What is responsive design and why you should do it right now

Web

Responsive design (responsive design), or adaptive web design, has become a key element in the design of the latest generation of web pages. This is largely due to the evolution of the web and the rapid growth of mobile devices.

Do you know the advantages of responsive design and all its trends? At Rodanet you will find the answer to these questions and much more.

Responsive web design vs. Mobile design

Mobile design and responsive design are two different approaches to adapt a website to mobile devices.

Mobile design involves creating a completely separate and specific version of the website just for mobile devices. This approach involves implementing a separate version of the website for each mobile device screen size, which can result in costly development and complex maintenance.

For web development professionals, responsive design is already an old friend. In general terms, “responsive web design” means that the content of the website automatically adapts to the device from which it is browsed. Thanks to responsive design, the website adjusts fluidly and dynamically to adapt to the device’s screen, regardless of its size.

With the rapid spread of the use of smartphones, responsive design has become the design
Mobile
First.

What is responsive web design?

For a number of years, the Internet has been accessed mainly from computers, so the standard view was the desktop and the mobile version was secondary. Therefore, the web design was developed with desktop browsing in mind and then adapted to smartphones.

Of course, as mentioned above, there have been changes. Now, Google puts more emphasis on mobile browsing, giving more importance to web pages designed for smartphones and adapted second to the desktop version.

However, responsive design also encompasses the way content is presented, as well as audiovisual content, which must also be optimized for smartphones.
smartphones
. Very long paragraphs, tiny or oversized images, unreadable fonts… These are elements that you will have to avoid in the smartphone version of your website.

You already understand that responsive web design is essential today, but do you knowthe advantages it has for your business?

Why is it important to have a responsive design on your website?

By now it will have become clear to you that, today more than ever, having a responsive design on your website is essential, and it is for several reasons:

  • Adaptability: a responsive design allows the website to adapt to different screen sizes and devices, which means that users can access your website from any device without complications. This is essential in the age of mobile technology, as most people access the Internet through their mobile devices.
  • User experience: if your website does not adapt to different screen sizes and devices, users may have a negative experience, such as illegible text, disproportionate images, menus that do not work properly and more. A negative user experience can cause users to abandon your website and look elsewhere for information.
  • Improves SEO: search engines, such as Google, have a keen eye and favor websites that have a responsive design. Therefore, a responsive design website can help you improve your ranking in search results.
  • Cost reduction: having a responsive design means that you will not need to create several versions of your website for different devices. This can result in reduced development and maintenance costs.
  • Increased conversion rate: a responsive design improves the user experience, which can lead to an increase in the conversion rate. If users can easily access your website and find what they are looking for, they are more likely to make a purchase or contact you.

All the advantages of responsive web design

As we already know, responsive design has many benefits for users and, of course, for your business. By facilitating navigation from any device, the possibilities of increasing visits, conversions and the number of potential customers are multiplied.

Users will find it easier to navigate your website: they will stay longer on the page and, at the same time, KPIs (key performance indicators) such as bounce rate will decrease.

The user experience also benefits from responsive design. And if a user gets a good impression of your website from a smartphone, indirectly you are also improving the image of your brand.

If a user visits your website and the content is not accessible or is not displayed correctly, it is likely that they will have a bad memory of your brand and will not visit your site again.

SEO positioning must also be taken into account, as it is one of the main factors that makes users find your website. Both loading speed and responsive design affect SEO. So as you can see, thinking about mobile users has numerous advantages for your brand.

Want to know how to improve the speed of your WordPress? Don’t miss our Complete WPO Guide.

7 trends in responsive web design

The world of web design is evolving rapidly. If you want your website to be up to date, we reveal the latest trends in web design.

Do you want to know how to make a perfect website for your SEO? Don’t miss our article!

1. Facilitate fingertip navigation

Now that smartphone browsing has surpassed desktop browsing, you have to think about usability. As a result, many responsive websites have adapted their design for one-handed navigation, making it easier for users to access the menu. Many of them place the menu at the bottom of the screen, so that you can navigate with your thumb.

2. Serif typography

Serif typefaces are for print and dry fonts are for display. It is a design standard that, like so many others, has fallen by the wayside. There is no denying that sans serif or dry fonts are easier to read on screens. In addition, serif embellishments make them attractive for use in titles and highlights.

3. Use of organic shapes

Although web design is often based on grids, web designers are evolving towards the use of natural silhouettes and delicate lines. These shapes give depth to the web design and help highlight parts of the content.

4. Block design

Block design is an approach that uses geometric shapes to divide website content into clearly defined sections. This approach helps keep content organized and easy to understand on mobile devices.

