Blackberry
I want to talk about responsive web design. Websites need to render on smartphones, or, like the brand Blackberry, you may die a slow death.
Recently, at HomeMcr, I watched “Blackberry”. It was about the rise and fall of the brand and its devices. I used to love my Blackberry Bolds and Curves in around 2008 to 2011, but they died a death, despite it trying to evolve with its own App Store, and a later move to Android.
Blackberry was killed by Apple and the iPhone. Bundled minutes and text allowances were once its killer feature, but once data became the king or queen, and the internet moved from emails and BBM, it lost its way.
The movie was excellent too, capturing the zenith and nadir of Research in Motion.
There’s a lesson in there today too for your business and my business.
Evolve or die
You see, since 2020, most internet activity now takes place on phones (and tablets). Apps like TikTok and Instagram (do follow me on both) are created for smartphone use. Cameras on phones are now almost as good as DSLRs and I can edit a website from a phone with a 4G or 5G signal usually.
Google has latched on to this smartphone supremacy. It now rewards websites that are optimised for smartphones and tablets with higher page rankings. There are claimed to be over 200 ranking factors in its guarded algorithms, but mobile responsiveness, is in the top 10, it is claimed by many in the know.
“There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” Milton Glaser
Why responsive web design matters
Responsive web design matters for websites because it ensures a positive user experience across a variety of devices and screen sizes. Here are a few reasons why it’s crucial:
- Multi-device usage: People access websites on various devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Responsive design allows your site to adapt to different screen sizes, providing a seamless experience regardless of the device.
- Search engine optimisation (SEO): Search engines, like Google, prioritise mobile-friendly websites in their rankings. Having a responsive design can positively impact your site’s SEO, leading to better visibility and higher rankings in search results.
- User satisfaction: A website that looks good and functions well on any device enhances user satisfaction. Visitors are more likely to stay longer, engage with your content, and return if they have a positive experience. Responsive design helps prevent issues like zooming or horizontal scrolling on smaller screens.
- Cost-effectiveness: Instead of creating separate designs for different devices, responsive design allows you to maintain a single website that automatically adjusts to various screens. This can save time and money in development and maintenance.
- Future-proofing: With the ever-evolving landscape of devices and screen sizes, responsive design helps future-proof your website. It ensures that your site remains compatible with new and emerging technologies without requiring a complete redesign.
- Accessibility: Responsive design contributes to better accessibility for users with disabilities. It makes it easier for people using assistive technologies to navigate and interact with your site, as the design adapts to their specific needs.
What if your website isn’t mobile responsive?
To put it bluntly, you’re missing out on potential sales, page rankings and visitors.
Sometimes, a website can be made mobile-friendly, particularly if it’s fairly new.
Older websites, built on PHP coding, are often a lost cause, in our experience.
You may need to invest in a new one, or die a slow death.
How Get Pro Copy designs responsive websites
Most of the websites you see in our Portfolio are designed with the Hello theme from Elementor and the Elementor Pro page builder. This is coding made from JSON (another aspect that Google favours in rankings).
When Gareth and myself begin a new website project, we begin with the header and footer. Each one is specifically designed for desktop or mobile. No business wants their pages straddling the small header space. Users know that the hamburger icon indicates a menu. The logo on mobile and desktop is of different sizes on this website, so it renders correctly.
This website, on mobile, has a clickable top bar – taking you straight to calling or emailing us. We even have a call now orange telephone icon to hit on the smartphone version.
How this web design team makes websites responsive
Within Elementor, as we design pages, populate them with optimised content and add compressed imagery, we can toggle between desktop, tablet and phone previews so we can adjust any aspects that look strange.
Font 14 on a mobile H1 or H2 heading would look fine on an iPhone or Samsung, for example, but font 20 may sit better on a MacBook or Dell.
Effectively, we write the same content for MacBook, iPad, iPhone, but adjust design elements to give your customers the best experience on whatever device is close to hand – usually a smartphone in most cases.
It does take us more time of course to present a new website perfectly across laptop, tablet or phone, but it comes as standard with this Manchester web design company. It often does with others too, so we’re not claiming a monopoly on responsive web design.
What won’t come as standard with 90% of Manchester web design companies, we don’t think, is that we craft unique copy. Most web design agencies expect you to write the content. We don’t – as myself and Gillian – create the copy for all of your pages.
If your website is not responsive on mobile, is not ranking on Google, and needs a total overhaul or some tweaks, get in touch today.
Email us at info@getprocopy.com today and we will make your website outstanding and stand out on Google and your customers’ prized phones.
In summary, responsive design is not just a trend; it’s a practical approach to creating websites that cater to the diverse preferences and behaviours of users in an increasingly digital world.
Your business needs a mobile-friendly website and this Manchester web design business will deliver it.
