Mobile design first has been a buzz word in web design for 7 years or so now. However there seem to be some reluctant or resistance to it’s full adoption. The internet is still filled with non-mobile friendly sites. We are also shock that many are still ignoring Google’s upcoming mobile-first algorithm changes. That change will drastically affect those sites rankings on Google’s search results.
Here at Savvy Gents we have been a proponent of responsive web design for years. What is Responsive Web Design? Google defines responsive web design as:
Responsive Web Design
“Responsive web design (RWD) is a setup where the server always sends the same HTML code to all devices and CSS is used to alter the rendering of the page on the device. Google’s algorithms should be able to automatically detect this setup if all Googlebot user agents are allowed to crawl the page and its assets (CSS, JavaScript, and images). Responsive design serves all devices with the same code that adjusts for screen size.”
We unpacked that definition to mean responsive websites transforms and adjust itself to the pixel-width of the view port(screen) it is being view on, maximizing the user experience on every device, and keeping the content that is necessary to deliver that user experience.
On a responsive site the user should not have to squint, zoom to view content or interact with the site.
Why does this all matter? Here are 11 statics that may help you understand the why of this matter.
- Mobile traffic as a share of total global online traffic in 2017 is 52.64%
- Mobile devices are projected to reach 79% of global internet use by the end of 2018
- In 2017, mobile eCommerce revenue accounts for 50% of total U.S. eCommerce revenue
- In 2017, the mobile share of total digital minutes in the United States is 65%
- 57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website on mobile
- Nearly 8 in 10 customers would stop engaging with content that doesn’t display well on their device
- According to Google, 61% of users are unlikely to return to a site on mobile if they had trouble accessing it and 40% visit a competitor’s site instead
- 83% of mobile users say that a seamless experience across all devices is very important
- As of Q2 2017, smartphones hold a 57% share of all retail website visits
- Average smartphone conversion rates are up 64% compared to desktop conversion rates
- 88% of consumers who search for a type of business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours
The bottom line is if your site isn’t mobile friendly you are losing business and the potential for your business to grow.
