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The further away from a desktop setting that internet users get, the more critical it is for any brand to be sure that it is indeed reaching potential users who use mobile platforms. There has been a huge effort in the past few years to improve available design methods for such use as well as an equally large effort for websites to use responsive design – and yet, not every website is having the success that is needed in this expanding mobile usage network. To improve efficiency, it is important to consider the primary problems that are being experienced in building websites for mobile platforms - and how to avoid them. Standard vs Responsive Design One option that needs to be examined when considering mobile usage is whether or not to have an existing, conventional fixed website re-coded to be a responsive one. It would be quite an undertaking, both in time and money, to handle this option although it could certainly be done. Deciding to go this route may depend on the complexity of the website that is involved. Very simple ones could be done more easily and for a lower cost. For a complex or extensive internet presence such as an e-commerce one, re-coding may not be the best option as it would take time – which in internet design translates to money – to recode an existing internet presence to a responsive one. This newer type of design is definitely not a fad – it is the wave of the future - and any website that is not using such work is not reaching everyone it could be. Mobile Page Speed Waiting a few extra seconds on a desktop or laptop can cause viewers to click away as it is, so having to wait even longer while a mobile site loads is not going to win any extra viewers for that brand. So it is important to consider not just the type of website but how much data is typically loaded for it as well. Part of the solution to this problem lies in responsive design; when it is correctly done in a new form and not just a redo or redirect, less code has to be read rather than more. Beyond the coding of a website itself, things like image size, amount of content, unnecessary video or animation, how many links, and anything else that can affect load time must be considered in order to come up with the fastest combination. Page Redirects to Responsive Sites It makes sense at first, that a company with an already existing professionally done website, one that cost a bit to build, would not want to scrap it and start over just because of new coding styles. Redirects from desktop/laptop to mobile and vice-versa can get audiences from one site to another, depending on where the site is accessed. The problem with this is that avoiding responsive design results in slow loading pages on a re-directed mobile version. This type of arrangement should only be considered as a go-around, a temporary solution while a new, completely responsive website is developed. It can avoid slow loading time as well as some instances when the device being used cannot be identified and defaults to loading the main site instead of the mobile one. Between both of these issues, it means lowered traffic or at the least not being able to take advantage of reaching mobile traffic which can mean lowered sales, or no growth. Other than as a temporary solution, the move should be made to a completely responsive design in order to avoid major website service pitfalls. When responsive design is not used, it can create situations where a website cannot be reached by those using mobile devices. The best way to avoid such a situation from happening is to redesign an existing internet location with responsive design. The advantage of taking this step is that such development adapts to the device being used to access the website – a great solution that makes sure that a website does indeed serve a growing audience of mobile users in the best way possible! Chris Hunter is an expert in Web Design, Search Engine Marketing, and Reputation Management. To find out more about Houston Search Engine Optimization, go to the main website at: http://www.webunlimited.com.
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