It’s time to account for the mobile revolution. In a world where 60% of all internet access now comes from smartphones and tablets, designing your website with your audience in mind is absolutely crucial.
And yet, only 11% of marketers responding to a 2015 survey actually reported optimizing their online presence in the best possible way to accommodate mobile users. The need for responsive web design is pacing ahead of the current implementation of it.
For your business, that’s an undeniable opportunity: if you implement responsive design on your website, you can significantly outpace your competition and enhance your search engine optimization.
Understanding Responsive Web Design
The core concept of responsive design is simple: the code on your website is written to adjust dynamically to the screen size from which your audience views your website. As a result, everyone – from smartphone to desktop users – can view your website without the need to scroll vertically.
Responsive design, in other words, dynamically shifts the layout of your individual pages to accommodate for every screen. The navigation collapses into a so-called ‘hamburger’ menu on small screens, optimized for touch screens on smartphones and tablets. In short, your website ‘responds’ to the device your visitors use.
Google’s Responsive Mandate
Thanks to its user-friendliness, responsive design has long been suggested by web design experts around the globe. But last year, the optional concept became mandatory to help businesses survive in the increasingly busy mobile space.
That’s when Google announced ‘Mobilegeddon,’ an algorithm update designed specifically to prioritize mobile-optimized websites in its mobile search designs. Google, of course, defines responsive web design as the epitome of mobile-optimized.
The search engine’s goal was simple: more users will use Google for their web search needs if they agree that the top results are actually relevant. If mobile internet usage has begun to dominate, mobile-friendliness has become a crucial part of that relevance equation. Hence, by prioritizing responsive design, Google can improve relevance and ultimately satisfy its user base.
In the age of Mobilegeddon, responsive design has become indispensible for marketers looking to enhance or even maintain their search engine optimization. Search results have shifted dramatically as a result of the update, and further efforts toward the same goal are expected this year. Responsive design is no longer optional for digital marketing success.
The Need for User-Friendliness
But even taking Google out of the equation, responsive web design should be a crucial part of your marketing efforts. The reason is simple: improve your user-friendliness, and you improve your website’s credibility and usability. That, in turn, will both improve audience satisfaction and SEO.
Put yourself in the shoes of a visitor, who views your page from a smartphone. Even the greatest and most relevant content is difficult to appreciate if you have to scroll endlessly to read it, or are confronted with big walls of text.
If, on the other hand, that same content is presented in an engaging way optimized for your screen, you’re much more likely to read it through. You will also be more likely to share it, adding to the website’s link profile. Finally, you will stay on the site longer and become more likely to take action, improving both your chances of conversion and the website’s credibility in Google’s database.
Responsive design, in short, can significantly improve your website’s SEO. The concept has not just been around since Google changed the mobile search marketing landscape, but last year’s update certainly sped up the process. Especially in this transitional period, when many of your competitors have not yet implemented a responsive website, embracing the concept can give you a significant competitive edge. Your SEO and overall digital marketing efforts will benefit from the result.
To learn more about how responsive web design can enhance your SEO, give us a call or send us a note today at Small Dog Creative 661-702-1310!
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