Responsive web design isn’t exactly a new trend, but – to much surprise – it’s still in its infancy. As more people access the web via smartphones and tablets rather than desktop and laptop computers, responsive design will continue to be a fundamental building block in the creation of lucrative websites. It’s not just content that needs to be readable across a multitude of devices, but also the buying experience.

Consider that more than 50 percent of shoppers on Amazon made a purchase on their mobile devices during the 2013 holiday season. Imagine what other websites could do by having a responsive design that makes ordering off a smartphone or tablet just as easy as buying off a computer? It makes sense that responsive web design will continue to be the future of the web, but why has it been slow to develop?

One of the main reasons is because the majority of web designers know very little about responsive design. This means that they can’t really sell themselves on this service, and they can’t educate their business clients on the importance of responsive design. In fact, MeanPath – which crawls over 200 million websites – reported that less than one percent of all websites are actually responsive.

So, what have businesses been doing in the meantime? Obviously, there are many great sites that can be viewed on mobile devices. Chances are strong that these companies have chosen the route of a dedicated mobile site design. While there are certainly benefits to dedicated sites, the scale is shifting in the direction of responsive web design. Here are a few benefits to consider, not just for today, but tomorrow as well:

  • Better user experience

  • Save time and cost

  • Increase sales and conversion rates

  • Improve SEO value

  • Increase visibility

  • Stay ahead of the trends

  • Consolidate analytics and reporting

  • Recommended by Google

So, what are you waiting for? If you know that responsive web design is the way of the future, and most of your competitors don’t have one yet, it’s time for your business to make the move. Not only will your content be more readable and accessible with a responsive design, but so will the ability to buy products. Happier customers, increased sales. What more could you ask for?