Responsive web design allows your website to readily format and scale itself depending on what device your web visitor may be using. Originally published at https://www.proweaver.com/7-important-guidelines-for-effective-responsive-web-design.

1. for Effective Responsive
Web Design
7 Important Guidelines

2. Introduction
Sure, you can resort to the usual “pinch and zoom technique” to try
and access the other parts of the page. But in most cases, it just
doesn’t work. So then, what do you do? You try another option, which
is to tweak around with your mobile browser and get it to load the
desktop version of the site. It works for a while… until you notice that
some important elements are missing. Sigh.Frustrating, isn’t it?
You don’t have any other choice but to get on your laptop or desktop
in order to navigate the page. Then again… who has time to make all
that extra effort when you can just find another service provider on
mobile? Specifically, one with a responsive web design, of course.

3. Haven’t heard of responsive
web design, yet?
Responsive web design allows your website to readily format and scale
itself depending on what device your web visitor may be using. This means
that your clients would no longer have to pinch and zoom (or resort to
other tactics) just to do the things they need to do on your website!
Installing a responsive web design equates to added convenience
for your prospects. (And with added convenience comes added
sales in the future as well.)
But before you jump into the hype, here’s a couple of pointers from
Proweaver that should help you come up with your very own
responsive web design…

4. 1. Prioritize mobile
Gone were the days when we used to rely on
desktop devices to connect to the internet. Sure,
we still make use of our laptops, but we’re usually
fine with surfing the web just through our phones.
With that in mind, it’s best that you also mold your
website with mobile use as the main focus.

5. To do that, you should:
• Know the trends
Don’t be so keen on configuring your custom web design with the latest
model of smartphones and gadgets in mind (because, really, not everyone
is able to use higher-tier devices). Rather, you should focus the design on
your website content and how users will be able to experience it.
• Learn the dimensions
Is there a standard? Not really. And because of that, it would be in your best
interest to design at least 3 versions of your page (depending on different browser
widths) to ensure fluidity. Common dimensions to take note of include one that is
less than 600px, another one that is in the range of 600px to 900px, and lastly,
one that is greater than 900px.
• Scale the images
You want to use a particular image, but will it look just as good on mobile as it
does on the desktop? Think of how the picture will be displayed when it shows
up on a monitor, tablet, or smartphone before you set it into place.

6. 2. Consider the context
What do your web visitors expect to see when
they first land on your page? What kind of details
would they need to be convinced to convert?

7. Proweaver explains that it’s important for you to:
• Build the ambiance
Visual stimuli can go a long way as it is able to set the mood of your
prospects. And if done right, it might just put them in the mood to
make a purchase or sign up for a service.
• Entice the senses
Curiosity is a powerful drive. If you’re able to wield it properly, you will lead your
web visitors to where you want them to be―at the product catalog or service
menu. Inject carefully worded call-to-actions to make this happen!
• Gather the facts
Last, but definitely not the least, it’s important that you fill in your web visitors
with all the information that they might need about your product or service.
Through this, your brand will have an easier time building trust with your clients.
(And with trust established, you will gain a higher chance of retaining more
customers through the years.)

8. 3. Remember, user
experience is key
Just like you, everyone wants convenience. When your
business website is able to deliver that and a comfortable
user experience, your clients will be more likely to stay and
browse through your page. The longer they stay, the more
likely they will be able to make a purchase, share your
content, and increase your site’s ranking with search engines.

9. But how exactly will you improve user experience?
• Keep the flow consistent
Uniformity prevents confusion. Before you work on your final web design,
create a sitemap. This will allow you to arrange texts and images in a way
that allows better navigation.
• Design the buttons to be appropriately sized
Are the buttons on your website too small for a thumb to tap on? Are the labels on
them too minuscule to read? Make adjustments to form a more ergonomic design.
• Check the input methods
Desktop devices make use of a mouse pointer and a keyboard for easy typing.
But for a smartphone user, the experience is a lot different. Be generous in
spacing your buttons and clickable areas to give easier access.

10. 4. Titillate the audience
with typography
Don’t certain fonts just leap out of the page and grab
your attention? Using stylized typefaces is a great
strategy, however, you should also make sure of its
readability. After all, none of it would make sense if
your average web user isn’t able to decipher the
information on your website.

