Why?
Why do I need a mobile friendly website? That’s a very good question, and one that requires just a bit of history. “Back in the day”, you could bet the ranch on the fact that anyone with a computer had the “desktop” version. It was a great time to be alive. Why? Because locating any business was now easier than ever. A couple of minutes at the keyboard and a little “browsing” and one could find exactly what one was looking for. Although a desktop is not very mobile, the Yellow Pages were about to begin their trek down the path taken by the Dodo bird.
The very short version of this story is: it was not to be too terribly long before desktop computers were challenged by the new kid on the block: the laptop. A much smaller version than its big brother, its biggest advantage? It was portable – and very mobile. An onboard battery assured one that a power source was needed nearby to recharge the battery, but the mobility was an awesome advantage!
And Then?
Then came the tablet. Even smaller and more mobile, it could do almost everything that a laptop or desktop could do. But disruptive technology being what it is (see a definition here), the new kid on the block turned out to be… your mobile phone! So glorious to be free and untethered from your home or office, and a great new way to do business!
Who would have thought that bulky and cumbersome bag phone would evolve into a device that now fits – with ease – into your pocket… And now? Well, that mobile / cell phone can do everything that a desktop computer can do, and do it just as fast. That little device has even made cameras and movie cameras pretty much obsolete – at least for most of us.
So, What’s the Big Deal?
Well, in a nutshell, designers of websites began to recognize the fact that, when a website is viewed on a desktop, it resolves in one particular way – the key is in the screen size. Screen resolutions are different for every device out there: Kindle, iPad, netbook, iPhone, etc., etc., and etc.! The website must be made to be compatible with each and every one of those devices, or… Or what? The answer is simple… kind of. Basically: or easy navigation of the site is nearly impossible. Period.
These days, the savvy client demands that their new website be resolvable on multiple devices. For now, we’re OK. But we’ll soon be getting to the point of being unable to keep up with the endless new resolutions and devices. So, what’s to be done. The short answer is responsive web design.
What is Responsive Web Design?
Responsive Web Design means that design and development of any new website must include the ability for the site to respond automatically to each user’s needs and his specific device.
This is based on screen size, platform, and orientation of the screen (horizontal or vertical), image and text sizes, and so on. And it eliminates the worry about having to include new designs and parameters for each new device that comes onto the market. Here is one of many sites you can use as a Test to check your website for responsiveness.
The Real Bottom Line
So, the most important thing one can glean from all of this? In the United States, even though about 50% of browsers still prefer to use a desktop to access the Internet, almost the same percent favor using a mobile device – like a cell phone – to access the internet. It is increasingly the way to go. And that percentage is increasing annually.
So, yes. At Northern Sky Designs, we design websites – responsive websites, and we do much more than that. Frankly, a website is not an inexpensive undertaking. But that is partly the result of all the necessary research that must be done and knowledge that it takes to achieve the best results for your website and your business. After all, part of our goal is to do all the website “stuff” for you. Why? So you can concentrate on running your business.
Whether you’d prefer to design your own site or want to consider having us design one for you, we are always here to help. Not sure? Contact Us. We can help!
