Successful websites need more than responsive design

When it comes to web GUI design and creating a popular site, a business needs more than responsive design and high-resolution graphics. Content is a key part of any website design and can never be ignored. While responsive design is an important part of making an intuitive site that is simple to navigate and easy to read, designers also need to remember to integrate the site's content in a relevant and useful way.

Responsive web UI design is the latest strategy for creating a website that works equally well on a smartphone as it does on a 22-inch desktop monitor. Using current standards and device detection, the website resizes columns, images and layout to accommodate tablets, laptops and other devices and provide the best user experience possible at the same time. This style of web design helps businesses improve their websites in a way that takes modern use cases into consideration without leaving the traditional desktop user behind.

However, according to EContent and PromotionWorld, responsive design isn't enough to keep users happy in today's technologically advanced world. Websites also need to provide relevant content that is still easy to navigate and read.

Scott Abel of EContent reported that before "jumping on the responsive web design bandwagon," a business has to have a strategy for providing repeatable content to its users. Additionally, a website needs to deliver that content in a reliable and search-friendly manner. Without this, a site will fare no better than it did before improving the design.

According to PromotionWorld, a business also needs to integrate search engine optimization (SEO) into its content. Responsive design may make a site look nice, but without implementing content management that ensures the website can be searched, and found through search, all that design work may amount to nothing.

Ultimately, web design usability is derived not only from its ease of use, but also its intuitive use of content to help users find and access what they want, when they want it. Without this latter consideration, a website will flounder just as quickly as it would without an attractive UI design.