11. To implement proper typography, you should:
• Consider the font size
Smaller font sizes may look appealing and present a soothing minimalist design,
but it’s not always easy to read. (Especially for older members of your market and
those who don’t have 20/20 vision.)On the other hand, font sizes that are too big
might cause your website to look too crowded, so be sure to find the right
balance between the two.
• Use the bold typeface for emphasis
The thicker, the better. However, be careful not to use too many bold fonts as
they can end up distracting your client from the correct navigation of your web
page. Utilize thicker fonts only in texts that you need to be highlighted the most
(such as blog titles and call-to-actions).
• Direct the eye where it needs to be
Bold, italicized, and stylized font faces don’t just aim to make your website look
more aesthetically pleasing. They are also able to guide the line of vision. And in
some cases, they can even help make your call-to-action prompts more effective.

12. 5. Improve overall
navigation
How do clients usually maneuver their phones when
browsing the web? With the use of a mobile device,
your best bet would be to make use of a template that
allows infinite scrolling.
But of course, that’s not the only option that can
enhance your website’s navigation.

13. You should also keep in mind to:
• Keep the icons organized
Smaller font sizes may look appealing and present a soothing minimalist design,
but it’s not always easy to read. (Especially for older members of your market and
those who don’t have 20/20 vision.)On the other hand, font sizes that are too big
might cause your website to look too crowded, so be sure to find the right
balance between the two.
• Make the direction uniform
Does your website scroll down or to the side? No matter which option you pick,
be sure to utilize the same combination with all your other web pages. This
minimizes the learning curve for getting familiar with your website and
reinforces client interaction
• Simplify the instructions
Are your call-to-actions worded appropriately? Fanciful phrases are great,
but be sure to construct them in a way that they can be understood at one
glance. With it, your business website will be able to convert more
prospective clients with ease.

14. 6. Focus on loading
speed above all else
Having a beautifully designed website won’t make your
users stay if it ends up straining a web visitor’s
patience.
No matter how much of an eye-candy your website is,
if it’s unable to load within a minute or two, all the hard
work you placed into designing it will be put to waste

15. To prevent that, you should:
• Compress the images
No one, absolutely no one, enjoys slow loading speeds. Even small delays can cause
prospective clients to change their minds and cause them to opt out of your website
instead. Following that line of thought, it’s only fitting that you concentrate on
enhancing speed by reducing the image sizes.
• Remove the unnecessary details
Do you really need that big of an image to call your customer’s attention? Does your
site depend on an animated overlay to create sales? If your answer is no, then you
might as well get rid of those additions. By doing so, your web pages will be able
to load more quickly.
• Optimize the image files
Have you heard of SVG graphics? Scalable vector graphics are a great option for
responsive web design because they are not just scalable (as the name implies),
but they are also resolution-independent. Plus, they come with great browser support!
This means they won’t put your images in danger of being pixelated. All you need to
do is whip up some magic with CSS and Javascript to put it to work! (If you need
assistance with design and coding, Proweaver can help!)

16. 7. Test thoroughly
Now that you have the basics covered, it’s important that
you check how well your website runs on the actual devices.
This will allow you to gain a better scope of what the overall
user experience would be like once a responsive web design
is set into place.

17. Make sure you don’t skimp on anything:
• Try the design on your own device
How does the navigation feel from your own perspective? Does it feel comfortable?
Or will you need to make further adjustments? Make note of your thoughts and use
them to calibrate your design afterward.
• Try the design on a smartphone and tablet
After you test the design on your own device, you should also test it with other
gadgets to see how it looks. Consider asking a friend for their opinions too.
They might be able to point out certain factors that you have missed.
• Try the design on a laptop/desktop
Yes, more clients make use of their mobile devices when going online. But, you also
can’t ignore a good percentage of web users who prefer to surf on their laptops and
desktops. Be sure you look into that as well!

18. Are you ready to implement responsive web design?
If you don’t have prior experience in the field of custom web design, things can be
quite difficult. You might encounter roadblocks with coding and need to continually
try out options to see which works best. And as an entrepreneur, you won’t always
have the luxury to personally invest your time in a project such as this.
Well, you don’t really have to worry about any of that. We can take the wheel
from here and make your website anew. With a team of highly experienced
web designers, we won’t just give you a responsive web design, but one that
is created with the goal to further your business.