Web designs were initially made only for desktop versions. But the advent of new devices soon outnumbered the desktops. These devices differed in screen sizes, resolution, and supported platforms. To cater to them, web designers had to opt for a responsive web design. This started a new era in web designing. But competence can only be gained through failures. Hence, as web design companies in New York began experimenting with responsiveness, they also made mistakes. Let us explore some common responsive web design mistakes that web designers still make. We will also attempt to present feasible ways to prevent them.
Responsive web design mistakes made by a web design company
Instead of listing the errors one after the other, we will address each mistake individually. We will only move to the next mistake after we present you with a viable solution for avoiding the current mistake.
Mistake: Slow-loading web pages
Sometimes, a web design company might integrate multiple images, videos, and animations within the web design. This makes the website heavy and cluttered. Such websites take longer to load. With users demanding browsing convenience, such slow-loading websites will increase the bounce rates. Search engines may also degrade such websites during indexing.
Solution
The aim is to offer the required information without increasing the website bundle size. Review all content, including images, text, CTAs, animations, etc. Achieve this by removing unnecessary media and animations. If extra content is required, develop a separate webpage for it. Additionally, website rendering also requires other resources like JavaScript, CSS files, and image files. Ask your web design company to integrate only the required resources to reduce the website bundle size further and speed up website rendering.
Mistake: Failing to analyze user behavior
Short TATs and early deadlines may force web design companies in New York to skip user behavior analysis. Starting the web designing process without knowing your target audience’s wants ultimately impacts user experience.
Solution
A responsive web design facilitates consistent website performance across devices, platforms, and screen sizes. User behavior analysis can help web designers serving New York City and the rest of the USA gain insight into critical factors like:
- Most frequently used devices
- Common functions users perform on the website
- Conversion rate from individual devices
- Issues users face when using different devices
Using information aggregated through user behavior analysis makes a responsive website design meet user demands. Such websites can also be continuously optimized and refined in sync with ever-evolving user demands. Remember, a one-size-fits-all approach does not enhance user experience.
Mistake: Insincere testing
Sometimes, a web design company in NY might release a website without adequately testing it for its responsiveness. But what works for one device might not work for another. Hence, testing across multiple devices is critical to uncover general UX issues and resolve them.
Solution
Mandatorily test the main workflows for all primary browsers, popular browser-device combinations, and operating systems. Leverage advanced testing tools to simulate a variety of device-browser combinations. Extensively test the performance of your responsive web design.
Simultaneously, change the ideology behind your testing. Device categorization has changed in the past few years. Using broad categorizations based on the device type will yield inaccurate results for responsiveness. Hence, it would be best to categorize devices based on their screen sizes. Test your responsive web design on devices with different sizes to get accurate results for responsiveness.
Mistakes: Content hiding
This is a common responsive web design mistake made by a web design company in NY. It is also the easiest to implement. Web designers hide the content of a web design to fit it to a smaller screen. This might make the look neat and increase white spaces, but it negatively impacts user experience. Users visiting your website on a desktop or laptop will look for specific content on a mobile and not find it. Confusing the user will result in a poor experience. Also, with the content still loading in the background, your website will become slow.
Solution
Craft different layers in your responsive web design to accommodate devices of various sizes. Never try to fit everything present on your desktop web design into a smaller-sized device. Instead, leverage web design elements like pop-ups, drop-down menus, separate webpages, etc., to display them. By applying this solution, you can ensure all information reaches your user without cluttering up a smaller-sized screen.
Mistake: Forgetting about designing for gestures
Web designing in New York is a complex process that involves minute details. Designing for gestures is one such minor but critical feature that many web designers fail to integrate. With many devices leveraging the touch functionality, your website must also be aligned with the same. Otherwise, your website will present inconveniences for your users, limiting your website reach and increasing bounce rates.
Solution
Ask your web design company to ensure consistent navigation in your responsive web design. Ensure your website follows the core structure, but it is also optimized to adapt to the needs of different devices. Include features like swiping elements and optimize your design for gestures like tapping, stretching, and pinching.
Mistake: Small font size
Different screen sizes display text in various sizes. Your web design company in New York must use fonts that adapt automatically basis the screen size. A font perfect for the desktop will seem too large for the mobile. You need to sync the font to the device screen size to deliver the required information to your users. Again, your user experience will suffer.
Solution
Integrate adaptive design techniques to optimize content viewing and reading on different screen sizes. These techniques will reduce or increase the font size as required, thereby enhancing the readability of your responsive web design. Further, ensure your headings and body copy are simple and to the point. Use short sentences and paragraphs. It is an excellent practice to write your website content for mobile first before adapting it for the desktop.
Conclusion
A responsive web design plays a critical role in increasing user engagement. It can attract new users and retain the old. Additionally, a responsive web design also receives better SERP rankings. Hence, ensure your web design company can innovate ways to ensure your website’s responsiveness across device screen sizes.
Originally posted 2023-11-06 13:20:54.