Web Development

What is Responsive design and mobile optimization for websites?

Min Read Time

Joseph Mullins

Choquer Creative Copywriter

Did you know a survey conducted by Hubspot reports that 73.1% of web-designers consider non-responsive design as the main reason for visitors leaving your website. As the number of mobile users are growing enormously, making your website responsive and optimized for mobile becomes highly imperative. To start with, you must understand the two terms: responsive design and mobile optimization. In this blog, we'll cover the basics of responsive design and how Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, can help you create a responsive website that is fully mobile optimized.

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Let's get started if you don't want to miss anymore mobile traffic coming to your website!

What is a mobile responsive design?

A mobile responsive website or app automatically adjusts its layout and design elements to fit the screen size and resolution of the device being used. This means that the website or app will look and function well on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. Responsive design works by using flexible grid-based layouts and media queries to adjust the layout and design elements based on the screen size and resolution of the device being used. Grid-based layouts allow elements to adjust their size and position based on the screen size, while media queries allow the website or app to apply different styles based on the screen size and resolution.

What are the benefits of mobile responsive designed website?

Responsive design is important because it ensures that a website or app looks and functions well on a wide range of devices, providing a seamless experience for users regardless of the device they are using. With the increasing use of mobile devices, it's essential to have a responsive design to ensure that users have a great experience on all devices.

Here are a few benefits of responsive design:

Increased traffic: With more and more people accessing the internet on mobile devices, it's important to ensure that your website or application is accessible and easy to use on those devices. A responsive design helps increase traffic by making it easy for mobile users to access and use your site or app.
Improved user experience: A responsive design helps improve the user experience by providing a consistent and seamless experience across devices. This makes it easier for users to accomplish their goals and can lead to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
Enhanced SEO: Google favours websites that are mobile-friendly in its search rankings. By using a responsive design, you can improve your search engine ranking and increase the visibility of your website or application.
Simplified maintenance: A responsive design means that you only have to maintain one version of your website or application, rather than maintaining separate versions for different devices. This can save time and resources in the long run.

Tips for optimizing images for responsive design:

Optimizing images for responsive design is essential for ensuring that a website or app looks and functions well on a wide range of devices. In this blog, we'll cover some tips for optimizing images for responsive design and how Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, can help you implement them.

Use high-resolution images: Using high-resolution images is important because they will look sharp and clear on all devices, even when resized. Choquer Creative can help you choose the right image resolutions for your website or app.
Use image resizing tools: Image resizing tools, such as Adobe Photoshop or online tools like Canva, can help you resize images to the appropriate sizes for different devices. Choquer Creative can help you use image resizing tools to optimize your images for responsive design.
Use image compression tools: Image compression tools, such as TinyPNG or Kraken.io, can help you reduce the file size of your images without sacrificing quality. This is important because larger image file sizes can slow down the loading time of a website or app, which can negatively impact the user experience. Choquer Creative can help you use image compression tools to optimize the file size of your images.
Use responsive images: Responsive images are images that automatically adjust their size based on the screen size and resolution of the device being used. This can help improve the loading time of a website or app on smaller devices by avoiding the need to load larger images. Choquer Creative can help you use responsive images to optimize your images for responsive design.

By following these tips and working with Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, you can optimize your images for responsive design and create a website or app that looks and functions well on all devices.

Designing for mobile first: how it can improve the user experience on mobile devices

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Designing for mobile first is a design approach that prioritizes the mobile experience and then adapts the design for larger screens. In this blog, we'll cover the benefits of designing for mobile first and how Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, can help you implement this approach.

What is designing for mobile first? Designing for mobile first is a design approach that prioritizes the mobile experience and then adapts the design for larger screens. This means that the design is optimized for small screens and then scaled up for larger screens, rather than the other way around.

Designing for mobile first is important because more and more users are accessing the internet through their smartphones and tablets. By designing for mobile first, you can ensure that your website or app provides a great user experience on mobile devices, which can help increase user engagement and conversions.

Designing for mobile first involves considering the needs and preferences of mobile users first and then adapting the design for larger screens. This may involve using a single column layout, large, easy-to-read fonts, responsive design, and responsive images to ensure that the design is optimized for small screens.

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By designing for mobile first, you can create a website or app that provides a great user experience on mobile devices and helps increase user engagement and conversions. Working with a Webflow agency like Choquer Creative can help you design for mobile first and create a successful website or app.

Why is designing for mobile first important?

