In a nutshell, responsive design uses a single URL to display content in a viewing format that is automatically optimized to look best on the viewer’s device: laptops, tablets, mobile phones or future devices yet to be created (in layman terms: no matter the size of your viewing window, the site will adjust accordingly and lose none of its integrity while still being easily legible and navigable for the user).

This eliminates the need for separate design and development of a website’s mobile version. With so many viewing devices and browser widths available now, responsive design is becoming an increasingly popular – and increasingly necessary – design solution.

Fulfilling User Expectations

Think of responsive design as building a digital service rather than just a website. Usability is becoming increasingly important with the diversity of web-based devices and ever-improving technology. However it’s accessed, information should be presented in a way that causes the least amount of effort to access. More and more people are accessing the internet through mobile devices rather than through desktop computers.

Some of these people may still have access to their desktop, but, for context and ease-of-use, will likely choose their mobile first. For others, there may be no other way to view your content other than on a mobile device.

How Responsive Design Integrates with SEO

Google has identified responsive design as an SEO best practice. Simple as that. Google’s preferred format is now responsive design.

As the writer of the above article said: “Beyond Google’s direct endorsement, a key consideration for SEOs is the consolidation of inbound link equity. With both desktop and mobile site experiences resolving to the same URLs, inbound links all point to a common destination. This is hugely helpful for SEO link development efforts; it mitigates the concern of inbound link fragmentation where the destination page is the same, though URLs differ.”

By insuring that a site layout will conform and respond to any viewing device, we meet the usability needs of all users with one site. Responsive design, before long, will no longer be just a convenient option for web developers and businesses. It will be a necessity.

Dynamics Online has the capability to build fully integrated responsive design websites. Let us know how we can help you today.

In part two, we’ll provide some sample responsive design sites we’ve completed for you to marvel at 🙂

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Dave Cintron is the Art Director at Dynamics Online.
You can reach him by calling (216) 292-4410.