Why Interior Designers Need Responsive Web Design in 2024
Have you ever logged onto a website on your phone or iPad and found that the images or, god forbid, the text is cut off?
Or- instead of easy to navigate buttons, there are tiny lines of text with links, making it difficult to navigate to a different page?
or had to scroll down through pages of text and images to find the information that you are looking for?
Or the website is slow to load on your mobile?
These are all examples of where a website has not be optimised for mobile or contemporary screen sizes, making it difficult for users to learn about your interior design business so they are interested enough to contact you.
Did you know that in North America, 45% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. (https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/website-statistics/) and that 74% of online users will return to a website that is mobile-friendly.
What is a ‘responsive website’?
Firstly, let’s define what a responsive website is and explain why it is very important for you to focus on.
You’ve probably noticed that you do a lot of web searches on your phone. You might be sitting on a bus or train and discover that this is the perfect time to find out about that website designer that you heard about at an information session. Your client may be at IKEA and suddenly have an epiphany (or a panic attack)- requiring an interior designer immediately.
In fact, according to Statisia, 58% of searches are done on a mobile. This means that though we like to design websites on a computer and for computers, you should seriously consider how our website looks on a phone.
In this blog post, I’ll explain to you what you need to know about responsive web design and how you can ensure that you have implemented it effectively on your website.
Why does your website need to be ‘responsive’?
We’ve already mentioned that most searches are done on a mobile and that users will be looking for quick solutions.
Another reason you should ensure that your site is optimised is the professionalism. A well curated website means that your users will receive a great user experience, engendering trust and brand loyalty.
For an interior design website, we want potential clients to be able to find the information that they require easily and your website has an important role to lead them through the discovery and acquisition process.
A responsive website design for interior designers will lead to increased traffic as you will receive more visitors from mobile searches. You will experience higher conversion rates, where easy navigation leads to more inquiries.
It will also increase your brand reputation as a consistent and positive user experience will signal to your potential clients that your business is active and effective and this builds trust.
What are the elements of a responsive website?
Mobile-Friendly Navigation:
Simplified menu- with maximum 6 links. This helps the client move around the website easily and ensures that they are able find the information they need as quickly as possible
Clickable phone numbers and addresses- ever been on a website which makes it so difficult to contact the service provider? A responsive website design for interior designers has buttons that will help potential clients book a call, pay for a design consultation or send an email
Optimized Images:
Fast loading times- images are optimised according to best practices. This means that images are uploaded with consistent sizes and are as small as possible. The use of image descriptions means that images are as searchable as text.
High-quality visuals- help your images not only look great but load as quickly as possible.
Content Layout:
Readable text- font size is large enough to read and text has been checked for formatting making it easy to read
Scalable design elements- as the browser decreases in size, images and text are optimised to fit on a phone screen.
Improved SEO Performance
Google's Preference: Google favours mobile-friendly websites in search results. A responsive website can improve your site's ranking, making it more visible to potential clients. This is always a great thing.
Single URL: With responsive design, you maintain a single URL for each page, making it easier for search engines to index and for users to share and interact with content. With squarespace, you can adjust the url so that it reads easily and logically.
How do you implement a responsible website design?
No matter what website platform you use, most allow you to design websites that are able to be opened easily on a phone.
It is becoming increasingly common to see websites designed especially for mobile screens.
Most website platforms include tools that will help you see your website in different sizes. It is important that you understand how to use this feature as mobile screen sizes change regularly, so you need to be prepared to be able to adapt your website yourself or at least understand how it works.
With Squarespace, you will be able to see your website design as it will appear on typical phone models. An important thing to note is that all phone sizes are not the same so your site needs to be designed with this in mind.
Another thing to note is responsiveness for tablets. Very few websites are opened on tablets and Apple iPads dominate the tablet market, so though it is optimal to make sure that your site looks good on an iPad, it is not crucial.
Steps to Implement Responsive Design
Audit Your Current Website: Assess your site’s current responsiveness. 47% of users won’t wait longer than two seconds for a website to load. So this should be your main focus.
Choose the Right Tools: Select appropriate website builders. To be honest, most contemporary website builders have similar features and you could argue about the merits of the different platforms forever. If I was choosing a platform, this is what I would consider:
Cost of implementation- this includes the cost of hosting, cost of updating (you’ll want to revisit your website regularly )
ease of use- though you think you may not be ‘techy’ or you may not want to, the reality is that as an entrepreneur it’s important to understand how a website works and how to update and maintain your site.
Optimize Content and Images: Ensure all content is adaptable to various screen sizes. Make sure that your images are optimised for loading speed.
Test Across Devices: Regularly test your website on different devices and browsers. Devices are updated all the time and this may have implications on how your website looks on mobile. Be prepared to modify your website regularly.
When was the last time you checked your website on mobile?
If the answer is ‘a while’ or ‘never’ , let this be your sign to ensure that you check your website soon ( I mean - this week!!!!)
If you want to read some statistics on websites that will give you sleepless nights, check out this link. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/website-statistics/
I’ll soon be launching mobile friendly website templates for interior designers which will be hosted on Squarespace. I think Squarespace is a robust and easy to learn platform and it loves images ( who doesn’t!!!) which are perfect for interior designers.
Remember, you don’t have to spend thousands on an interior design website to get clients- it just needs to fit your interior design business’s goals and have effective calls to action to encourage your visitors to take that next step.
Hi 👋🏽 I’m Joanne!
I’m an interior designer, content creator, educator, and business coach. After studying Economics and Education at uni, the design world beckoned, drawing me to Christie’s in London, where I completed post-grad studies in art & design, and then to Hong Kong, where I founded Eclectic Cool, a design firm and design store. Eclectic Cool represented international brands such as Gubi, &tradition, HAY, Armadillo Rugs & Dinosaur Designs to name a few. My work and store have been featured in Monocle, Conde Nast Traveller, Elle Decor, Expat Living, Cathay Pacific inflight magazines, South China Morning Post, and the ABC (Australia) network and more. I live between on the south coast of Australia and Hong Kong with my husband and cavoodle. I’m the mum of three adult children.
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