Designing for mobile first is important for a number of reasons:

Mobile traffic is on the rise: More and more people are using their smartphones to access the internet, and it's important that websites are able to provide a seamless and enjoyable user experience on mobile devices.
Mobile devices have smaller screens: Designing for mobile first helps ensure that important content and features are prioritized and easily accessible on smaller screens.
Responsive design is easier to implement: By starting with the mobile version of a website, it's easier to ensure that the design is responsive and will adapt to larger screens as needed.
Performance is critical on mobile: Mobile devices often have slower internet connections and less processing power, so it's important to optimize the design and functionality of a mobile website to ensure that it loads and performs well.

Overall, designing for mobile first is important because it helps ensure that websites are able to provide a great user experience on a wide range of devices, and it helps ensure that the design is optimized for the unique challenges and constraints of mobile devices.

There are several benefits to designing for mobile first, including:

Improved loading times: By prioritizing the mobile experience, you can ensure that your website or app loads quickly on mobile devices, which can improve the user experience and increase user engagement.
Improved usability: By designing for small screens first, you can ensure that your website or app is easy to use and navigate on mobile devices, which can improve the user experience.
Increased conversions: By providing a great user experience on mobile devices, you can increase conversions by making it easy for users to complete tasks and make purchases on their smartphones and tablets.

By designing for mobile first and working with Choquer Creative, a webflow agency, you can create a website or app that provides a great user experience on mobile devices and helps increase user engagement and conversions.

Best practices for mobile navigation:

Effective mobile navigation is crucial for creating a user-friendly experience on mobile devices. At Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, we understand the importance of designing mobile navigation that is easy to use and understand. Here are a few best practices for mobile navigation:

Use a hamburger menu: A hamburger menu is a button that displays a menu when tapped. This can help save space on a smaller screen and make it easier for users to access the menu items.
Design for touch input: Mobile devices rely on touch input rather than a mouse, so it's important to design elements that are easy to tap with a finger. This may involve making buttons and links larger and providing ample space between them to avoid accidental clicks.
Keep it simple: Mobile screens have limited space, so it's important to keep the navigation menu simple and uncluttered. Consider using dropdown menus or accordions to reduce the number of items displayed at once.
Use clear and concise labels: Use clear and concise labels for menu items to help users understand what each menu item does. Avoid using jargon or technical terms.

By following these best practices and utilizing the features of Webflow, Choquer Creative can help you design mobile navigation that is easy to use and understand.

Mobile-friendly email design:

Designing mobile-friendly emails is essential for ensuring that your emails are easy to read and interact with on mobile devices. In this blog, we'll cover the importance of designing mobile-friendly emails and how Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, can help you optimize your emails for mobile devices.

Why is mobile-friendly email design important? Mobile-friendly email design is important because more and more users are accessing their emails on their smartphones and tablets. In fact, over half of all emails are opened on mobile devices, making it essential to design emails that are easy to read and interact with on mobile devices.

Mobile-friendly email design helps ensure that your emails are readable and actionable on small screens, which can help improve the user experience and increase user engagement. For example, using a single column layout and large, easy-to-read fonts can make your emails easier to read on small screens. Additionally, using responsive design and responsive images can ensure that your emails look and function well on all devices.

By designing mobile-friendly emails, you can improve the user experience and increase user engagement, helping to achieve your business goals. Working with a webflow agency like Choquer Creative can help you design mobile-friendly emails that are effective and engaging for your audience.

There are several tips for optimizing emails for mobile devices, including:

Use a single column layout: A single column layout is easier to read on mobile devices than a multi-column layout. Choquer Creative can help you design a single column layout for your emails.
Use large, easy-to-read fonts: Large, easy-to-read fonts are important for making your emails easy to read on small screens. Choquer Creative can help you choose the right font size and type for your emails.
Use responsive design: Responsive design allows your emails to automatically adjust their layout and design elements based on the screen size and resolution of the device being used. Choquer Creative can help you design responsive emails.
Use clear and concise language: Mobile users have limited time and attention, so it's important to use clear and concise language in your emails. Choquer Creative can help you write clear and concise emails.

By following these tips and working with Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, you can design mobile-friendly emails that are easy to read and interact with on mobile devices.

Responsive design tools: tools and resources for creating responsive designs, such as Webflow and Bootstrap

Responsive design is an essential aspect of modern web development, as it allows websites to adapt and function optimally on a variety of devices and screen sizes. With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, it's important that websites are able to provide a seamless and enjoyable user experience across all devices.

