6 Responsive Web Design Myths You Can Ignore

It’s one of the most frequently discussed topics in the web design industry and, as is the case with most new technology, responsive web design isn’t fully understood by most. In fact, there are dozens of myths surrounding responsive design and they’re being unknowingly perpetuated by a number of sources. For the sake of progression and accuracy, it’s important to separate the facts from fiction.

Top Responsive Web Design Myths

Everywhere you click there’s somebody talking, writing, or posting about responsive web design. While there’s no doubt that responsive design is the direction of the industry, falsities, myths, and inaccurate statements are unfortunate byproducts of the viral nature of the internet. In an effort to clear the air, let’s debunk some of the most common and pervasive myths:

• Responsive design is the same as a mobile site. Five or ten years ago, the industry was focused on creating mobile templates and websites for smartphones. The idea was that site owners needed to appeal to this new market by stripping down their existing sites and making content digestible for smaller screens. The issue was that you then had two separate sites to manage and visitors were exposed to a watered-down experience. It’s unfortunate that many business owners still have a sour taste in their mouths regarding mobile sites, but there’s no reason to translate that to responsive. Responsive design allows you to maintain the same site, with the same content and same user experience. It’s a win-win situation.

• Responsive design is only for smartphones. While responsive design did originate out of the need to create quality websites for emerging smartphones, the reach goes much further. Responsive web design ensures your website is capable of being viewed on any screen, regardless of type or size. That includes smartphones, tablets, TVs, laptops, and desktop computers. It essentially acts as a chameleon, adapting to whatever device accesses it.

• Content isn’t always displayed properly.Because responsive design adapts to any screen size, the user knows that content will be displayed properly – which is contrary to static mobile websites.

• Responsive means slower. Can responsive design make your site slower? Certainly. But that’s in the hands of the designer and the implementation strategy. If properly built, a responsive site has the potential to be faster than before – but you have to invest in the services of a quality web designer who follows industry best practices and responsible procedures.

• Only certain elements need to be responsive.This is a myth that shows how uneducated most business owners are regarding responsive design. Whereas mobile templates pick and choose which content to display, responsive design doesn’t compromise anything. It simply readjusts your existing content, images, and layout to fit the screen size it’s being displayed on. When you invest in responsive design, you’re addressing the entire website.

• Responsive design is too expensive for small businesses. While you’ll need some upfront capital and flexibility to redesign your website and make it responsive, the long-term ROI is incredibly high. By investing in responsive design, you’ll be able to increase your overall user experience, decrease bounce rates, and skyrocket conversions. It may take a few months before you see results, but as long as the rest of your business model is correct, it’ll come.

digiTech Web Design 

At digiTech Web Design, we’re committed to offering our clients high-quality web design, SEO, and paid advertising services that are unparalleled. When it comes to designing web pages that convert, we believe multi-device responsive design is the future. For more information on how we can help you with your web design and internet marketing needs, please contact us today!