Mobile devices are quickly becoming the dominate device for browsing the internet. According to insiders, Mobile internet surfing is expected to soon surpass the desktop completely. Not to mention, that it has been predicted that there will be more mobile devices than human beings on the planet within the next year.

More and more people are becoming multi-device, beginning their search on mobile, then finishing the checkout process on tablets or desktop computers. It's no longer an option to have a responsive website. Without it, a growing percentage of your customers will start going to your competitors in search of a better user experience.

Why Does My Website Need To Be Responsive?

Websites with responsive design (or in other words, the user interface automatically adapts to different sizes of screens without the need for a mobile-friendly version on a different subdomain) are developed to offer Mobile website visitors an optimal viewing experience no matter what device they are using. 

Here are nine of the most important reasons to upgrade to a responsive website:

1. Mobile Web Traffic is On The Increase

Are you using social media marketing and blogging as a part of your marketing strategy? 

According to recent studies, over 55% of social media viewing now happens on a mobile device such as a phone or a tablet. If you are using these marketing strategies to drive traffic to your site without a responsive website, you risk frustrating visitors once they land on your site. This causes a higher bounce rate and missed conversion opportunities, which means a very fast decrease in potential business growth for you. 

In others words, you miss out on business by default.

2. Responsive Websites Load Faster on Mobile Devices

When it comes to the internet, slow and steady doesn’t win the race. Internet users, especially those on mobile devices, are often busy and on the go. They like to get their information quickly – like, right now! 

I’m sure you can relate. Responsive websites load much faster than a website designed solely for the desktop experience trying to load on a mobile device. The longer a visitor has to wait to access your website, the higher the chance they will bounce away and look elsewhere for what you are offering. 

Curious about your site’s speed? Check out this nifty PageSpeed Insights tool from Google to see how your website ranks for mobile and desktop.

3. Responsive is Ready For New Devices

Responsive design is key for the future of your business. Not only does a responsive design automatically fit the screen sizes of your current most preferred mobile devices, it will also accommodate future devices that could become popular (consider watches and glasses). 

How? Websites with mobile friendly design automatically adjust to fit screen sizes, not device sizes, so bring on the futuristic glasses.

4. Mobile-Friendly Websites Convert More Customers

According to a study by Google (conducted by independent research firms Sterling Research and SmithGeiger), 74% of those who visited a responsive site said they were likely to return in the future and 67% said they were more likely to buy a product or service from a mobile-friendly site.

5. Responsive Websites Have a Better User Experience

In the study noted above, 48% of users expressed frustration when landing on sites that weren’t mobile-friendly. That same percentage indicated that if a site didn’t work well on their smartphones, they felt like the company didn’t take their business seriously. Moreover, 36% felt their time had been wasted, and 52% indicated that a bad mobile internet surfing experience would make them less likely to engage with a company.

6. More Face-to-Face Customers For Local Business

Is local search important to your business? 

A recent Local Search Study by Neustar Localeze and 15miles shows that four out of five local searches result in a purchase—and 73% of those purchases were done in a brick-and-mortar store. 80% of Local Mobile Searches on a mobile device convert site visitors into face to face customers.

7. Better SEO 

Because they're always looking for ways to improve the user experience (i.e. make more money), Google favors mobile-friendly sites over desktop-only sites due to the improved user experience and faster loading times that responsive (mobile-friendly) sites provide.

8. Desktop-Only Designs Are Obsolete

Desktop only makes your business seem antiquated, and not in the “cool” Antique Road Show kind of way.

Having a website that can’t be easily navigated by mobile viewers can make a business look outdated or aged, much like a store front on a brick-or-mortar building that hasn’t been taken care of, and pleasing to the modern consumer. When you think about it, where would you make a purchase—at the shiny, new store with the latest gadgets or the dumpy, old store on the corner that looks like it about to fall a part?

9. Gain An Edge on Competition

Responsive design has just recently taken off in the last couple of years. Most organizations and businesses have not switched to a responsive design yet. Start building some momentum in your business by getting a leg up on your competition and upgrade to a responsive website design before they do.

One quick way to tell if a site is responsive is to minimize the width of your browser window. If the site automatically adjusts to the new size, it’s mobile friendly and you are in good shape for the future.

I hope that this helps you make an informed decision on whether or not to upgrade your site to a responsive design. While we would be happy to talk to you about the best way to upgrade your website to a responsive design, and you can schedule a brainstorming session with us here, we recommend you do your homework on responsive website design first.  

Check out our eBook on Why Responsive Design for more information.