Last week, the entire team got together to discuss responsive design websites and their growing importance in the web world. Basically, a responsive design site responds – or resizes – to its environment to work equally well on a desktop as it does on a smartphone or tablet. The driving force behind the growth of responsive web design is the rapid shift to mobile we have seen. By next year, mobile is expected to pass desktop usage.

If you have yet to see a responsive design site, you need to check them out and play around the screen size. They are certainly fancier than your average site, but that is not the point of them. The important thing about responsive design sites is that they are intended to craft a better user experience.

The importance of “crafting a better user experience” is sometimes forgotten by marketers. We now work in a world dominated by consumers. The rise of social media and mobile technologies give consumers a voice previously unheard. Without giving users a great experience on the web – especially in the mobile web world – you will almost certainly lose them to a competitor who will. Here is a list of 3 ways you can craft a better user experience on the web:

  1. Updating to a Responsive Design Website: As have already read above, responsive design sites work flawlessly on any device. They helps users navigate a site on their smartphone as easily as on their desktop. I am sure you have searched for a site on your phone or tablet only to find it is not optimized for mobile. These sites are impossible to read/navigate and almost guarantee a high bounce rate from users. Avoid this embarrassment. Plus, responsive design websites eliminate the need to create completely separate desktop and mobile sites – saving you time and money.
  2. Ease of Readability: Don’t go writing complicated copy your audience will struggle to read. The longer it takes for a user to go through your content, the less likely it will resonate with them. Simplicity is understated here. Remember KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid.
  3. Don’t Forget about Images: Text is more credible (and less daunting) when accompanied by a photo. Images are pleasing to the eye and a very powerful type of content.

You cannot control what everybody says about your organization, but you can help influence perceptions. A positive experience with your organization on the web is something a user will remember. Going the extra mile to craft this better user experience can prove to be very beneficial to your organization. After all, happier users are happier buyers.