People are using mobile devices for just about anything that could be done on the desktop these days such as surfing the net, checking email, social media engagement, and online shopping. On the other hand, there is a staggering growth of mobile devices - from smartphones to tablets - across the globe. Although it is possible to design two separate sites for desktop and mobile, what about one site that could efficiently be used for both desktop and mobile? That's why it is important that your WordPress website uses a mobile friendly or responsive theme. In fact, responsive web design themes are synonymous with WordPress sites right now.
A responsive WordPress design means the website automatically adjusts to any device. In fact, the content will remain the same across all desktop and mobile devices with negatively impacting the performance of your WordPress site. As the user shifts from his/her desktop to an iPhone, Kindle or Android device, the WordPress site will automatically adjust its image sizes, structure, and resolution to suit the latter. It enhances the user experience and improves your conversion rates over time. On the other hand, Google and the other search engines prefer responsive sites and give them top positions in their search engine results pages or SERPs. Hence, you need to immediately shift to a responsive WordPress theme if you have not done so as yet. If not, you would be losing a lot over time. Here are seven (7) critical reasons for you to own a responsive WordPress websites.
Today, more than 58% of adults in the United States own a Smartphone. In fact, almost 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. The KPCB US and Global Internet Trends 2015 Report reveals interesting statistics in this regard. Mobile digital media time in the United States is currently at 51% whereas desktop is at 42%. Mobile usage is on the rise in all e-commerce marketplaces. The mobile viewing had increased from 5% just five years ago to 29% in 2015 - but desktop/laptop viewing has remained the same during this period. On the other hand, an American would spend 24% of his/her time on mobile. There are more mobile devices on the planet than there are people. The trend keeps on growing with each passing month. Hence, you can expect more and more prospective customers to view your WordPress website from a mobile device. If their interaction with your site is poor, you will be losing highly targeted customers to your business. That's why you need to shift to a responsive WordPress theme for your website without further delay.
More than 55% of social media interactions happen on mobile devices today. Hence, you will find more and more mobile users sharing links from social media sites such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google Plus, and LinkedIn to your site. If you want to leverage this traffic with an effective social media marketing strategy, you should get responsive without delay. It can work well for your business in the long run.
Online shopping is much easier than driving through busy streets to buy your favourite product or service. It becomes, even more, easier if you can shop while watching TV and relaxing on a chair. The latest statistics reveal that more than 80% of consumers use their smartphones to shop online. On the other hand, 70% of shoppers prefer to use their mobile devices to shop while in stores during the holidays. If these customers cannot view your products and services properly, you are losing a lot on sales and profits in the long run.
If you want your WordPress design to look great across all current and future mobile devices, you should be using a responsive WordPress theme for your website. Think beyond smartphones and tablets - what about the latest devices on the market such as smart watches, Google Glass or whatever mobile device that pops up for Internet viewing in the future? A responsive web design will work for such devices, too.
Google had already released their mobile-friendly update known as "Mobilegeddon." Google aims to rank responsive sites higher in their SERPs since these websites offer a better user experience to the customer. Also, Google prefers the fact that responsive sites use a single URL compared to websites that use two separate URLs for mobile and desktop. Just because a site ranks high via a desktop search, it doesn't mean the site will rank high for mobile searches unless you are using a responsive web design. The issue becomes more important since mobile search had already overtaken desktop search in 2015. If you want to improve the rankings of your site on Google SERPs, you should use a responsive theme for your WordPress site.
The most important reason to use a responsive theme for your site is to improve the overall user experience of your WordPress website. A responsive theme means the user doesn't have to pinch, zoom, or side scroll when viewing your website. On the other hand, a better user experience will help reduce the bounce rate of your site and improve its conversion rates in the long run. All in all, it will improve the brand perception over time.
Many businesses used to maintain two sites - their main site for desktop and another version for mobile. This was quite common before responsive web designing became popular. The process was quite ineffective and costly. But responsive websites are much more efficient and easier to manage. This also means lower maintenance costs and higher ROI for your business over time.
There are continuous advancements made in technology followed by changing consumer behavior. It is quite imperative for business owners to be available to their customer on all platforms accessed by them. Having responsive WordPress websites help businesses achieve just that!
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