5. Infinite scroll design

Infinite scroll design is another trend that has gained popularity in recent years. Instead of splitting the content into multiple pages, all content is loaded on one page and can be scrolled down infinitely. This trend is especially useful for mobile devices as it allows for easier and faster navigation.

6. Microinteractions

Microinteractions are little surprises for the user. It can be a sound when performing a certain action, or floating elements that are activated when moving around the screen. What they have in common is the intention to surprise and improve user engagement with the web.

In addition, Google’s tendency to prioritize websites with videos in SERPs has led to more and more websites creating video content to rank in search.

7. “Less is more”.

Minimalism is not an absolutely new concept, but it is a timeless trend that is back with a vengeance. The reasons are clear: the fewer elements a website has, the easier it is for users to find what they are looking for. Do you agree?

Focus on creating quality content with simple designs that increase user interaction and you will see how your KPIs improve with a responsive website.

Best practices for responsive design

Now that you know all the advantages of this type of design, you just have to discover some of the best practices to implement responsive design on your website:

  • Design for devices
    Mobile First
    Instead of designing for the desktop version first and then adapting it for mobile devices, start with the mobile design and work your way up. This ensures that the mobile version is easy to use and navigate.
  • Use a responsive design framework: there are many frameworks that allow you to design responsive web pages quickly and efficiently, read on to discover all the best tools.
  • Make your design scalable: your design must be scalable to adapt to different screen sizes without losing quality. This is achieved using vector images and relative units of measurement such as em or percent.
  • Use
    media queries
    media queries allow you to define specific styles for different screen sizes. Use them to adapt the design to different devices.
  • Use a fluid design: a fluid design is one that uses percentages instead of fixed measurements (such as pixels) to define the size of elements. This allows the design to automatically adapt to the size of the screen.
  • Make use of the
    breakpoints
    A breakpoint is a break point in the design where you change the way the content is displayed. It is important to define breakpoints strategically to ensure that the website looks good on all screen sizes.
  • Prioritize content: it is essential that the most important content is displayed first on mobile devices. Make sure that essential information is easy to find and that navigation is clear and simple.
  • Use optimized images and graphics: images and graphics can slow down page loading, especially on mobile devices. You should optimize them to reduce file size and improve loading speed.
  • Minimize the use of custom fonts: custom fonts can slow down page performance, especially on mobile devices. If you use custom fonts, make sure they load efficiently and consider using secure web fonts as an alternative.
  • Test the design on multiple devices: be sure to test the design on a variety of devices and screen sizes so that the page looks and works correctly on all of them.

By following these practices, you will be able to create a responsive web design that adapts to any device and provides an optimal user experience.

7 Best tools for creating a responsive web design

There are many tools to create a responsive design. At Rodanet we wanted to compile some of those that, from our point of view, we consider very useful to achieve an effective result:


  1. Bootstrap
    is one of the
    frameworks
    frameworks for responsive design. It comes with a wide variety of components and elements that facilitate the design and development process.

  2. Flexbox
    is a CSS design technique that allows you to create flexible layouts adaptable to different screen sizes. It is ideal for responsive designs.

  3. Grid
    is another CSS design technique that allows you to create grid layouts, which are also adaptable to different screen sizes.

  4. Media queries
    are CSS rules that allow you to change the style of a website according to the screen size of the device. They are essential to create responsive designs.

  5. Adobe XD
    Adobe XD : is a design tool that allows you to create responsive designs and prototypes quickly and easily.

  6. Sketch
    Sketch : is another design tool that also has features for responsive design and prototyping.

  7. Figma
    With Figma, you can perform a wide variety of graphic design tasks, such as creating web pages, application GUIs and social media posts, and even making presentations.

Do you already know how to create a responsive website design?

At Rodanet, we understand that a company’s online presence is essential for its success and growth. For this reason, we offer a comprehensive service that is not limited to search engine optimization (SEO), but also includes web development and responsive design.

We have a team of
web development experts
who are up to date with the latest design trends and technologies. Our specialists create high-quality, customized websites that are attractive, functional and mobile-friendly.

In addition, our web development experts work closely with our SEO specialists to ensure that the website is optimized for search engines and ranks high in search results.

Rodanet is proud to offer a comprehensive web development and SEO service that helps companies improve their presence and increase their online success. We have the best experts in both fields, who are up to date with the latest trends and technologies to ensure that a company’s website is modern, functional and effective in attracting potential customers and improving the user experience.

Copy & Content Strategist en Rodanet | tamara@rodanet.es | + posts

Tamara es redactora #seo y la boxeadora de la oficina. 🥊
Siempre escribe textos con gancho 😉

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