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Responsive web design has become a cornerstone of digital marketing and user experience. The rise of mobile devices, tablets and other gadgets means that customers are accessing the internet through a variety of different mediums.
As such, it’s essential for businesses to ensure their websites are accessible on all platforms. Responsive web design (RWD) allows you to create a single website that responds to the user’s screen size, rather than creating separate versions of your site for desktop computer monitors, mobile traffic and phones and tablet devices.
This article will explore the principles behind responsive web design and why it’s so important in today’s digital landscape.
What is Responsive Web Design?
A responsive website is one that has been created with the ability to respond to the device on which it is being viewed. It will fit the screen of the device on which it is viewed, whether that is a desktop computer, a laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc.
The idea behind responsive web design is that there is only one website that responds to the device on which it is viewed — no matter what device is used to access the site. This is unlike traditional web design, which is considered “dynamic” and views each client’s device as a separate computer with its own software that is not compatible with other systems. That is, a company that uses traditional web design will have a different website for each type of device that connects to the internet.
A Quick History of Responsive Web Design
The idea of responsive web design dates back to 2010 and is credited to Ethan Marcotte, a graphic designer who had become frustrated by the fact that the web design industry was essentially using the same static approach that it had been using for 20 years.
In particular, Marcotte had gotten fed up with the fact that people were using desktop computers to view the content on his blog. With a growing number of people using mobile phones and other handheld devices to access the internet, Marcotte felt that the design industry needed a change. As such, he wrote an article for A List Apart titled “Responsive Web Design” that would go on to become the most read article in the history of the publication.
Advantages of Responsive Web Design
– Accessibility: One of the most important advantages of responsive web design is the fact that it makes your website accessible to people who are using handheld devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
With the rise of handheld devices, a significant number of people are choosing to access the internet through these devices. Therefore, if your business does not have a website designed for handheld devices, these people will not be able to access your content.
– User Experience: Another advantage of responsive web design is that it gives companies the ability to provide a consistent user experience across different types of devices. On the other hand, if your company has separate websites for each type of device, it will not be able to control how customers navigate through the site. As such, customers may have a different experience each time they log on to your site.
– SEO: Finally, responsive web design can also help businesses improve their search engine optimization. In particular, Google looks at the mobile version of your site when it is ranking your content for specific keywords. As such, having the same site across all devices may result in a lower ranking on the search engine.
Disadvantages of Responsive Web Design
– Alternative Platforms: One of the biggest disadvantages of responsive web design is that it is not available on other platforms. For example, if you use a responsive website, you will not be able to access this content on a desktop computer.
This may be problematic if your customers primarily use desktop computers to access your content:
– Additional Resources: Another disadvantage of responsive web design is that it requires companies to invest in additional resources, such as content management software and new web development tools. On the other hand, traditional web design does not cost anything extra.
– Long-Term Approach: Finally, a disadvantage of responsive web design is that it is a long-term approach to the way that companies create their websites. On the other hand, traditional web design can create a new website within a few weeks.
Key Elements of Responsive Web Design
– Multiple Breakpoints: Another important element of responsive web design is multiple breakpoints. Breakpoints refer to the points at which the content on your site stops flowing from one column to two in order to fit the various screen sizes.
– Legible Text: Another important element of responsive web design is legible text. This means that your site’s content should be easy to read no matter what type of device it is being viewed on.
– Appropriate Graphics: Another important element of responsive web design is appropriate graphics. This means that companies need to select images that work well on all devices, including handheld devices. These are just a few of the key elements of responsive web design.
There are many more that are also important to keep in mind when creating your site.
Conclusion
The rise of handheld devices has greatly affected the web design industry. If a company does not have a website that can be viewed on handheld devices, many people will not be able to access the content. This is where responsive web design comes in. With this approach to web design, companies are able to create a single website that works for all devices.
With responsive web design, companies are able to provide their customers with a consistent user experience across handheld devices. This means that customers will always be able to access the same content, regardless of which device they choose to use.
However, companies must keep in mind that responsive web design is not an appropriate solution for every company. In particular, businesses that primarily serve customers who use desktop computers should stick with traditional web design.