There are a variety of tools and resources available to help designers and developers create responsive designs. One of the most popular tools is Webflow, a powerful platform that allows users to design, build, and launch responsive websites without writing code. Webflow provides a visual drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to design and layout pages, and it also has a built-in responsive design feature that ensures that websites will look great on any device.

Another popular tool for creating responsive designs is Bootstrap, a free front-end framework that provides a set of pre-designed and pre-styled components for building responsive websites. Bootstrap includes a grid system, pre-designed CSS styles, and a set of responsive design features, making it easy to create websites that look great on any device.

If you're looking for a professional agency to help you create a responsive design, consider Choquer Creative. This Webflow agency has a team of experienced designers and developers who can help you create a website that looks great and functions seamlessly on any device. Whether you're looking for a simple brochure-style website or a more complex e-commerce platform, Choquer Creative has the skills and experience to deliver the perfect solution for your needs.

Overall, responsive design is an important aspect of modern web development, and there are a variety of tools and resources available to help designers and developers create websites that look great and function seamlessly on any device. Whether you choose to use Webflow, Bootstrap, or work with a professional agency like Choquer Creative, you can be confident that your website will provide an optimal user experience for all of your visitors.

Here are 10 responsive design tools that can help you create websites that look great and function seamlessly on any device:

Webflow: A powerful platform that allows users to design, build, and launch responsive websites without writing code.
Bootstrap: A free front-end framework that provides a set of pre-designed and pre-styled components for building responsive websites.
Foundation: A responsive front-end framework that provides a flexible grid system, pre-designed styles, and a set of responsive design features.
Materialize: A modern responsive front-end framework based on Google's Material Design principles.
Semantic UI: A responsive front-end framework that provides a set of pre-designed and pre-styled components for building user interfaces.
Bulma: A free, open-source CSS framework based on Flexbox and built with Sass.
Gridgum: A responsive website builder that allows users to create custom templates using a drag-and-drop interface.
Flexbox Grid: A responsive grid system based on Flexbox that allows users to easily create flexible layouts for any device.
Pure.css: A minimalist CSS framework that provides a set of lightweight and responsive styles for building web interfaces.
Skeleton: A lightweight responsive CSS framework that provides a simple grid system and a set of basic styles for building web layouts.

Responsive design case studies:

Responsive design is a design approach that allows a website or app to automatically adjust its layout and design elements to fit the screen size and resolution of the device being used. In this blog, we'll showcase some real-world examples of successful responsive design projects and provide insights into the design process. We'll also discuss how Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, can help you create a successful responsive design project.

Example 1: Nike

Nike's website is a great example of responsive design. The website automatically adjusts its layout and design elements based on the screen size and resolution of the device being used, providing a seamless experience for users regardless of the device they are using. The website also uses responsive images, which adjust their size based on the screen size, to improve loading times on smaller devices.

Example 2: Starbucks

Starbucks' website is another great example of responsive design. The website uses a flexible grid-based layout and media queries to adjust its layout and design elements based on the screen size and resolution of the device being used. The website also uses responsive images and a clean, simple design to provide a great user experience on all devices.

Example 3: Apple

Apple's website is a well-known example of responsive design. The website uses a flexible grid-based layout and media queries to adjust its layout and design elements based on the screen size and resolution of the device being used. The website also uses responsive images and a clean, simple design to provide a great user experience on all

The future of responsive design:

Responsive design is constantly evolving as new devices and technologies emerge. In this blog, we'll discuss some emerging trends in responsive design and how they may shape the way we design for mobile devices in the future. We'll also discuss how Choquer Creative, a Webflow agency, can help you stay ahead of the curve and design for the future of responsive design.

The rise of wearable devices: Wearable devices, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, are becoming more popular and will likely shape the way we design for mobile devices in the future. These devices have smaller screens and different design constraints, so designers will need to consider these factors when designing for them. Choquer Creative can help you design for wearable devices and stay ahead of the curve.
The increasing use of artificial intelligence: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more prevalent in mobile devices and will likely shape the way we design for them in the future. For example, AI can be used to personalize the user experience based on a user's preferences and behaviours. Choquer Creative can help you incorporate AI into your responsive design projects and stay ahead of the curve.
The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT): The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices that are connected to the internet and can communicate with each other. The growth of the IoT will likely shape the way we design for mobile devices in the future, as designers will need to consider how these devices

Responsive design vs. mobile app development:

In conclusion, responsive design and mobile optimization are essential for creating websites and apps that provide a great user experience on all devices. By following the principles of responsive design and optimizing for mobile devices, you can ensure that your website or app looks and functions well on a wide range of devices, providing a seamless experience for users regardless of the device they are using.

