How Responsive Website Design Helps Search Engine Optimization

Now that we know what responsive website design is and what considerations to keep in mind when designing a responsive site, let's talk about how a mobile friendly website helps search engine optimization (SEO). It's one reason of the many reasons why responsive web design is important on a website. Let's take at a look at how SEO helps your business's website rank higher in search results. 

Usability

Data from Google says mobile traffic is consuming a large share of the search market and it won't be changing anytime soon. With 75% of users preferring a mobile-friendly site, there is opportunity for companies looking to engage with mobile users. If users can't quickly find what they need, they'll hit the back button and continue their search elsewhere. The website's usability factors because Google tracks the time it takes for someone to leave your site, often tracked as exit and bounce rates. High exit and bounce rates signal that your site is no user-friendly and/or your content isn't what the visitor was looking for. These metrics will affect your SEO rankings. 

Reputation

Business reputation is affected by having a responsive site. Additional Google data shows 48% of users feel frustrated and like the company didn't care about their business when they visited a site that was not mobile-friendly. Your online presence is your 'storefront'. Online users who don't see a responsive and professional storefront will keep searching for a website they deem reputable and easy to navigate. 

Search Rankings

Search engines like Google and Bing are user centered. When ranking websites on search, bounce rate, conversion rate, traffic and page load time are considered. Depending on the algorithm rules and these factors a website can be toward the top of organic searches or non-existent. As mobile traffic increases, responsive website design becomes more important. If your current website isn't mobile responsive, you are already losing out on top level organic search rankings. 

We hope that you've learned something new from this series on mobile website design. Please reach out to us if you have questions or would like help making your website responsive. We'd love to help.