Responsive Web Design (RWD) became a popular solution soon after its introduction in 2012. And it ruled the web design and development world in 2013. But will this trend continue? The answer is yes. RWD is here to stay and that too for a long time!
When an increased number of people started using mobile devices to browse sites, web designers and developers faced a dilemma. The only way out was to create a separate web design for the mobile devices. But it wasn’t an easy task. Nor it was suitable for SEO.
And then RWD came to the rescue. Designers and developers found the perfect solution to create sites to suit different users who use different devices with different capabilities, different features, different screen sizes and resolutions to browse them.
But is Responsive Web Design responsible for better rankings? The good news is – YES! Here’s how:
A responsive design works well for search engines
Search engines love it. And Google actually recommends it! And the best part, when users search for local services from their mobile devices, Google favors sites that have a responsive layout.
Another good thing about RWD is that you need not have two sets of URLs for two sites – one for desktop computers and one for mobile devices. This makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index content.
A responsive design means you have only one URL to focus SEO efforts on
With RWD, you get only one site, and one link to work on. Suppose you have a site that works well for PCs. It’s user-friendly and credible. But now, you need a mobile-friendly site.
Do you build a separate site for mobile devices? If you do, you will have to build its credibility separately too. This is a waste of time, money and effort. But if you convert your site’s design and make it responsive, it will work for all devices.
A responsive design offers better opportunity for social shares
Suppose your site’s PC version has 10 links from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. And your site’s mobile version has 5 links from each of these sites too.
If you have a single site with a responsive layout, this division of social shares won’t occur. It will have 15 social media shares on its own, an improvement on either the PC version or the mobile version of the site.
A responsive design ensures great experience for users
How will you feel if you try to browse a site from your Smartphone, and find it to be a challenge? It is sure to leave you dissatisfied and disappointed.
Creating a site that works fine on a big screen isn’t enough anymore. With each day, more and more people are using mobile devices to access sites. If your site isn’t ready for them, search engines won’t love it either.
Let’s use an example to illustrate this point.
You have a great site that offers users superb experience when they browse it from their PC. But when they access it from their tablet or iPhone, the content becomes illegible, or it only shows a small chunk of the page.
It won’t engage the user. When this happens, the user will just leave your site. Remember, this will add to the bounce rate of your site. Google will deem it as a site that offers poor user experience. And your site’s rankings will drop.
On the other hand, with a responsive layout, it’s highly likely that the bounce rate of your site decreases, as users are able to view the necessary content presented in a functional way. And it keeps them engaged. And search engines show your site some love too!