A Guide To Responsive Design

Before you read this, check your pockets. Now, most have probably found their keys, a packet of chewing gum, maybe that receipt from lunch last week. However, all of you have probably found the most important thing. That little rectangle that gives you access to an entire universe of information, that contains a plethora of different people, personalities, websites, items for sale and much, much more. This is the modern day mobile phone. Magnificent, isn’t it?

 

If you fail to see its majesty, here are a few facts to change your mind:

 

• The technology in your phone uses more power than the first ever space shuttle, the one that put Neil Armstrong on the moon!
• There are approximately 860 million active smartphones in Europe alone!
• For every PC in Britain, there are 5 smartphones!
• 4 billion people own a smartphone, however, about 3.5 billion use a toothbrush…

 

Okay, maybe the last one wasn’t so glamorous, but it really puts it into perspective how important these technologically advanced rectangles are. While the sci-fi lovers complain about the lack of flying cars and self-tying shoes, they seem to forget about the little black rectangle in their pockets, the portal to a digital world holding an almost impossible amount of information.

 

Now, these smartphones wouldn’t be as useful, efficient and aesthetically pleasing without the dedicated, hardworking minds behind the designing and programming of the user interface and websites that make your phone so easy to use. Notice how the best and most maintained websites look different, but just as efficient, on a PC and a smartphone. This is called Responsive Design. This process is carried out by the best web design agencies.

 

Is it essential?

 

Imagine you’re on your computer, and you are one your favourite website. You’re halfway through a very interesting article about, for example, web design. Suddenly, you realise the time and are suddenly aware that you will be late for work. You grab your things and run for the bus. The thought of finishing that article lingers at the back of your mind, so you go onto the website on your phone. But alas, the layout is somewhat confusing. The text requires you to zoom in 200% and the menus are all over the place. This is because the website doesn’t have Responsive Design. It confuses and deters viewers.

 

However, if the website DID have Responsive Designs, the target audience, and views of the website would increase, as during the working day, the vast majority of web-surfers use their phones, as opposed to the desktop/laptop.

 

Now, if you are a business with a website, that is yet to be optimised for smartphones, listen closely, as the following advice may save your business.

 

Selecting A Web Design Agency for Responsive Design

 

The Internet is filled to the brim with web designers, all offering similar services. The deciding factor, however, is the different in quality these services. Don’t get me wrong, nobody likes to spend massive amounts of money on something that could potentially increase your business (however the statistics prove that Responsive Design is extremely advantageous), but you’ll find that the pricier the services, the better. I’m not saying go all in with your funds, but make sure that the services are worth the money. Receive a free quote by phoning up a web design agency and enquiring about the prices of their services.

 

To discover what previous clients thought about the services, look into the customer testimonials. These are reviews left by the previous clients. From these, you can deduce what level of quality, and customer care these companies have.

 

Once you have selected the (hopefully) best company you possibly can, it’s time to crack on with the Responsive Design process!

 

Responsive Design’s Friendly Interface

 

When designing the mobile website, make sure that the user will not be put off by anything complicated, remember, everyone uses a phone, and some people might’ve just started, so bare in mind the complexity of a website may deter customers. Ensure that the viewers are welcomed with a friendly, minimalistic, interactive interface that does not require any instructions to use.

 

Make sure that all of the menus and different pages are displayed clearly upon entering the page. Last thing a customer wants is to zoom and zoom and zoom until the text is readable, and upon doing so, accidentally clicking on the wrong link. Yes, I am speaking from experience and it is extremely agitating so I beg of you, consider these issues.

 

Everybody loves a picture book, so why not add more graphics that are relevant to your business? With these visual representations of what your business does, your website will look friendlier and it will certainly catch more eyes.

 

Placement of Items

 

Now, here comes the tedious part, but important nonetheless. When designing a mobile website, everything has to be of equal/relative measurements. People notice the smallest inaccuracies (personally, I’ve found that the smallest inaccuracies are the most agitating). Take note of the measurements of each item, and make sure they are placed suitably on your page. Nobody wants an image that is a few millimeters out of line.

 

Different Devices

 

When the mobile website has been designed, it’s time to take into consideration the different screen size of mobile devices. Optimising this layout for different devices is paramount in your website’s success. It’s best to make a layout for iPad, iPhone, and various Android devices. This ensures that all bases are covered. Making sure that all of the aforementioned points are revised for these different devices is essential.

 

A broader accessibility of devices ensure that there are no limits to viewing your website. The more platforms you cover, the more viewers and most likely the more customers.

 

Final Stages

 

At this stage, double checking that everything is fully functional and easy to use will reassure you that your website is ready to go live! This will expand the audience of your market, ensuring that any and all have access to your product. With the ever-changing phone sizes every year, it’s always good to maintain and update these sites often.

 

But congratulations! You now have a mobile variant of your website that uses the smart, innovative Responsive Design feature!