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What is a responsive website?
RWD, or Responsive Web Design, allows you to adjust the layout, navigation, appearance and visibility of elements depending on the parameters of the device on which the website is displayed. As a result, all users have access to a single source of content that is arranged in a way that is convenient to read, depending on the device the user is using.
RWD most often uses CSS3 Media Queries to build a website layout that adapts to the display environment. RWD means no more separate versions of the website for computers, tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices, because the way the website is displayed is adapted to the specifics of the device.
Key benefits:
- Google promotes responsive websites, so our website will rank higher in search results;
- better conversion;
- greater appeal to users;
- better website readability;
- lower bounce rate (users are more likely to read content on websites that are optimised for their devices)
- easier to update;
- lower implementation and maintenance costs than when creating a separate mobile version of the website.
- easier and cheaper website traffic analytics (separate versions of the website require separate analytical tools, or at least different accounts/versions)
It is important to note that RWD technology differs from mobile versions of websites. Websites designed for smartphones and tablets usually have the prefix “m” in their domain name, for example: www.m.facebook.com. Usually, such a special version must be designed separately, which generates additional costs (sometimes very high). Meanwhile, developing a website using RWD technology is a cheaper, simpler and faster solution.
How much does a responsive website cost?
It is difficult to say unequivocally, because many variables depend on such a valuation (primarily the size of the website and the number of subpages). However, it is worth remembering that this is a much more convenient solution than creating an additional mobile version. If, by chance, the smartphone version opens on a desktop or laptop computer, the user will most likely feel some discomfort due to the strange appearance of the website. With responsive websites, this problem does not exist. What is more, the website, which is compatible with RWD technology, can display exactly the same animations on all devices, regardless of screen size. This is extremely convenient for users.
SEO of a responsive website
It is worth knowing what a responsive website is for several reasons. First of all, websites with RWD technology have an advantage. It may seem strange, but it is true. Google treats responsive websites as “better”. This has been the case since April 2015, when the algorithm was updated. RWD-compliant websites are promoted and much easier to position in search results, which mainly translates into higher website traffic.
Proper implementation of RWD is also very often associated with code optimisation and reduced loading times on all devices – and this has an impact on SEO – reducing the bounce rate. In addition, such a website can be enhanced with the AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) feature, which has a positive impact on positioning, especially if the website is based on regular publication of new content, e.g. on a blog. If you are serious about SEO and want to conquer organic search rankings, make sure your website is RWD-compliant.
Sometimes a responsive website is poorly optimised. You can catch basic errors using the Google Search Console tool. After logging into your account, go to the “Improvements” section and then the “Mobile Usability” tab. Google itself suggests what changes can be implemented to better tailor the website to the needs of users. Among other things, you will find out which elements are too close to each other.
It is also worth mentioning that responsive websites do not expose you to the problem of duplicate content. Websites with an additional mobile version may be marked by Google as pages with copied content. The cost of a responsive website is very low compared to what you can achieve when you have one. The process of positioning an RWD-compliant website is not much different from SEO activities carried out for websites that are not adapted to mobile devices.
Responsive Web Design and SEO
Responsive Web Design is beneficial in most aspects from an SEO optimisation perspective. The problem arises when search intentions on desktops and mobile devices differ significantly.
RWD technology offers the following SEO benefits:
- SEO optimisation of the website is performed once for different “versions” of the website.
- Thanks to RWD, there is no need to worry about duplicate content in the event of an error in the mobile version of the website – the same content is delivered on different devices, under the same URL.
- Google can discover content more effectively because the page does not need to be indexed using several different Googlebot mechanisms.
- Making the website available at a single address makes it easier for users to link and share, and makes it easier for the search engine algorithm to assign indexing properties to the content. This allows popularity signals, such as linking, to be accumulated. Links to the standard version of the website are also links to the mobile version of the website.
- RWD allows you to optimise the layout using CSS styles instead of a flawed User Agent detection system. Redirects to the version optimised for a given device are unnecessary, which reduces page loading time and eliminates potential errors caused by User Agent-based redirects.
Google recommends Responsive Web Design
Google’s commitment to accessibility means striving to provide a good browsing experience for all users. Creating two websites allows for better adaptation to the capabilities of specific hardware, but a single version of the website under a single URL avoids unnecessary and complicated redirects and simplifies sharing the web address.
Google supports three techniques for building websites optimised for display on mobile devices. These are websites:
- using Responsive Web Design.
- dynamically supporting all devices through the same set of URLs (the content changes depending on the User Agent).
- having different versions for desktop and mobile devices
How RWD can translate into your success
Baines & Ernst is a perfect example of how RWD can help you improve your results. RWD allowed the company to optimise the way its website is used on devices with different screen sizes, eliminating the need to create multiple versions of the same page. Within a single session on the website, users began to visit 11% more pages, and the conversion rate for customers with mobile devices increased by 51%.
