Responsive Web Design – Find out everything you need to know: reasons why every company should have a responsive website design

The importance of responsive web design for every company: Why is it essential?

The mobile-first culture makes responsive web design a necessity to meet customers’ high expectations. In order to successfully enter into the new information landscape characterized by an increase in information and a decrease in attention spans, companies must actively participate on the mobile Web.

What Is Responsive Web Design?

A responsive website makes use of various devices and their screen sizes to make it easy for users to navigate the contents of the website. In responsive web design, your website looks and works the same on any device, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.  The vast majority of websites were static before responsive design, which meant mobile users saw an exact copy of the desktop version on their mobile device. It was difficult for users to read and interact with the website because the text was extremely small and the call-to-action buttons (CTAs) were small as well.

The responsive website automatically adjusts the size of text, multimedia, CTA buttons, and other elements as your browser changes. We will describe in detail later in the article how to design responsive websites and transform the digital presence of your business.

The Principles of Responsive Web Design

• Principle1: Fluid Grids

  A screen can be viewed as a container with content areas arranged in a grid. In order to remain within the container, content area sizes adjust according to the screen size changes. There will still be content in the grid, but the shape will shift. Content areas are “fluid” when it comes to their ability to move.

• Principle 2: Media Queries

  Adapting to the correct size and height of your website is possible using media queries. The page layout will be changed when these filters are applied in order to adapt to the device rendering the content.
  Although it might seem difficult, tools like Bootstrap, H5P, and Elucidat will assist you through the process.

• Principle 3: Fluid Images

  The nature of images is different from that of the fluid grid example. Due to their fixed sizing proportions, they can display inconsistently across different screen sizes. On mobile, users would be forced to zoom in to read the content, and in other cases, images would cover the entire screen, forcing scrolling.
  An image gains the fluidity needed and automatically resizes to fit its screen by applying a CSS/ HTML command.

Principle1: Fluid Grids

A screen can be viewed as a container with content areas arranged in a grid. In order to remain within the container, content area sizes adjust according to the screen size changes. There will still be content in the grid, but the shape will shift. Content areas are “fluid” when it comes to their ability to move.

Principle 2: Media Queries

Adapting to the correct size and height of your website is possible using media queries. The page layout will be changed when these filters are applied in order to adapt to the device rendering the content.

Although it might seem difficult, tools like Bootstrap, H5P, and Elucidat will assist you through the process.

Principle 3: Fluid Images

The nature of images is different from that of the fluid grid example. Due to their fixed sizing proportions, they can display inconsistently across different screen sizes. On mobile, users would be forced to zoom in to read the content, and in other cases, images would cover the entire screen, forcing scrolling.
An image gains the fluidity needed and automatically resizes to fit its screen by applying a CSS/ HTML command.

How does a responsive website look like?

An experienced web design company will always provide you with desktop and mobile UX design. In addition to the desktop version, the designers will scale it down to mobile. A clean, image-free UX design is essential for mapping a conversion funnel and its content, both on desktop and on mobile.

Once the UX structure is approved between the client and the agency, the designers can begin color, image, and detail design for the user interface (UI).

Examples of Responsive Web Design

Consider some of the latest examples of websites that use a responsive design approach as a way of putting UX/UI design into perspective. This section will compare desktop and mobile websites, and show how fluid grids and responsive images are important for websites that work across different screen sizes.

• Quickbooks

  With its whitespace-rich website, QuickBooks offers a clear value proposition and the ability to click on CTA buttons with distinct colors on both its desktop and mobile versions. There are several sections in the hero section of the desktop version that provides additional information about the special offers. A hamburger menu and direct CTAs in the above-the-fold area on the mobile version display just the right amount of information.

• Harvard business review

  Because Harvard Business Review is a media company, its desktop website features more stories and headlines than its mobile site.
  However, in both websites, a prominent image appears next to one article while other headlines are only text. On small screens, by contrast, the whole menu is visible only when you click the menu icon, while on larger screens the navigation bar with main categories is shown automatically.

• Converse

  As with the previous example, Converse provides a category page menu in the header of its desktop site, as well as options for logging in, setting up an account, searching the site, and viewing the shopping cart and wish list.
  Symbols for shopping cart, search, and a hamburger menu appear in the mobile version header. On both versions, the hero section and the slider, which shows different products, are the same. On the mobile version, that same call to action is hidden until visitors scroll down, while the desktop version features an additional image and a distinctive CTA button.

