28Sep 21 5 Steps to Create a Great Responsive Website

One of Google’s aims is to offer an improved user experience for all users searching for information on their mobile devices. Think of the last incident when you tried accessing a site on your phone, where you tried clicking on a certain navigation button but ended up pressing the wrong one. Then you had to press the back button and again try to click on the correct link, simply because the website was not mobile or user-friendly.

Responsive website design provides an easy-to-go-through user experience across a wide range of platforms, irrespective of whether you browse from your tablet or smartphone, laptop, or PC. It has evolved from the idea that users use varied screens to view their content, which must automatically respond to fit their screen sizes. Like the brakes or steering wheel of a car, your business website needs to be responsive.

So, how do you go about it? Here is a quick look at the top 5 steps for building a responsive website successfully:

Decide Elements for Small Screens

A responsive website design does not implicate copying your website exactly across all devices. Since you aim to offer a top-notch user experience, you might have to leave certain elements out to ensure the user has a pleasant browsing experience, especially when viewing your site on a small screen.

In responsive web development, sites often compress their navigational options and menus into a small button that can be accessed with just a press on smaller devices like mobiles. The menu can be displayed in its expanded version on larger screens but viewed with the click of a single button on small ones.

Focus on Your Content

What role does content have to play in modern web development? Well, it is one of the most potent weapons in your arsenal. When probable clients visit your site, they do not look for great graphics or pretty banners. They are interested in the content that you have to display.
Try and ensure that all valuable content is easily accessible, even when your screen space is limited. It can be achieved by making sure that the content and header are both visible on mobile screens without having to scroll. Keep in mind that users want strong content that’s easy to navigate and find.

Use a Fluid Grid

In the past, web development services laid websites based on pixels. However, today, designers have made a shift to using fluid grids. A grid adds proportionality to your site as opposed to making them a precise site. It makes sizing elements for different screens easy, where these elements respond to screen size and not the size in pixels.
A fluid grid gets segregated into columns, and the widths and heights are scales. There is no fixed height or width. The proportions strictly depend on screen size. You can set or customize these grids by modifying the code and CSS of your website.

A “Mobile-First” Approach

When designing a responsive website, begin with mobile styles as the groundwork and include additional styles and columns with media queries. In this case, if a user lands on your website using a browser or device that does not back media queries, they can view the mobile version of your site.
A “mobile-first” approach lets you focus on what matters and helps with limited attention span and limited screen space. Additionally, it broadens your reach to other devices that do not support all media queries.

Navigation is Prime

Navigation is undoubtedly one of the most vital assets of a responsive website design. Sadly, this is also an attribute that a lot of websites fail to get right. You would not want your site’s navigation menu to obstruct essential pieces of content but ensure that your visitors can navigate with ease, irrespective of the device they use. So, try achieving that balance by creating intuitive navigation that is not obstructive.
One of the best practices is to put the navigation menu out of sight on a small screen while enabling them to view it when required. It can be achieved through the hamburger icon that is the universal sign for navigation.

A responsive design is neither a fleeting preference nor a trend that you must follow. It is a strategy for the long haul that you must invest in. Screens are evolving continuously, and your website must meet the requirements of modern web development, irrespective of the device being used.

By designing a responsive website for you, our team at Useperwish ensures that your site does not risk becoming obsolete due to new technologies. No matter the new challenge, our web development services strive to keep your business prepared.