Mobile web usage is sprouting. It has been observed that over the past two years alone, mobile search traffic has heightened five times more. Now, users access your business with their mobile phones, and you should occupy them with a mobile experience that is developed for letting them accomplish on the go tasks through their small screens.
Recently, several businesses have witnessed orientation towards responsive web design. It is basically a website design technique, which lets you make a single website that can well adjust to the devices, whether it’s a laptop, smartphone or tablet. However, many businesses believe in the designing of a separate mobile website.
Both the options have their own advantages and disadvantages. Hence, the best option for any business depends on its type. There are three aspects that you should pay heed on while targeting mobile visitors.
Context
Responsive website delivers the same content to both small and large screens but the only thing that differs is formatting. But if you have a separate mobile website then according to your choice you can lend entirely different content to the mobile audiences.
Content
Speed is the most vital factor that should focused while developing a website for a mobile device. Mobile devices generally have slower or weaker internet connectivity than desktops. Also, mobile browsers are also slow in pace than their desktop counterparts; hence, one should avoid unnecessary factors that make the loading speed to cripple.
Responsive web design suffers from a drawback, which persists even after adjusting the designing element to not appear on the mobile devices, but in several cases they can’t be held back from being downloaded and consuming the bandwidth. This issue can be catered by making the mobile content default, and then only downloading desktop assets for the larger display is possible. But the images, slideshows, videos and general interactivity of your site make difficult to arrest it from downloading on the mobiles. In such case, it is good to have a different mobile site developed.
Current Circumstance
Satisfaction with the current website, budget and potential mobile visitors – These three things are the current situation that can influence your decision.
An individual who already owns a website and willing to go for a responsive then there is a big probability that it should be re-designed completely. In this case, it will be pricey to design a separate mobile version. However, if you aren’t satisfied with your current website then choosing a separate site is a good thing.
The responsive option is a wiser and cheaper decision over a separate mobile site, if you don’t already have a website or not contented with your existing website. A new website might cost you bucks as it will be counted as a separate project.
But, just for the sake of saving money you shouldn’t opt for the less expensive option if your mobile traffic is highly valuable. It is recommended to devote time, and paying attention on the context and content than the budget for catering your mobile visitors.
End Note
Responsive web or Separate mobile version- The choice is yours! Nothing is good or bad for your business; there are certain aspects that are the litmus test to determine, which option is suitable or will prove beneficial.
Written by Mr. Deepak Gupta: Mr. Deepak Gupta is a successful online blogger and an expert web designer. He has been associated with reputed website designing company providing professional web designing services and very well takes care of designing aspects of various clients.
Interesting! Now we have people following both responsive website design and also a separate mobile website. I would advise you to go by the figures or analytics as if you feel you have a website visited by users on their mobile or any other hand-held then the best thing to do in such cases will be of a separate mobile website to offer them a much better user experience in terms of apt formatting, besides that a mobile website can cater information in a much appealing manner compared to a responsive website design. However, let me also clear that a mobile website will target only a limited number of visitors compared to a responsive website design, which is much more versatile. Responsive website design can prove to be good to stay on a safer side as with the advent of smart phone we have users belonging to multiple era. Moreover, designing an entirely new website can prove to be a pricey option…hope I am right 🙂
Mobile devices are becoming fundamental way to access the internet these days. So now responsive web design are great option for website. You have shared really useful information on this. Thank you!