There is an overwhelming case for RWD, organizations need to ensure that their websites are accessible from and compatible with different devices (mobile or PC). The case is simple new websites need to be accessible in this way as standard and older websites, (those developed before 2010) need to be overhauled so that they too are accessible from the latest tablet. In this context, it is not surprising that a whole new RWD industry has sprung up in the wake of the popularity of portable devices. With RWD a person can continue with their research, business transactions or even work when they are away from their PC or laptop. Effective RWD ensures that one website can be accessed and used with the same degree of finesse and ease no matter the device it is loaded into.
Managing one website
Mobile versions of websites have been around for many years this is no longer sufficient, purely because there are other types of portable devices. A website that has been designed responsively is in effect a central point for content and information because the organization only needs to manage one website. This also applies to marketing and search engines. There is only one marketing strategy and you don’t need to analyze traffic to multiple websites (which affects overall ranking). RWD means that a particular website will appear higher in a search engine ranking than one which is not. Put simply search engines find it easier to change algorithms and index content for websites that can be accessed equally from multiple devices. A responsively designed website will be more exposed than one which is not.
PC and laptop no longer dominates
Depending on the precise analytics in 2014 websites receive up to 50% (in some cases more) of their traffic from portable devices. If the website has not been developed with RWD in mind then it will not be meeting the expectations of those mobile users. The trend is rising inexorably and although it is highly unlikely that PC and laptops will fall by the wayside, the reality is that they will no longer dominate. Taken collectively the use of mobile devices is arguably the single biggest driver behind RWD. In short, if you’re not employing RWD you’re effectively losing traffic because people cannot access your website in the numbers that they should be.
No doubt about it RWD is the future
RWD is undeniably in its early stages and is by no means perfect but it does indicate the direction the web development industry is moving. RWD will enable tools and applications to become further integrated, interactive and accessible from an increasingly wider range of devices. The internet is continually evolving and as RWD becomes the norm for web development more products, services, tools and applications will become integrated into multiple devices. RWD seeks to ensure that all applications and the overall interface are clear and accessible from all devices. This will remove the need for specialist coding that needs to accommodate different screen resolutions.
The point is that RWD is here and will continue to expand and as such with everyone else employing it you will need to as well.