More than 30% of internet users say they mostly use their phone to browse the internet. As this population increases, Google and other search engines are placing more and more emphasis on user experience across a variety of platforms. A responsive website isn’t just a “cool technology”, it’s a marketing tool to ensure that you secure and maintain top rankings in the search engines. Tweet This
What is a Responsive Website?
In simple terms, a responsive website seamlessly adapts to multiple screen sizes, ensuring your website visitors get the full experience regardless of the device they’re browsing on.
Isn’t a separate mobile website better?
The old way of thinking was that mobile websites should be a stripped down version of your website. The assumption was that because a user was on a mobile phone, they were probably on the go and just needed quick information.
It turns out, that’s not the case and anyone who’s had the experience of visiting the mobile version of a website on their phone knows what a frustrating experience it is to only have access to a fraction of the company’s full website.
Responsive Design = Best Practice
Today, website design companies and marketers are taking note of the fact that Google has gone so far as to say responsive web design is an industry best practice.
A mobile website is completely separate from your desk top website. It has a separate URL, separate HTML and separate content. This creates an issue for search engines who have to crawl and index two sites separately.
By contrast, a responsive website is one website, with the same content. This means you don’t have to worry about diluting your authority in the search engines or being penalized for duplicate content. It also means you don’t have to worry about making separate updates to your websites, which is a common challenge for businesses with a separate mobile website.
If SEO is an important part of your marketing strategy, a responsive website should be a priority. Tweet This
But our clients aren’t using smart phones
Responsive websites aren’t just about smartphones and tablets. A responsive website adjusts regardless of the screen size, that means people who view your website on laptop monitors or large desktop screens will have a great experience tailored for their specific device.
And if you think that your patients aren’t using mobile technology, think again. The Pew Research Internet Project released an update to its Mobile Technology Fact Sheet in December 2013 finding:
- 55% of American adults have a smartphone
- 42% of American adults own a tablet computer
- Smartphone ownership has increased 20% in the past 3 years
- Tablet ownership has increased by almost 40% in the past 3 years
- And desktop or laptop ownership has remained relatively flat since 2006
Mobile Technology Is Outpacing PCs
Consumers are adapting rapidly to new technologies and it is anticipated that tablet sales will outpace PC sales by end of year 2015, according to research by the International Data Corporation (IDC).
How Do I Get a Responsive Website?
Now that you’re sufficiently motivated, you’re wondering how do I get a responsive website. We wish it were as easy as clicking a button, but unfortunately, it isn’t.
Converting a “standard” website to a responsive website is generally not an easy task, nor is it the best approach.
With any type of website design, but especially responsive design, considerable architectural planning needs to go towards determining the market and marketing goals, outlining user profiles, creating a content strategy and hierarchy of information.
You want to meet with a website designer and marketing team who can first help map out your business objectives and deliver a strategy to meet those goals. Then, you start to think about the design, which is not just how the website will look, but how it will function across a wide range of technology devices.
Need a Partner? Ads Next Can Help
Ads Next offers an “all-in-one” solution for businesses called the Performance Program. This includes a responsive website along with comprehensive marketing strategy and performance coaching. If you’re ready to take the next step in your online marketing strategy with a responsive website, give us a call for a free analysis. Call 866-623-5325 or by email.
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