• The New York Times

  An example of a newspaper and news portal with a responsive website is The New York Times. In the desktop version, you have a lot of more information readily available: from the categories in the navigation bar to the option to select local or international issues and even a current temperature estimate in New York.
  Mobile sites display a single news story above the fold, followed by a date and a subscription and sign-in button in the header.

• Shopify

  Responsive design is something Shopify excels at. Both versions of the website are distinguished by their elegance and ease of use by:

  1. Concise, clear copy.

  2. Authentic, high-quality video.

  3. Free trial CTA to encourage visitors to sign up.

  The desktop version’s drop-down menu becomes a hamburger menu on a smaller screen. Apart from that, the desktop version of the website offers a “Pricing” and “Learn” page, while a solitary “Login” button appears on the mobile version.

The examples above are all simple, uncluttered, and on-brand layouts that fill small screens effortlessly, while the desktop versions offer more information, larger images, and other call-to-action buttons. Responsive design is about making your site adapt to any device.

What are the Advantages of Responsive Websites?

1. 1. Approximately half of your website visitors will access your site through a mobile device, according to Statista. It is essential that the performance, functionality, and response of a website are no less than those of its desktop counterpart are.
2. 2.Brands need to provide consistency in user experiences (UX). Brand messages, impressions, and energy can be incorporated into any environment. Any device the user is using must provide a seamless experience. This applies to desktop computers, mobile devices, and tablets.
3. 3.The search engine recommends it outright. Sharing URLs offers several benefits, such as easier access to URLs, indexing help, and less engineering time during crawling by Googlebot.
4. 4.To make it even better, Google recently announced it would introduce a mobile-first index. Search engines will mostly crawl, index, and rank the mobile versions of websites.

With these leading brands, you can learn how to design responsively.

We have compiled a list of some of the most responsive websites on the Internet today. From their efforts, we can learn a lot.

• DROPBOX:

  The Dropbox website works perfectly on both desktop and mobile devices.
  
  1. Fonts are resized to work in conjunction with backgrounds

  2. While images shrink, their meaning remains the same and the user experience is never compromised

  Dropbox knows that it is all about the details when it comes to a responsive website and they certainly did not do it wrong.

• DRIBBBLE:

  Using a flexible grid effectively is best exemplified by this example. Each row of visual content varies from five to one, depending on the device used, to assist the audience in consuming the information. Users on mobile experience a cleaner site due to a reduction of unnecessary content:

  1. No search button.

  2. Hamburger menu.

• SLACK:

  Our list would not be complete without Slack’s accessible, intuitive website due to its easy-to-use interface. Although images, columns, and content adapt to all platforms flawlessly, the CTAs change on mobile that stands out.

DROPBOX

The Dropbox website works perfectly on both desktop and mobile devices.

1. Fonts are resized to work in conjunction with backgrounds

2. While images shrink, their meaning remains the same and the user experience is never compromised

Dropbox knows that it is all about the details when it comes to a responsive website and they certainly did not do it wrong.

Dribbble

Using a flexible grid effectively is best exemplified by this example. Each row of visual content varies from five to one, depending on the device used, to assist the audience in consuming the information. Users on mobile experience a cleaner site due to a reduction of unnecessary content:

1. No search button.

2. Hamburger menu.

Slack

Our list would not be complete without Slack’s accessible, intuitive website due to its easy-to-use interface. Although images, columns, and content adapt to all platforms flawlessly, the CTAs change on mobile that stands out.

The CTAs are prominently featured and easier to interact with since they run the length of the screen.

A Screen Resolution Standard Exists, & Here’s Why There’s Not a Singular Screen Size to Design For

The design of a screen for a particular size is not possible. A big part of RWD’s appeal is that it works on all screen sizes.

However, it does provide information on the most commonly used screen sizes. Your screen design pipeline can be prioritized with that information.

Having established where to begin in terms of size, let’s move on to content.

• The content you create

  On smaller screens, will you show much of your content? It can get crowded if everything is squeezed in. Whenever possible, audit your content and remove any unnecessary information.

• Consider sentence/paragraph length

  The length of your sentences/paragraphs plays an important role when you design for different screen sizes. A large amount of text looks clunky on a smaller screen. Skimmable copy is important.

• Analyze the aesthetics

  The colors and elements used in different spaces are similar to those in interior design. Is everything aligned properly on every screen? You should pay attention to font size and CTA placement, as well as image captions.

Your responsive UX depends on how you layout your content

There are many aspects to creating content for your website.

