If you don’t have a responsive website yet and you’re reading this post, chances are you are working on it or are convinced this is the way to go with your higher ed website.
However, some of you might work for institutions where the pros and cons of responsive websites are still debated.
Well, fire up your email client or printer, because my latest Internet Technologies column is just for you :-)
Published in the May 2013 issue of University Business, “To Go or Not to Go … Responsive,” explains why institutions should go responsive by discussing 3 top reasons:
- We live in a multi-device world!
- Mobile and tablet web traffic on university websites is on the rise.
- More and more institutions have chosen to go responsive.
In this article, I’m also sharing in a short “online extra”, “Planning a Responsive Redesign: Mind your Content!”, why content (and not code) is the most challenging and important part for any responsive web project including shout-outs to Haverford College, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Lynn University.
Haverford College made sure new content would work with their new Admissions responsive website launched in February 2013 (fabulous screeshot courtesy of Am I Responsive?)
4-week online course: Mobile & Responsive Web Design for Higher Ed
(asynchronous with weekly lessons and assignments)
ONLY 10 seats per session
Since Simpson College launched its responsive site in August of 2012, we have found that our bounce rate on mobile devices has decreased by quite a bit while the average time on page on mobile devices has increased. It allows our users to have a seamless experience no matter what device they are viewing the site on.
We found little opposition in going with a responsive design and it has worked out very well so far.