What Does Responsive Design Mean To Online Businesses

Working with clients, I always learn new things and I realize that what is common to me and my peers remains “new” to our clients. One main concept is that of Responsive Web Design. Many solopreneurs realize that their websites are outdated but are where to start in upgrading them.

Due to the fact that more consumers are using digital devices to access websites and information, it's become more imperative than ever to build all websites to be responsive. At Bklyn Custom Designs we constantly look to see ways to improve our visitors' experiences on our site and keep it effortless to return.

We Solopreneurs only have just a few moments to convince our website visitors to answer our calls to action, so we don't want to mess up our chances with a website that is not designed responsively. Here are a few examples of what makes a website responsive so you'll be better informed when updating your own website.

[bctt tweet=”Due to the fact that more consumers are using digital devices to access websites and information, it's become more imperative than ever to build all websites to be responsive.” username=”charlenebauthor”]

3 Things Responsively Designed Sites Have In Common

1. Fluid layouts – The layout and elements on the page get larger or smaller depending upon the browser, within minimum and maximum limits.
2. Media queries – Using CSS style sheets, the responsively designed site will call upon different style sheets based on the browser's size.
3. Viewpoint – The page will render based on the viewer's device in a way that it can be used most effectively and efficiently.

They Adapt to the User

A responsive web design will change based on the browser type that your customer is using. No matter what type of browser or size of browser your customer uses, they can easily access your information with the same content and the same overall design. It will change the display in a way that enables your user to read the information no matter what.

No Need for Two (or more) Designs

When mobile first came about, web designers were often designing more than one website to accommodate the different screen sizes and browsers. You may have even seen websites with the notice: Not optimized for Internet Explorer. This type of thing can be very frustrating to consumers and is not something you want to do. Also, creating separate “mobile sites” can become costly and time-consuming. Instead, your goal is to create one design that works and translates on all devices. That's what a responsive design does.

[bctt tweet=”A well-designed responsive site will look different on each device, but it will work well on each device.” username=”charlenebauthor”]

It's Not Really New

The thing about responsive design is that it's not really that new. In fact, it's about simplicity, and you'll be using mostly HTML5 and CSS to design everything about your website. Since you want people to be able to read your site and use your site across platforms, the more simple the design, is the better.

Responsive design uses flexible layouts, responsive images, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) so that the layout is changed automatically for the viewer depending on which device they're using.

Responsive design allows your website to be viewed, used, and enjoyed regardless of the device being used. It doesn't mean that your site will look exactly the same on each device – it's even better than that. A well-designed responsive site will look different on each device, but it will work well on each device.

For instance, a smartphone has smaller screen space, so instead of a site with sidebars, the content will be moved to the top for reading, sidebars will be moved under the content, and buttons will remain large enough to press with a finger.

The Rundown

More and more website visitors are using mobile devices to access deals, stories, information, and to be entertained. Our job as Solopreneurs is to allow them to do so with ease. Regardless if you DIY or hire a pro, make these changes and your visitors will easily stay connected with you while they are on the go.