When you operate a small business, it's easy to assume you don't need a complicated, flashy website. While that's true in some ways, it's important to remember that a vast amount of a company's reach exists online, so a website needs to meet certain criteria to help customers and clients find you. For this reason, your site designer and web hosting service should provide you with a responsive website. This functionality helps pages load quickly—so visitors don't get tired of waiting and leave—and automatically reads and adjusts to the browser's viewport dimensions. Here's a look at how your company's site will benefit from responsiveness.

Why Are Responsive Websites Important for Small Companies?

1. Cross-Device Functionality

A responsive website is designed to look good on any screen size. Sites built only for a single browser, only for larger screens, or only for mobile devices might display glitches when viewed on a different device. The layout might differ, pushing important information off the page, or images might not load properly. 

It may also take too long for the page to load, causing potential visitors to search for what they want elsewhere, as the average user only spends 10–20 seconds on a site before moving on. Make sure your designer and web hosting service understand your goal is to achieve uniform results, whatever browsers and devices your visitors use.

2.  Lower Maintenance Costs

Although it may take longer to write the initial code for a responsive website, you'll save money on maintenance costs over the long run. It takes more effort and time to maintain and update two versions—one for mobile users and one for computer users—than it does to care for a single responsive site. With a single site, your team will update your site with new products, monthly specials, changed product information, and other important content only one time. 

3. More Return Customers & Sales

Responsive websites provide users with a seamless experience between devices. This is important because so much e-commerce and web traffic now take place via smartphone or tablet rather than a computer. Nearly 75% of customers polled said they'd be more likely to return to a mobile-friendly site in the future, and nearly 70% said they're more likely to buy from such a site.

If you need a reliable web hosting service to maintain and maximize your new responsive website, contact TSC in Wapakoneta and Saint Marys, OH. They have served Auglaize County since 1995, providing telephone, cable, and high-speed internet access you can count on. They serve both commercial and residential clients with blistering fast upload and download speeds and affordable service bundles. Learn more about them by visiting their website or call (419) 739-2200 to schedule web hosting service.