Like the new digs? Open up on your smart device and see why responsive design for your website is a critical must have in 2013. What’s the stat? Oodles of peeps use smartphones and mobile devices to surf the net, and it’s only getting higher. (How’s th
at for exact data to encourage your transition?)
There are websites that look good on a tablet; however, when you begin scrolling and navigating, the site really isn’t built for the small screen of an iPhone.
Going responsive means a few things:
- Your masthead has to fit snugly within the width of a smart device (regardless of its size). When someone logs in to the website, the masthead has to look normal; when they log in to a smart device, the masthead scales to fit and also pops on that smaller screen.
- The sidebar is invisible on a smart device. With a responsive theme on WordPress, the calls to action and badges and radio buttons stack up in the middle of the screen. On the desktop, they appear off to the right as usual.
- Careful thinking has to be incorporated into a responsive theme. When designing a website in a content management system like WordPress with a custom theme or existing skin or template, you toss up the sidebar without a worry. With a responsive approach, ordering of calls to action and what goes on the sidebar are mission critical.
- You need to engage with a developer who knows what the heck he or she is doing. There is way too much back-end tech required to push the engine of a website. Code is required for anything you do; a content marketer or social media pro cannot ever master all that code.
- You do need to understand what goes on behind the scenes of a website. Even when you’re publishing in content management systems and what you see visually on the dashboard is what appears live, the code is right there.
- Don’t get left in the cold; get your site responsive so when people begin to surf your site will feel more welcome than the other clunkier site with poor navigation and tremendously obnoxious scrolling.
Websites should always be updating; tweaks to sidebar, refresh of design/color and plug ins, navigation and share bars or comment systems. These are things most bloggers can update on their own, and should.
Afraid of tech like me? Embrace your fears and get your fingers dirty; that way you can better direct the show from the stage instead of in the wings.
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Wow! Pretty…. (I love that smile…)
Well, our website “better be” responsive..!
Sigh.
More lessons…
@AlaskaChickBlog Thanks, Honey Girl!
LOVE the new look! I’m building my site now so this is timely for me. Well done!
@kateupdates Thanks, Kate! And my big shout out to New England Multimedia and Scott Quillin for making this puppy as good looking as it is. We’re still tweaking and adding stuff; very exciting, too.
LOVE the new look! I’m building my site now so this is very timely for me. Great job!
Woohoo! Happy new year, happy new look. Cheers! Kaarina
@KDillabough Thanks for coming over to say so! I was exactly at your house the very same time you were here; if that’s not a #RockHot, I don’t know what is! Happiest 13; it’s our lucky year, K!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing It is SO our year!
Snif, my little girl is growing up! SO PROUD OF YOU
@jennwhinnem Wasn’t it about time? I’ve spent the last 3 years writing about whatever; without truly a purpose other than to be a thought leader, and lo…it’s time to, yes, grow up. I felt a growth spurt in my bones and had to oblige.
Thank you for sticking around to watch the journey, Jenn Jenn. XO
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing One thing I’ve learned, Jayme Soulati does NOT take ‘no’ for an answer.
Love the banner! What a brilliant smile. And what a fabulous palette of colours for the site. Those guys at @NEMultimedia rock :=)
Massive hugs for 2013 !
@jonbuscall @NEMultimedia Thanks, Jon!! Happiest new year! You rung it in well before we did! Or maybe you rung our in with us, too! I do happen to appreciate those peeps over at New England Multimedia. There’s something to be said for solid expertise mixed with #RockHot customer care.
Hey Jayme. Great look and feel. I love the content of the sidebar when the post is open. It all works so well and as @jonbuscall I think Michelle is great. I thought you did this all yourself. Regardless, i am impressed.
I was going to make a change myself over the holidays but am holding off until my 2 year anniversary (June 2013).
Hey, BTW, I couldn’t find this post on Triberr?!?!? Huh?
@rdopping @jonbuscall Good Morning, Ralph! I only wish I could do all this alone. Scott Quillin is my savior; I am the director. Coding and all the rest that go with the back end have always stumped me; yet, I try and then make it worse!
Thanks for telling me about Triberr; my Feedblitz was also all f’d up and just started working yesterday again. Bet I need to go back and re-start my feed.
When I finally get my subscriber form in the sidebar; please consider doing so and then you can tell me if it’s not working!!
Thanks for your comments, too. Much appreciated!
@rdopping @jonbuscall Thanks again for Triberr notification; just re-added my feed. Let’s see if that was the problem. I hope, I hope.
It looks great. I really like the changes.
@Joshua Wilner/A Writer Writes Thanks, Josh. Appreciate you sayin’.
Great update, miss, and anyone who hasn’t gone responsive yet needs to get off there arse. *cough* ginidietrich *cough*
@Danny Brown ginidietrich WHAT? I beat That Girl to something? She’s gonna have some fun with the size of her site, too…woah. Happy New everything, Mr. Brown!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing ginidietrich Right? I mean, there’s really no excuse. I dunno, ever since she won the AdAge battle she’s just gotten sloppy.
@Danny Brown ginidietrich LOL; I think she’s not listening today! But, with that last remark, she better get over here to defend!
@Danny Brown OFGS. We’re launching a new site this month and it’s on there.
@ginidietrich Cool. I’ll bring the candles and cake from the last decade to celebrate. 😉
@Danny Brown Yeah. Well, some of us work for a living. I mean, thank you so much! You’re such a good friend!
@ginidietrich Oh, don’t make me bring out all the things I’ve done for you, missy…!!
@Danny Brown @ginidietrich You two having fun? Glad to see it; brotherly and sisterly affection at its finest. Keep going, you know how much I like to get to 100 comments.
Wowza! Look at your pretty new site! I love seeing your sparkling smile at the top of the page. And, I love the floating share bar at the top. That’s pretty nifty. Well done!
@lauraclick Thanks, Laura!! Appreciate the visit and the thoughts!