Is Responsive Design or Mobile Design Better?

As web Designers, we don’t make the rules. We adapt to them in order to provide the best possible result. Web design as a whole has to constantly evolve to three factors:

1.) Technology
2.) Google
3.) You, the customer

An example of this is a current debate between what type of website is better. Is a fully responsive website better? Or is a having a website with an additional mobile designed website better?

A responsive website is designed and coded so it will sense what size of screen it is being viewed upon. Whether that be a massively large PC screen, a tablet or a smartphone. It will then shrink and re-proportion itself if necessary. The purpose of this is to give the user a simplified and easy-to-use experience. A website that is solely designed for mobile purposes is only optimized for mobile devices. It is made to fit and function on certain screen sizes only.

So which of the two is better? To be blunt, a website that uses responsive design is better.

But why?

Because Google Says So. That was easy, wasn’t it?

Google is the giant. Google is the one you want to please. Acquire a properly designed website which has also been Search Engine Optimized and you will find your bsuiness website in a primed position to maximize your reach to your audience.

But it also goes beyond that. Consider what a responsive designed website it is. It is ONE website. Not two. Not one website, with a second website that is designed to initiate when on mobile devices. When you have a responsive design you only need to update data or information on one website.

Your analytics are also managed easier. You have analytics for one website to review. Not two. One strategy to develop and deploy. Not two.

But most importantly consider yourself as a consumer. What satisfies you the most? Responsive websites are easier to find. Having one URL for all types of devices makes it easier for Google to find and index your website properly.

Also consider your customers and the online shopping experience for your products or services. They can begin their shopping experience while at work on a PC. They can then complete their transactions on lunch break while viewing your same website on a tablet or smart phone. Consumer confidence in purchasing products on mobile devices is increasing.

Tomorrow will come and be gone before you know it. Stay ahead of your competition by getting a website with responsive design now.