Responsive web design for e-commerce – what you need to know

What is responsive web design?

‘Responsive web design’ is a popular phrase in modern website design and development. It refers to a web design approach in which the web pages dynamically respond to the screen size, orientation and platform of the access device by resizing and adjusting it to the user environment. The goal is to make the website accessible and usable across all devices since it is impractical to create a unique website for every device or platform.

The growing need for responsive design has been fuelled by the increased use of smartphones for internet browsing over recent years. Currently, about half of all web searches are done on smartphones or smart devices like tablets. These devices are diverse in terms of operating systems, screen properties and underlying performance; and as such, you need a website that can run on at least the majority of devices without compromising on user experience.

How responsive design works

In practice, responsive design is mostly about resizing the web pages to optimise their performance on different display sizes. Several web development tools are employed to create flexible layouts, grids and intelligent CSS that resize text, components and media. The developer may also include hidden features for specific devices to ensure certain functions of the website run smoothly. Some of the key issues addressed in the responsive design include:

1. Input Modes

The web pages need to transition seamlessly from computer mouse and keyboard inputs to touch screen inputs on smartphones.

2. Graphics

The device’s graphics performance dictates the quality and amount of graphical elements it can handle. On mobile devices, graphical components are minimised to improve performance and load time.

3. Content optimisation

Web content such as text and media must be readable and interactive across all devices, using intelligent page layout so that the content can easily be optimised for various devices.

4. Performance

Mobile devices have different performance specs, so it is important to use web features that perform uniformly across the range of devices. This can be difficult on dynamic web pages and often means coming up with compromises when adjusting for mobile use.

Why businesses need responsive web design

Website performance is crucial for any e-commerce business; it maintains an acceptable user experience and boosts SEO. Responsive design is a smart and economical way to ensure your website is accessible to any internet user. Market trends and researchers predict that the use of a smart mobile device will keep growing and eventually take up most of the online traffic. With that in mind, it is time to get your business ahead of the trend.

Get in touch with us and learn more about how you can improve your website’s performance to take full advantage of SEO and reach a broader audience.