With more and more people using smart phones to connect to the internet, companies must adapt to the way go about their website design. Whereas the issue before was between static or dynamic websites, now it is all about responsive website design. There are different reasons why a company would not venture into having a responsive site. It could be that it is not fit for their business or that they do not need an internet presence to go about their business.
How did responsive website design come about? Recent data shows that over the past years, more and more people are visiting websites using their smart phones or tablets. One study showed that in the US alone, more than 60% of people who have mobile phones use smart phones. Another study, released early this year, said that by 2017 the number of people around the world who use smart phones to access the net will reach 5 billion. This is the main reason why companies are starting to focus their website development on this particular trend.
The phrase itself was coined by Ethan Marcotte to mean a website that can respond not just to the need of the user but to the device they are using as well. Thus, a responsive website design means that it can respond to the changes in the environment. What this entails is that for example if the user is visiting your site through a tablet, the resolution and size must change to fit the tablet. Otherwise if it remains the same, then it will just irritate the user since he or she will need either to scroll up/down or left/right.
If your company wants to join in on the trend, you first need to review what you have done with your website. If you have recently made some changes to your site, then modifying it to be responsive make take that much work and will not cost that much. However, if it has been years since you made changes to your site, then you will have to start website development from scratch. This may mean additional costs but if you depend on the internet then the benefits will far outweigh the costs in the long run.
If your website development team is not familiar with this, your best course of action is to consult professionals as there are guidelines on the do’s and don’ts of responsive design. One such company is JEMSU. Despite being in the website development field for more than 10 years, they have managed to adapt and now offer services relating to responsive design.
Make no mistake. Mobile internet is the future and if you are unable to give your users a more fulfilling experience through their phones then maybe you should stop marketing your business online. It is not too late however. With companies like JEMSU offering such services, there is still time for you to not just get back in the race but get ahead of the pack as well. As Marcotte correctly put it, the way forwards is responsive website design.
