The Benefits of Responsive Design

The Benefits of Responsive Design
Posted on 04/16/2018
CivicLive Blog - The Benefits of Responsive Design

In America, mobile users spend around 84 hours a month browsing on their smartphones (that’s just under 3 hours a day.) More and more people are engaging online using mobile devices, which explains why website usability and accessibility are becoming the most important elements of web design.


One design method that strengthens mobile user experience and overall website usability is responsive design.


What is Responsive Design?

Responsive design is a technique that makes it possible to view website content on a variety of devices. A website with responsive design adjusts content, including images and videos, on a page, to fit correctly on the screen viewing it. For example, a responsive site viewed on a desktop will show the entire page, as it is, however, if you were to access that same site using a smartphone or tablet, the page will retract and reassemble in a way that makes it easier to view on a smaller screen.


Responsive design also enables tablet and smart phone users to view a page horizontally or vertically, depending on preference.

Why is it Important?

Responsive design provides a website with a variety of benefits, including:


1. Greater Flexibility

A website with responsive design allows for flexibility. A responsive site is ready to use for any device, including new and future designs. Scalability provides stability for users constantly upgrading to the newest, most current device.


2. Improved Accessibility.

Responsive design makes your website accessible. Multi-device users are able to interact with their city anytime, anywhere, using whatever device they want.


3. Enhanced User Experience.

Responsive websites ensure users viewing your site on a mobile device see the absolute most important content on your homepage. Responsive design streamlines your content for your audience.


4. Increased Conversion Rates.

With so many Internet users accessing websites on their phones, a site that’s not responsive will miss out on some conversions. The instant gratification afforded to mobile users is that they can access information quickly, on the go. However, if in order to fill out a form, or download additional information, your residents need to access your site on desktop, there’s a high probability they simply won’t bother. When you offer a responsive site, you increase the possibility for higher conversions.


5. Improved SEO.

Google tags responsive websites as “mobile friendly” when searches are performed on mobile devices, this means responsive sites are more likely to be accessed by users searching for information on their smartphones, as their search tells them “this site is easily viewed by phone.” Even better, beginning in 2015 Google started using responsive design as part of their website ranking parameters; meaning if your site is responsive, Google rewards it by boosting its rank.


Staying Current

Responsive design is no longer a debatable aspect of web design. When updating your website making your new site responsive is an absolute must. Along with software specifically made for local governments, every CivicLive website is fully responsive in order to ensure you meet your citizens’ needs whether through desktop, smartphone or tablet.

Learn More About CivicLive's Responsive Websites.

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