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2013 has been touted as the year of responsive design for websites, but what’s the difference between responsive design and mobile specific websites, and why does any of it matter?
In the period between May 2011 and May 2012, mobile internet usage grew by 3.9%, while desktop usage fell by the same amount, according to StatCounter. This trend looks set to continue, with indications for the year to May 2013 showing an even faster growth in mobile usage.
Given the fact that more and more of us are using our smartphones and tablets to surf the web, it is worth you considering responsive design if you are starting a new website project or commissioning a new design. Mobile specific websites have been around for a long time, but the challenges in maintaining several versions of a website can be costly and complicated. The way responsive design differs is that it re-sizes your website to fit the device it’s being viewed on. In the simplest terms, if you shrink your web browser, the content will re-size to fit.
A responsive design requires more effort upfront than a standard website, but the benefit is that – if done well – your site will need little or no device specific updates in the future. If you have a content managed site then this is an ideal situation.
Ethan Marcotte, author of Responsive Web Design, said, “Now more than ever, we’re designing work meant to be viewed along a gradient of different experiences. Responsive web design offers us a way forward, finally allowing us to ‘design for the ebb and flow of things.'”
We are happy to work with you and your web designers to help deliver responsive and engaging websites, and the earlier we are involved the better the end product will be. If you would like to talk through how responsive design could benefit your business, just give us a call on 01858 414217.
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