My clients often ask me if I can make a “mobile version” of their website. I usually tell them no.
In my experience most mobile websites are very limited versions of the full website. In most cases, important content is lost and not displayed on the “mobile” version of the website. For this reason I am opposed to developing mobile websites for my clients.
Responsive Websites
On the other hand, a responsive website is probably just what the doctor ordered for most clients. If a site is designed properly, one of the primary considerations is that site visitors will likely be viewing the website on smartphones, tablets, notebooks and desktops.
The first image on this page shows how this website is viewed on an iPhone 5S. The second image shows how this website is viewed on a MacBook Pro laptop. Both versions a different in appearance, but each offers up the same information to the site visitor. What you can’t see on the mobile image is that the sidebar and footer portions of the full desktop version are simply shown below the content when the iPhone user scrolls down. All the content is present – each and every bit.
A responsive website attempts, within reason, to render the same content to all visitors, regardless of their hardware. Although it’s not always possible to achieve this goal, I have found that in most cases careful development results in a responsive website that works well on any and all devices.
Without a doubt, the site will not look exactly the same on all devices and platforms. If a developer sets this their goal they’re bound to end up frustrated. Rather, the developer should strive to build a website that works well on all devices and serves up content that is both useful and accessible. After all, content is king on websites. In fact, responsive websites that are viewed on handheld devices are often free of some of the design fluff that takes up screen space on the desktop version. Content is often easier to find on a responsive site when viewed on a handheld device.
The future of responsive web design is now. Contact me to discuss how I can help make your website content available to all your visitors!
