Research shows 84 percent of Americans use the internet.
Those users are able to access the web through a number of devices such as a smart phone, a tablet, or some sort of desktop or laptop computer.
Studies show 66 percent of Americans own at least two of these devices, and 36 percent own all three. With so many people looking at different devices, it is important to make sure a web page looks pleasing on all platforms.
“Having a responsive web site means we create sites that look good on all devices,” according to Paul.
When viewing a site on a desktop, the screen is larger, so a menu might be able to be spread across the top of the page. However, on a phone, everything needs to be aligned more vertically than horizontal because of the smaller screen size.
Reasons for a responsive site are outlined below:
- Customers benefit: They don’t have to worry about zooming in/ moving the screen around to view your site.
- Legibility: Since we optimize for different screen sizes, font size is also optimized.
- Brand Awareness: We are able to translate the company or organization’s brand aesthetics from desktop to mobile.
- Google: (Very Important) Google grants better SEO rankings on mobile devices to mobile friendly sites. Since so many people use their phones and tablets to search, this can greatly effect your searchability.