Choquer Creative, a Webflow development agency, can help you create a successful responsive design project by following best practices such as usability testing, user research, and user-centred design. By working with Choquer Creative, you can be confident that your website or app will be designed with the user in mind and optimized for all devices, resulting in a product or website that meets the needs and preferences of your users. Whether you need a responsive design, personalized UI elements, or accessibility features, Choquer Creative has the skills and experience to help you create a great UX experience for your users.

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Create A Website that Builds Awareness

It’s no easy feat to create a website that’s crafted to enhance your brand awareness.

Brand awareness is the degree to which customers associate your brand with a product or service. There are large companies which are perfect examples of this. Consider the following list of scenarios when thinking about fundamental products or services:

When considering how to get home when you’re out with friends, did you think “We’ll just Uber back” or “Let’s get a rideshare back?”
At a restaurant, did you or your friend order a Coke, Pepsi or just a cola?
When shopping for new running shoes, did you ever specifically think to get Nike, Adidas, or Reebok branded shoes?
When searching for something on the internet, did you think/say “I’ll search for it” versus “I’ll Google it?”

The list goes on, but you get the point. If you create a website as a smaller business, it’s fine if your brand can’t reach the eponym level of Kleenex. There are smaller ways to highlight the success of your brand awareness, such as:

Customers who Google search your branded terms or business name in search queries.
Customers are selecting your brand over cheaper competitors.
Target customers have general knowledge of who you are and what you do.
A social media user who follows your page knows your next post will be funny.

The second list has more achievable elements. In this blog, we’ll share some sound advice to help you create a website for brand awareness building.

Write Compelling Blog Content

Business owners often have too much unnecessary knowledge for their customers. The Curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias which assumes customers have the same level of expertise to understand you. Thankfully, blogs can help you with this problem.

Business owners share their knowledge in long-form writing while sharing blog posts. The positive aspects are continuous and scalable as you create a website. Blog posts are a method to establish credibility and give information to foster customer trust. While writing frequently, businesses remain in the spotlight while educating new and current customers about their competencies.

How frequently should you blog? Most experts agree at least once a week, but to retrieve the best return, blogging about 11 times a month hits the sweet spot. Make sure you don’t sacrifice blog quality just for the result of more blogs.

Additionally, blogs are another method to enhance Search Engine Optimization (SEO). To create a website with proper SEO, a strategy needs to be devised first, involving keyword research, traffic and search intent. More can be read about this in our SEO Tactics blog.

Create a Website With Well-Designed Infographics

Are you drawn to pictures rather than words? Infographics represent information in a format that’s easy to digest at a glance. They involve engaging readers, breaking up text and even for compiling shares on social media.

Infographics are prime methods build brand awareness. If you create a website with infographics, ensure your brand name and logo are somewhere attached to the graphic. When it’s shared on the internet, it’ll be like a poster for your business. Since it can be referenced, it’ll also grow trust and credibility for your organization. Infographics can be useful for backlinks to your website as well.

Produce Useful DLC (Downloadable Content)

Downloadable content is similar to an infographic and a blog post. A very common example is a case study, white paper, a guide pamphlet, or another high-valued PDF. It can be used for qualified and interested clients who are already intrigued by your offering. They’re also trackable and are a useful tool to push leads into paying customers.

Downloadable Content is often free and is given simply by the customer giving their name and/or an email address. As long as you’re careful not to send too many irrelevant emails, you can use their email address to nurture a lead into a future customer.

You don’t need just one type of DLC either. Do you have multiple buyer personas? If so, what information do you think they desire most from your website? While you create a website with DLC, ensure you consider all of your buyer personas and even including multiple downloadable options based on what information they want.

Use Your Social Media Channels

Brand awareness and social media go hand in hand. Customers will follow your brand to see what posts and content you create. Social media outlets, like facebook, instagram and twitter, have methods to boost posts to capture wider audiences. These platforms often have filters to fine tune targeting options for you customers, helping you market more efficiently. When you create a website, don’t forget to have your social media channels linked to it and vice versa.

If you have any questions, contact us!

