MOVE TOWARDS RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN TO PROVIDE BETTER USER EXPERIENCE

The browsing habits of users have undergone a paradigm shift over the years, for no longer are they dependent on desktops or laptops to do Internet based activities such as checking emails, browsing websites, watch HD videos or do online shopping. In fact, of late, the shift in device platforms to access the Internet has moved towards smartphones in a big way. This is primarily due to the penetration of relatively economical but portable smartphones vis-a-vis costly but wired to a place, desktops.This development among users signifying a major shift in the choice of device platform for viewing content meant websites got back to the drawing board in order to become smartphone compliant. This has resulted in the building of two mirror sites but with a pronounced difference – one compatible for desktops and the other for smartphones. Moreover, making of smartphone compliant websites, in addition to the original desktop compliant ones, entailed duplication or requirement of extra effort to maintain both the sites, leading to issues of time management and cost escalation.

The solution to the above problem was found in form of a responsive web design. According to this, a website is made platform independent, in other words, fit to be viewed on any type of device – desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet. For example, if a user views a website on a desktop or laptop, he should be able to view the entire structure, layout, content and images that are present on the site. Similarly, when the user views the same website on a smartphone or a tablet the website should ideally fit into the small viewing area of the device without obscuring any part of it. Thus, responsive web design has become the new buzzword for any website design company in Delhi or elsewhere.

Backed by Google?

Being the biggest search engine in the world in terms of market share, Google is indeed big news. So, when Google decided to alter its algorithm to incorporate mobile first search policy instead of the earlier desktop based search, every website design company in Delhi and elsewhere have taken it upon themselves to move towards responsive web design. The reasons for which Google opted for the concept of mobile first search a la responsive web design are the following:

  •         With an ever increasing number of users searching info on their smartphones, a mobile first search technique would entail quicker downloading of information from responsive websites (entire content fitting into the small screens of smartphones)
  •         Non responsive websites even if built by one of the best website design companies in Delhi and elsewhere would mean Google searching two URLs and HTML variants pertaining to a single site leading to duplication and slower download, thus leading to a bad user experience
  •         Concern for users’ browsing experience also played a significant role. For example, when a non responsive URL of a website (desktop version) shared by a user on social media is viewed on a smartphone by another user, it would lead to user dissatisfaction since the entire web structure of the URL would not be visible on the smartphone by the latter

More non responsive websites (mobile non compliant) would mean lesser rankings for the same on mobile searches. This will have an impact on SEO in terms of showing more on page error for Google – not a happy scenario for both Google and websites.

Impact on conversion rate

The presence of fewer responsive websites on the Internet would mean users will have lesser incentive for converting. This is due to the fact that users would not be able to view the entire website on their smartphones.

 

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