It is a fact that more and more people are accessing the Internet via devices such as mobile tablets and smartphones. For this reason, adopting a responsive design has become an imperative, not only to remain relevant in the search results of the almighty Google, but also in order to offer your visitors an overall positive experience.

Before we continue with the main reasons for upgrading to a responsive design, we must define the concept briefly. In the simplest terms, responsive design is a certain type of layout that allows automatic alternation of the outlook.

As a consequence, regardless of what device you use to access a responsive design website, it will display with a resolution and aspect ratio that is in harmony with the device. In other words, the main benefit of such a design is the fact that it dodges the unaesthetic alterations that take place across devices due to a regular design. Moreover, the chances of coming across navigation errors on responsive design are minimal.

So, why is responsive design a “must”?

• Google says so: SEO management for a desktop version and a mobile version of the same website is, in many respects, a “pain in the ass”. Moreover, it does not have spectacular results. Fortunately, Google prefers and recommends everyone to adopt a responsive design in order to bypass this nuisance. Also, after the latest update of the Google giant, websites that sport a responsive design rank higher in search results.

• Higher accessibility: Responsive websites tend to work irreproachably across a multitude of devices, platforms and operating systems. This means that the responsive website will be able to receive traffic from any source, thus making it more accessible.

• User-friendliness: Optimizing your website by updating to a responsive design means having a warranty that, no matter the point of access on the visitor’s end, he or she will have a positive experience. A responsive design is not limited strictly to a pleasant look across platforms, but also a shorter loading time – which is always a nice thing.

• Higher conversion rate: Thanks to a shorter loading time and layout continuity, vizitors are more likely to stay on the page. If, for example, the website in question is an online store, that can translate into a higher conversion rate. In other words, a responsive design can “convert” simple visitors into faithful clients.

Due to the fact that over 60% of online traffic takes place through smartphones and tablets, upgrading to a responsive design has become not just an issue of functionality, but an actual necessity. Even though the pricing of such an upgrade cannot be ignored, the overall benefits easily outweigh its cost.