An introduction to responsive web design

No doubt youve experienced the frustration of accessing a website on your smartphone, only to be faced with tiny and unreadable text, mashed together with images that fail to display appropriately. This is an example of a website owner who has failed to take into account the fact that the majority of internet users now use their smartphones to access information.

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What is responsive design?

A website created using responsive design techniques will automatically display to optimum levels according to the device, and therefore the size of screen, on which it is displayed. As a recent article in Forbes points out, responsive web design should not be confused with mobile friendly web design, which is a site designed specifically for smartphone users. A mobile friendly site will not adapt to display sympathetically on a desktop screen, for example, whereas a responsive website will display accurately across a range of devices.

Understand your audience

Its no good just throwing a website together and hoping for the best. For maximum impact and results you need to research your core audience to discover the ways in which they are likely to interact with your website. If your products or services are geared towards office users, for example, then a bias towards desktop screens might be appropriate, whereas a website for a local restaurant, for example, is more likely to be viewed on smartphones by users nearby. By understanding your website visitors, and how they interact with your site, you can ensure that they receive the best possible experience.

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Check your navigation

One of the most frustrating errors that occurs across websites is when navigation is not intuitive. When you create your responsive website, you need to make sure that visitors can source the information they want quickly and easily, no matter what device or screen size they are using. Responsive web design is challenging, so dont be afraid to call in the experts if youre not comfortable with doing your own coding – and few website owners are. Whether you are based in Rotherham or Reading web design companies, such as Star Web Innovations, can help you to create the perfect functional website for your needs.

Keep the costs down

Creating a single responsive website is much cheaper than creating two or more sites, tailored to specific screen sizes.