What is Responsive Web Design and How Can it Help You?

In the web design and marketing community, there has recently been a significant amount of attention garnered by the latest trend in design, aptly called responsive web design. If you have been keeping your eyes open and your ears to the ground, as they say, then you may have heard of this new innovation as well.

First of all, what is responsive web design?

So what is responsive web design? Simply put, responsive web design is a new approach to web design wherein consumers are given enhanced access to websites through different devices and gadgets, and not just their desktop computers or laptops. The aim of responsive web design is to give users an optimum viewing experience through whatever size gadget they have through easy navigation and convenience when it comes to panning, resizing, and scrolling through sites and images.

How did responsive web design come about?

It may surprise you to know that the idea behind responsive web design has existed for years. Initially, developers and designers constructed two websites for users – one which users could access through their mobile devices, and one which users could access through their desktops or laptops. Each website was designed with different content and a different viewing experience, because developers assumed that mobile users would be satisfied with limited content, and would simply look up the content on their desktops or laptops later on. But they were wrong. Mobile users became dissatisfied with seeing limited content on their mobiles, and asked for better viewing capacity altogether.

The demand for a better viewing experience on gadgets other than desktops or laptops became stronger when the iPad was introduced. Consumers quickly found that they could make full use of the tablet, and when other tablets came along, each with different screen sizes, developers had to adapt. Thus, responsive web design became the solution.

The benefits of responsive web design

The main attraction with responsive web design comes from the fact that it allows websites to be viewed on all gadgets. Not only this – viewers have an optimal experience by being able to view the entire site with ease. And responsive web design is inherently effective for all kinds of websites – but most especially for business websites. Even if you have a small enterprise based in Cornwall, for instance, you would still want your customers to view your site conveniently on any gadget they may have.

With responsive web design, visitors to your site no longer have to repeatedly pinch, scroll, or zoom, limiting their experience in viewing your site. They can simply view it without having to make those annoying adjustments on the screens of their gadgets. Your content will be seen with hardly any effort on the part of the consumer, giving them instant access to the products or services you have to offer. This effectively optimises your website’s reach, whether you are looking for great web design in Cornwall for your local customers or a way to reach out to a global marketplace.