7.11.22

Why You Should Avoid Free Website Builders

A free product isn't the best for everyone.

Surfing the web, you may notice there is an abundance of ways to build a website.

Some services you pay professionals for, like a web design agency, other services offer complimentary web hosting. No matter what phase you’re in with your company’s website, whether you’re just starting out or even thinking about migrating some content from a free website builder to another platform, discussing these pitfalls of free website builders will inform you of the caveats of these enticing platforms.

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Are Free Website Builders Too Good to be True?

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When something is free, a common instinct is to think: what’s wrong with it?

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The same goes for free website builders. Like all products, these platforms are not for everyone. For example, if you’re a student needing a mockup website for a project or a hobbyist that doesn’t intend to grow their business, then they may be fine.

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Consider that free website builders start as complementary, but when other features are desired, they quickly become more expensive. Ask yourself this:

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- Do you need to post high-definition website images or videos?

- Do you want to have your own custom domain name without the web builder tool mentioned?

- Do you want to perform secure booking and credit card transactions on your website?

- Do you want to rank high on Google?

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If any answer is yes (or eventually yes) then it’s worth paying for a professionally built website.

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In the end, these platforms run a business too. They want you to eventually pay for them. It’s imperative to keep that in mind when signing up for these services.

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Let's discuss what you should be wary of when it comes to free website builders and how it'll affect long-term aspects of your website.

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Slower Shared Servers

Free website builders have slower loading times

You understand that a slower server means slower speed, but how does this affect your website otherwise?

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There might not be an immediate concern on the surface, but there are some key issues with shared servers that come with reduced bandwidth.

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Your Users are Accustomed to Fast Information

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In our modern era, most people have become accustomed to fast loading speeds.

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Slow web pages on free website builders are proven to drive people away, as load times have a direct relationship to bounce rates. Did you know that at least 32% of users bounce if your load time is 7 seconds or more? Research suggests people expect load times to be below 3 seconds and that upwards of 40% will click away if it takes longer. These numbers directly hinder your sales, subscriptions and any type of call to action on your website.

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If any of these terms were confusing to you, check out our blog post outlining common SEO terms.

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Negatively Affects Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

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Sluggish load times also hinder your ability to rank on Google and other search engines.

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Google uses web crawlers to identify, index and rank your site. Slow pages are assorted at the bottom of Google’s stack, which means your pages might never get identified.

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From an even more technical standpoint, SEO coding on free website builders can be unfriendly to Google. Some builders don’t allow you to update or change image alt text, meta descriptions, or even headers to pages.

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If you’re unable to make these critical changes, your site will remain in the dark for future customers. Various web builders feature plugins and widgets to help SEO, but these often can make the site run even slower, further punishing your Google rankings.

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Security Vulnerabilities

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Do you have sensitive information collected on your website? A problem with shared servers is they can leave your website open to breaches and hackers. A shared server hosts other websites as well as yours. Your website is at risk even if one of them is hacked on the server. Ensuring you have a private server will negate this problem.

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Lack of Website Freedom & Expansion

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It’s difficult to expand your website if it’s not directly owned.

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Sometimes, the website’s code belongs to the free website builder. If you’re ever interested in making additional functionalities to your website, you’re often limited to their tools and systems. It’s possible to migrate a website off their platform, but it can be difficult and time-consuming. Sometimes the site may need to be rebuilt from scratch when migrating to a private server, costing you additional resources.

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If you didn’t pay for your domain, you're likely using an unprofessional domain name.

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When your website says ‘yourbusiness.webbuildername.com’, it can be viewed negatively by visitors and future customers.

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It’s often an easy fix to pay for and change your domain, but keep in mind that it isn’t free.

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Free Website Builder Support is Limited

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Customer support is usually provided with free website builders but it’s likely stretched thin.

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Let’s suppose your site goes down at a crucial sales period. Your customers are perplexed, impatient and going to competitor sites while your own team is struggling to reach someone who can help. You or a member on your team in this scenario would be on hold for a support agent - assuming you can even phone them - or on email and chat diagnosing the issue.

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This pain point can easily be avoided by having a professional web design agency build your site, like Choquer Creative.

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Let us know if you’re leaning towards asking us for help on continually building, designing, and developing your company’s website.

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What is Responsive design and mobile optimization for websites?

What is a mobile responsive design?

What are the benefits of mobile responsive designed website?

Tips for optimizing images for responsive design:

Designing for mobile first: how it can improve the user experience on mobile devices