Mobile Responsive Websites: A Necessity for All Businesses
September 30, 2015
by Holly Rollins
In order to stay competitive in today’s market, it is extremely important for all businesses to have responsive website designs (RWD). An RWD refers to the formatting of website design so that it’s optimal for viewing and navigation across all digital devices. In the article, Understanding the Importance of Responsive Web Design, it cites the number of mobile users accessing the Internet surpassed the number of desktop users in 2014. And a recent study by RBC Capital Markets states that 64 percent of US small and medium-sized businesses have professional websites and only about half of those have a mobile-optimized website. This means many companies’ websites need to become responsive or lose awareness and business due to lower rankings and difficult navigation on ‘20th century’ sites.
Statistics and articles highlight the need for RWD. If your business is not responsive it most likely hurts your ranking on search engines. According to an April 2015 article published by Forbes, Google began using mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal in search results. This modification to the Google Search Algorithm rewards websites that are fully optimized for mobile platforms. Also, Forbes states that Google began to factor content from mobile apps when rendering mobile search results. These changes allow users to perform relevant, high-quality searches from the convenience of their mobile device. If your site is not mobile friendly, you immediately lose that exposure to your market.
In addition to actually optimizing the site, businesses must take a step further and continue to update it with relevant content. For some owners, a strong digital presence can be a challenge due to resources or time constraints. Strategic content marketing, with fresh content, however, tremendously increases engagement and keeps you competitive. In an article published by the Huffington Post, 85 percent of adults believe that a mobile site must be as good, if not better than a desktop site. Designing your website for responsiveness is no longer an option, it is a necessity.
Rollins is President of 10x Group, a Greenville, SC-based digital marketing, content marketing and PR firm, which was recognized as a Content Maven 2014 & 2015 by the national organization Content Marketing Institute.
