Does Your Business’ Website Need a Responsive Design?

Responsive websites are designed to present a similar user experience to mobile and desktop visitors, regardless of how the site is accessed (tablet, smartphone, iPod, etc.). Drupal features make responsive design a delicious breeze, and it can also be accomplished on WordPress sites with the right amount of monkeying around.

A recent article by Ben Heath on OrphicPixel.com asks business owners if they need a responsive design for their WordPress site. Without getting into the old WordPress vs. Drupal argument, we can tell you that when the question involves the business need for responsive design, the short answer is yes, you need it. Why would you think otherwise anyways?

Heath lists five reasons small businesses need responsive WordPress design:

1. Satisfy Your Mobile Audience

Heath writes, “Arguably, the most important reason to use responsive WordPress design is it helps you stay connected to mobile internet users. Today, people can access your site using all types of gadgets, and if you’re not taking steps to ensure your site displays properly for all devices, chances are, for many of your visitors, your site is a big FAIL.”

2. Mobile Users Soon to Surpass Desktop

Mobile usage has already soared to a substantial percentage of all Internet traffic, and many projections have mobile usage soon surpassing traditional desktop traffic. Leaving mobile behind may soon mean leaving the majority of web traffic behind. So, let’s hop on this train, like now!

3. Responsive to Desktop Monitors Too

Responsive design doesn’t just mean responsive to smartphones and tablets. Heath points out, “nitor screens come in all sizes and multi-taskers are regularly resizing their windows and “snapping” two or more together to view multiple things at once. With RWD, your website displays in the best manner possible (no matter how the viewer resizes the screen), and it can re-align text and graphics to minimize side-to-side scrolling.”

4. More Engagement = More Conversions

Quite simply, audiences with the best user experience are the most engaged. Responsive design provides the most engaging experience. The most engaged visitors are the most likely to convert. Web traffic logic at its simplest. We get enough yawning experience in the everyday world, don’t we?

5. One Design is More Affordable

One responsive design is more affordable than having separate mobile and standard web designs. Heath writes, “Generally responsive WordPress design costs less than having separate mobile and static websites because no matter how you slice it, maintaining multiple web properties is going to require more time and effort (think money) than having just one.“