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4 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Responsive Web Design

4 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Responsive Web Design

4 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Responsive Web Design

Google announced in February of 2015 that it would soon begin using mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor, giving new impetus to SEO experts’ increasingly urgent insistence on responsive web design. If you still haven’t made the shift to responsive web design, you may be falling behind your competition. Here are four reasons why it’s in your best interest to switch to responsive web design sooner than later.

Responsive Web Design Is the Best Way to Reach the Largest Audience

In 2014, the number of mobile Internet users surpassed the number of desktop users for the first time. ComScore research in 2016 shows that 65 percent of all digital media time is spent on mobile devices. This means that over half of all your prospective customers are on mobile devices, making it imperative that your site be mobile-friendly.

However, it also means that over a third of your audience is accessing your site from desktops. Making your site mobile-only risks leaving out this significant part of your potential customer base.

Moreover, mobile devices differ in screen size, so a non-responsive mobile-only site isn’t equally friendly to all visitors. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S7 offers 5.1 inch display to accommodate activities like browsing and shopping online, but not all mobile devices have such a large screen. The best way to reach desktop users and all types of mobile users is to use a responsive design that adapts to any device and screen size rather than exclusively mobile devices or desktops.

Responsive Design Improves Search Engine Rankings

Google officially recommends using responsive design for websites. While there is so far no definitive proof that Google favors responsive sites over merely mobile-friendly sites, Google definitely favors mobile-friendly sites over sites that are not. With this in mind, a responsive site is a step in the right direction, assuming you take other steps to make your site mobile-friendly, such as avoiding slow-loading pages.

On the other hand, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, Google will definitely punish your search engine rankings. Moreover, the number and duration of visits to your site affects your Google ranking, so if your site isn’t responsive to all users, you’ll lose traffic and increase your bounce rate, both of which will hurt your search engine performance.

Responsive Design Makes Navigation Easier

Responsive sites make your site more navigation-friendly to your visitors. For instance, mobile users may see a menu option as an icon, while desktop users may see a text label for the same menu link.

Similarly, mobile sites may display in a single column images that appear in multiple columns on a desktop device with a wider screen. This makes it easier for visitors from all devices to navigate your site, making it easier to lead visitors to the areas of your site where you want them to go.

Responsive Design Boosts Your Sales Conversion Rate

Mobile users are buyers. In 2015, 30 percent of e-commerce sales came from mobile traffic, according to Internet Retailer. Research by the Aberdeen Group found that responsive websites convert at rates 11 percent higher than non-responsive sites.

If visitors have trouble accessing a site with their mobile device, 61 percent say they will leave without returning, and 40 percent say they will visit a competitor’s site instead, according to Google. Not being responsive to your audience’s needs can cost you customers and sales.

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