Responsive Design vs. Mobile Website

With almost all internet users accessing the internet with their mobile devices these days, it’s a given that your website needs to be mobile-friendly. However, there’s more than one way to achieve this. If you’re exploring your options, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with terminology.

While mobile design, mobile-first, and mobile-dedicated websites might all sound like the same thing, there are key differences that are important to understand. Understanding the pros and cons of responsive design vs. mobile website design can help you determine the best option for your website.

What is Responsive Design?

Responsive websites use a design choice that intentionally responds to different display sizes. Websites that employ this option look different, depending on if you’re accessing them from a desktop, tablet, or phone. The information included on the website across these devices is typically the same. However, the content’s format will resize, reposition, or be hidden to accommodate the different screen sizes into a mobile-friendly design.

What is Mobile Design?

Mobile design refers to websites that have intentionally crafted a mobile-specific version. These sites typically house only a portion of the full content and features available on the desktop site. Navigation, content, and function can all be streamlined to maximize efficiency for mobile users.

Is responsive design or mobile design better?

Arguments can be made for both responsive and mobile design. Regardless of which option you go with, you’ll need to follow best practices for modern web design. You can generally count on the following pros and cons for each.

User Experience

For users, there are benefits and drawbacks to both options. Since mobile sites offer a trimmed-down version of desktop, they often have faster load times for users. However, just because you think some information is less important for a mobile phone user doesn’t necessarily mean your audience agrees.

Without proper testing, users may find a lack of certain content or features frustrating. Responsive design, on the other hand, offers a cohesive user experience across devices, which can foster a sense of reliability.

SEO

Back in the day, responsive websites used to be easier to find than separate mobile websites. However, search engines are no strangers to adaptation; they now send users to a mobile version of the site if it’s available. Google even takes a mobile-first approach to indexing content.

Cost & Management

Responsive web design tends to be more expensive than a mobile-only site. However, these costs often even out in the long run. From a website management perspective, responsive design is the clear winner. Because all of your content lives on one website, changes only need to be made once. Updates with a separate mobile site can become cumbersome as you’ll need to adjust multiple websites.

Because responsive sites are much easier to maintain, we generally recommend this option. But, as with many things in the marketing world, the context of your needs and goals for the future is critical when determining the right choice for you. Once you decide whether implementing a responsive or mobile-dedicated site makes the most sense for your business, many more decisions must be made before you launch. From applying mobile usability standards and principles to determining the best way to implement any third-party programs your website requires, it pays to work with a professional web design team.

If you need an objective assessment of your website needs, Front Porch Solutions can help. With a full suite of digital marketing solutions, we can assist in helping you determine the right strategy to meet your goals. Reach out today to learn more!