look good and, above all, be usable. After all, how can you ask a question through the site when you can’t reach the “contact” or “phone number” tab because their font is too small or the buttons are inactive?
Designing a Responsive Website: The Process
Designing a responsive website is much more than resizing elements on different screens. It is a comprehensive process that aims to adapt the website to the complex needs of users.
Firstly, we meticulously design the layout of the page. The choice of appropriate containers, columns, and elements must be carefully considered.
Next comes the use of media queries, a technique in the code that allows for visual and layout changes based on specific screen parameters, such as width or orientation.
What Can Be Helpful?
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a factor that can play a significant role in creating responsive websites by providing better personalization and adapting it to user needs.
Based on collected data, CRM allows for the segmentation of audiences according to various criteria. This enables the creation of content, offers, and page layouts tailored to various specific customer groups. The CRM system also helps track user paths, focusing on analyzing the effectiveness of different elements of the site and optimizing to increase conversion rates.
In short, a CRM system aids in creating responsive websites by providing information about users, their behaviors, and preferences. This, in turn, allows for content and layout personalization, ultimately improving customer experience and increasing the chances of conversion.
Performance Paired with Speed
Responsive websites not only adapt to different screens but must also be optimized for performance. A long loading time can discourage users, regardless of how visually appealing the site is on their device. Proper optimization of images, code, and resources is crucial to maintain a responsive and fast website.
Are you familiar with the concept of mobile-first design?
Increasingly, websites or stores are more often accessed on mobile devices by default. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to begin designing them with a focus on mobile layouts and then shift attention to larger devices. After all, smartphones rule today’s digital world, as we all enjoy glancing at those small screens!
Google and SEO
It’s also worth mentioning that even Google’s search engine increasingly considers the responsiveness of websites in the context of search engine ranking. Responsive sites have much higher chances of achieving better positions in search results.
How do responsive websites work?
The main goal of responsiveness is to create something consistent that improves user experiences regardless of the device being used.
This means that both the layout and content automatically adapt to the screen parameters. For example, if you have three columns of content on a computer, on a smartphone, they may be arranged one below the other for readability and easy access.
Responsive websites utilize appropriate technologies to intelligently respond to any changes. If a new browser window size replaces the previous one, the elements will gradually adjust to the required dimensions, eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling.
In a nutshell…
Responsive websites are necessary to enable your customers to reach you, considering the increasing variety of devices and their sizes, as well as their expectations for convenience while browsing websites.