2013 – The Year of Responsive Design
Galaxy S3, iPad Mini, Nexus 7, Microsoft Surface – with the never-ending parade of new mobile devices hitting the market, what’s a marketer to do to engage with their audience on devices with varying screen sizes and capabilities?
The answer is simple: Responsive Design. Here is a look at what marketers need to know about this approach to web and mobile design.
Consumers use a variety of devices to reach different goals. 90% of people use multiple screens sequentially.
Most popular cross-device activities
- 81% Browsing the Internet
- 67% Shopping Online
- 46% Managing Finances
- 43% Planning a Trip
What is Responsive Design?
Responsive design is a ‘write once, run every-where’ style of designing websites. Rather than building separate sites for each web and mobile device, responsive design uses CSS3 media queries to create a single website that intelligently adjusts its layout and features based on how it’s being viewed.
Key Benefits
- Content Focused – Device specific elements become secondary
- Cross Platform – Responds to audience device and consumption habits
- Cost Effective – Less need for standalone sites and apps
- SEO Friendly – Links are cleaner and used across platforms
- Future Proof – Design that is fluid to adapt to new technology
Success Cases
Publishers, arguably the kings of content, are already on the responsive design bandwagon:
BBC – “We believe Responsive Design is one of the most innovative and largest scale uses of a new approach to creating Web applications. It enables us to deliver a better BBC News experience.” – Chris Russel Head of Product, BBC News Online
The Boston Globe – “We couldn’t have just built a smartphone version, but that wouldn’t have helped us with the rise of tablets. There are so many different screen sizes proliferating now that we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss out on future opportunities.” – Jeff Mriarty, VP of Digital Products
The Guardian – “A key focus of the new site is that it offers best in class performance, taking into account a user’s connection speed and adapting accordingly. We want to ensure our readers have the best possible experience.” – Tanya Cordrey, Chief Digital Officer
