What is responsive web design? We like to describe it as an approach to a design that ‘should respond to a users environment based on screen size, platform, and orientation’. The number of people accessing the web through multiple devices is on the increase. So to have a site which is compatible for all devices is no longer a luxury, in our opinion it is compulsory. But why? The Honeybooth Marketing team have explored some of the reasons why it’s important to make sure your site is fully responsive.

The thing is, If you are not opting for a responsive design, you have to create different sites for different mediums. This means you would need one for your mobile, iPad and another for your desktop. So, the likeli-hood is you’d be displaying duplicate content for your products or ser-vices. It’s not easy to run the same pages for different setups, and it’s certainly not advisable since you face the risk of uploading another ver-sion somewhere along the line, or updating only one version and not updating the other. It is far easier to keep track of your website and it’s progress when you’ve only got one to look after.

Respect the law of Google

Google is, with out a shadow if a doubt, the most popular search engine in the world. When it comes to knowing its users and customers, it has no competition. And if you want to climb the rankings of this search en-gine, you have to conform to the rules implemented. Since the effec-tiveness of SEO has a lot to do with a effective website, fresh content, readable coding etc, there is absolutely no reason why you should go against the requirements of the search engine. Google has said time and time again that the configuration they recommend is a responsive web design. Therefore, you must not delay and change your website in-to a responsive design, if you haven’t already.

Link building

When it comes to a responsive web design, the URL on everyone of your pages is unique. This means the link that leads you to the main site also should take you to the mobile site. A lack of multiple URLs for the same entity helps in the non-dilution of the page rank and keeps the back-end profile for the desktop and mobile device stronger and more effective.

Improve search rankings on mobile devices

Searches on mobile devices have well overtaken searches on the web all across the globe. And this is why Google will rank mobile-optimised URLs higher than those that are not when it comes to mobile searches.

Lower bounce rate

When your website does not have proper customer engagement fea-tures, users will leave your page very quickly. Google, will then reduce your rating because of an increase in bounce rate, yeah this is like being penalised twice! When your rating is reduced, you will have less appearance, and the traffic of potential clients to your site will also be reduced. So, if you wish to reduce your bounce rate, a responsive de-sign is the way to go. A responsive design takes away this possibility of penalisation since it will rearrange according to medium, eliminating horizontal scrolling.