Responsive web design. It’s something you’ve unquestionably heard a lot about, but do you really know what it is and why it’s a solution your business needs to think about?

What is Responsive Web Design

A responsive web design actually solves a fundamental problem between a website and the user’s experience. Hopefully you’ve noticed by now, but computers aren’t the only devices users employ to browse the web. Smartphones of all makes and models, tablets, music players, and even gaming systems join computers in allowing users to experience the internet. Responsive design, in its most fundamental capacity, allows users to have a good browser experience regardless of the dimensions of their screen.

Screen Dimensions

Often people think responsive web design is so web sites can be viewed on smaller devices, but that isn’t always the case. Technology has made screens smaller, yes, but they have also made them larger. With the high-resolution screen growing in popularity, even lap tops and computer monitors are benefitting from this fluid design concept.

Fluid Grids

A responsive web design is built on a structure known as a fluid grid. Basically it’s designed proportionally instead of based on pixels. With this type of layout, the elements resize in relation to each other making it render appropriately on both small and large screens. This part is a little technical (which is why you rely on designers and developers instead of trying to tackle it yourself!), but it’s important to know about the foundation of the fluid grid design. It impacts the design of the site, as a three-column site can’t necessarily break down to one column on a mobile screen. Luckily a seasoned web designer will know how lay out your website to accommodate this component.

Business Benefits of a Responsive Website

Aside from the given, which lets your site visitors have the optimum viewing experience, a responsive website design brings certain business benefits to your online presence. It can increase your visibility in search engines, consolidate your analytics and reporting (one site = easier tracking), can save time and costs on a stand-alone mobile site, and can actually increase sales and traffic. A responsive website puts you ahead of your competitors and keeps you on target with scalable technology.

If you’re looking for a responsive web solution, our team would love to talk to you.