Remain Responsive Across Devices

The goal of responsive design is to build websites that detect the visitor’s screen size and device in order to display the information correctly. Once the site is updated you’ll want to track your analytics to know how your customers access your website and that information will allow you to make educated decisions regarding content in the future.

Creating a responsive website today is vital to keeping a consistent brand image and is important for allowing access with various devices. Customers can come from anywhere and if their first impression is a broken website or half of a message that doesn’t make sense, they might believe that this is representative of your service. When someone is designing a website on their own, responsiveness is where quality can fall short. We’ve listed a few tips to help you succeed in getting your site set-up and how to keep it running in the long term.

What does your site need to accomplish?

As you are determining what you want your site to accomplish try and set some goals by asking a few questions. Should the site be a resource to inform your customers, foster sales, enforce your brand, sell your product, sell your service, or tell a story? How many pages do you expect to have? What type of tone should your copy be written in… playful or serious? If you have put together a business plan and a brand book you have most of these questions answered already. If not take a little time to decide the direction that you are planning on going for the company and the website. 

Who will need access to your site?

You should also consider who will be helping in the design and who will need to be included in the approval process. How many users will need access once the site is up and running? Also decide if anyone will be contributing to content on the website in the future. For instance, some platforms may charge for two or more users to have access to the website. Will you and your colleage be perfoming changes simulaniously? Although that may not be a concern now, what if you happen to get busy in the future. Could you delegate this to someone or outsource it in the long term with your current setup? 

Where will I get my content for the site?

Making sure that you have unique content and imagery is always a good thing when you are designing. You will want to at least have the basics; a homepage, services, and contact page. Do you need to have someone write up copy for the website or proofread? There are some great websites that offer services for ghost writing and editing depending on your budget. It is always a good rule of thumb to price out at least three options. Websites like upstart, fiverr, and thumbtack are great places to look for help. Imagery is also something to consider. Do you have any photos that you can use? Perhaps you will want to bring in a photographer to get some shots of your business. Highlighting your unique space, people, or product does a great job of creating a strong brand. 

Which platform should I build my site on?

There are a lot of companies to choose from when you’re shopping for a website building platform. WordPress, Wix, and Google all have inexpensive options and some even have templates based on your business type.

Remember to keep checking your site once it is live on mobile device, iPad, and at different screen resolutions. Call a few people and ask if they can test the functionality of your site once it is built, and they can also help spread the word about your services, product, or work. Remeber that we’re here for you if you ever need help getting started or if you happen to need assistance along the way. Good Luck!