A mobile-friendly or responsive website is one that changes based on the screen size of the device. Responsive sites are designed to work the same way across different devices. This means that nothing changes or becomes unusable on a computer or mobile device.
A non-mobile-friendly site requires users to pinch or zoom in order to read the content. Users find this a frustrating experience and are likely to abandon the site. Alternatively, a mobile-friendly or ‘responsive’ version of any website adapts to the size of the screen is being viewed on (be it a PC, Laptop, Tablet or smartphone). With a mobile-friendly website, your content becomes more readable and immediately usable.
Responsive websites react with the user in mind, and enhance usability no matter what the device is. Features like navigation, page structure and content all resize and adapt to suit the device they are being viewed on. Simply put, a mobile-friendly website functions the same way regardless of the device.
Why do I need a mobile-friendly website?
Mobile is changing the world. In many countries, the number of smartphones has comfortably surpassed the number of personal computers; Globally, over 60% of all Google searches are conducted via mobile devices (and these numbers are growing exponentially year-on-year). Your customers are more likely to access your site from a smartphone and it is your responsibility to provide them with the best user experience possible. Having a mobile-friendly website has become a critical part of having an online presence.
As well as ensuring optimal performance at various screen sizes and platforms, having a mobile-friendly website is also an important consideration for SEO. Google actively promotes responsive websites in their search rankings and demote sites that are not optimized for display on smaller screens.