In order to be effective, you must provide the reader with valuable insights. Secondly, you must present it in a captivating manner. The presentation, however, is what most people overlook. In order for users to consume content effectively, your layout is crucial. Can you tell where your CTA is? They can see it clearly, can’t they? Is it accessible to them easily?

Here are the steps:

• Ensure your value proposition is left-centered

  Through eye-tracking studies, Eyequant analyses the way in which people engage with a screen’s content. In general, people look at the middle section of the screen and a little to the left. A value proposition cannot be placed anywhere else but there. Yahoo conducted a study that confirmed this.
  Thus, the most important part of your content should always be center-left when designing for different screen sizes.

• Scrolling is increasing, but the top of the page is still getting the most attention

  Mobile and tablet users are increasingly consuming content via scrolling. However, studies show that people still pay the most attention to the top of the page, regardless of how much they scroll. It is obvious that the content at the top of the page should be of high value and priority. You should be concise and make your points quickly.

Mobile conversions are boosted when a website is responsive

Any industry website is supposed to achieve a certain goal. Obtain paying customers by converting visitors. This is something you should not take lightly and RWD can play a key role in this process.

Mobile applications need to be flawless to be successful:

1. Google reports 46% of people wouldn’t purchase from a brand again if it interrupted their mobile experience.
2. Smart Insights reports 61% of users will think more highly of your brand if your website is responsive.

Responsive Web Design Best Practices

Although some facts are useful in planning for future projects, best practices are much more efficient.

• Placement & frequency of CTAS

Site elements such as CTAs are sacred. Your words and images all point to that. That is where you direct your attention. As you adjust your content for the appropriate screen size, find time to focus on your CTA.

A CTA should not require scrolling or navigating. You should see it once you land.

• Add multiple images throughout the page

• Smaller screens require a larger CTA

• Words should stand out, so be imaginative

• Choosing the right font type is important

While it may seem tedious to select the right font type, history and data reveal otherwise. An important part of your website is the font. According to a recent article, “95 percent of web design is typography.”

Here are a few font details you should be aware of:

• 1. Typography – legibility across desktop and mobile screens is critical

• 2. Formatting – fonts should be proportionate to the size of the device

• 3. Spacing- Reading speed can be affected by the spacing between letters

• 4. Content block width – chunky content blocks make reading less enjoyable

• 5. Maintaining a minimal selection of fonts – more than 2 fonts can become distracting

• 6. Alignment- Ensure that copy is aligned for the best reading experience

• 1. Typography – legibility across desktop and mobile screens is critical

• 2. Formatting – fonts should be proportionate to the size of the device

• 3. Spacing- Reading speed can be affected by the spacing between letters

• 4. Content block width – chunky content blocks make reading less enjoyable

• 5. Maintaining a minimal selection of fonts – more than 2 fonts can become distracting

• 6. Alignment- Ensure that copy is aligned for the best reading experience

• 1. Typography – legibility across desktop and mobile screens is critical

• 2. Formatting – fonts should be proportionate to the size of the device

• 3. Spacing- Reading speed can be affected by the spacing between letters

• 4. Content block width – chunky content blocks make reading less enjoyable

• 5. Maintaining a minimal selection of fonts – more than 2 fonts can become distracting

• 6. Alignment- Ensure that copy is aligned for the best reading experience

The dimensions of a screen do not dictate how to design for it. When thinking and reasoning about a specific device, you must consider the way users interact with it. Consider these factors:

• User Interaction (UI is key

• Cursors are used on desktop computers

• (Mostly) we hold tablets with our index fingers

• The thumb is used for mobile devices

Certain implications can be drawn from these facts:

• The content is easier to access on bigger screens because they have the width

• Unlike a mouse, the thumb cannot reach the corners of the screen as easily

49% of mobile phone users use one hand to operate their device, which makes the thumb an important part of the phone. Considering mobile screens, content and CTAs should be readily accessible.

The Key Takeaway from Responsive Web Design:

The following is a translation. Here are a few valuable facts you need to know about responsive web design, why it matters, and how you can achieve it.

RWD has many intricacies and facts, as you might have guessed by now. They are-

• 1. RWD is a website design methodology that ensures the same result regardless of the size of the screen or device.
• 2. Google recommends that you make your websites mobile-friendly because the greatest number of your visitors will be using mobile devices. Some of the best brands in the world use them successfully.
• 3. RWD follows the correct process/protocol.
• 4. Placement of content should be based on the dimensions of the screen.
• 5. It is important to consider how people use screens during the design.

  You can find more insights about website design at CrackleCode. For more useful resources you can contact us or browse our blog and keep an eye on our Medium page (coming soon).

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