More and more people are now browsing the internet via mobile devices, which has led to a rapid shift in how businesses and brands interact with their audiences. The effects have been felt everywhere: from consumer spending to search engines, mobile devices are putting pressure on businesses to adapt. The term “responsive web design” may have been something you’ve heard before, but haven’t bothered researching. Unfortunately, the lack of responsive web design is now one of the biggest challenges brands face when attempting to grow and reach new audiences. Why does this matter so much? We’ll lay out the reasons below for you to consider.

Search Engines Demand It

Perhaps most important, search engines are now cracking down on websites that refuse to use mobile or responsive web design. The reason behind this is simple: a majority of search engine users are now pinging websites from mobile devices. Search engines are in competition with one another to produce the most relevant and pleasing results for users, the majority of which now use mobile devices. Websites that fail to adopt a responsive web design – a layout that adapts to each device’s resolution and features –are often difficult to navigate for mobile users. The result is an increasing priority in SEO algorithms to rank responsive web sites higher than those who are not; in fact, some search engines now penalize sites that do not offer responsive web design.

Users Expect It

Because so much traffic – whether it be through search engines or direct traffic itself – comes via mobile devices, many brands and websites have adapted to the shift. As such, most mobile users are accustomed to quickly finding websites that work well with their devices. In instances where poorly-formatted websites appear after they click or tap a link, they’re much more likely to leave the page and start pinging websites elsewhere for a solution. Because of this, you could be costing yourself valuable traffic, sales, subscribers and more by not adopting a mobile responsive design. With so much competition in virtually every niche, you can’t afford to cede potential users and customers to the competition.

Marketing Efforts Require It

Imagine putting dozens or hundreds of hours of work into your website. Every element is designed to specifically resonate with users in one particular way or another. Spacing between elements, color variations and dozens of other considerations all designed to work in harmony with one another to effectively market your product. Now imagine that your layout is completely disjointed because the person visiting your website is on a mobile device. Suddenly, the appeal of your website is gone! With mobile responsive design, you’ll be able to customize exactly how your website looks on each device, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t render properly for many visitors.

Responsive web design can be your greatest ally in the fight to improve your relationship with customers and search engines. If your website has not taken steps to ensure it is available, then do not hesitate: there are many tools and methods you can use to implement responsive design today! You’ll be glad you did it, especially after you begin to notice a reduction in your bounce rate and an increase in meaningful traffic.