How responsive is your site?
Did you know that Kleiner Perkins analyst, Mary Meeker predicts that the number of smart devices in use would outnumber PCs by the middle of 2013?
Not surprising when we consider the statistic that Smartphone sales alone passed those of PC sales in 2011. The iPhone 5, Nexus 7, iPad mini, Samsung Galaxy S3, Blackberry 10, Microsoft Surface… the list of smart devices is ever increasing, and looks set to only continue as developers across the world seem to be working toward a unset goal of producing a smart device which does practically everything we require, therefore maintaining our contemporary need for convenience. This trend is going nowhere soon, so it may be time to consider responsive solutions to your current web presence, if you’ve not done so already.
What’s responsive design?
It’s an approach to design and development of websites which eliminates the need for individual web platforms for different devices, for example instead of creating a desktop, mobile and tablet versions of your website, responsive design works to create a single website which can automatically adjust itself to suit these different devices. It provides a user who switches from their laptop to their tablet to their Smartphone with a seamless alteration and user experience, wherever they may be.
Why does it matter?
It matters because the study ‘What users want most from mobile sites today’ states that Google discovered that “72% of consumers expect brands to have a mobile friendly website.” Furthermore, the study found that “55% of respondents said a frustrating mobile experience hurts their opinion of a brand.” Those are some impactful statistics, but even more surprising another Google study found that “61% of respondents would take their business elsewhere if they encounter a poor mobile experience.” Bearing these statistics in mind, in today’s fast-paced digital world it’s not advisable to ignore the impact of responsive solutions and run the risk of offering your potential customers a poor user experience because the long-term negative effect on your business and brand could be tremendous.
Still not convinced? According to Bank of America, revenue from mobile commerce in European and U.S markets jumped to nearly £16.5 billion in 2012 (that’s a 71% increase upon the year before).
Here are some great examples of responsive design:
The Guardian: http://m.guardian.co.uk/
Mashable: http://mashable.com/
Topshop: http://m.topshop.com/
BBC News: http://m.bbc.co.uk
Currys: http://www/currys.co.uk/
Time: http://www.time.com/time/
Starbucks: http:www.starbucks.com/
How many of these have you accessed on your mobile device recently?
Interested in finding out how responsive web can work for you? Please contact us for a free consultation.
