What is a Responsive WordPress Theme and does my site need one?


What is a Responsive WordPress Theme?

responsive theme examplesA responsive WordPress theme is a theme that “responds” to the viewing device being used.  In the “old days”, sites were usually fixed to display on screens that were either 800 or 1024 pixels wide.  These are “fixed-width” sites and still account for most of the sites on the internet.

Today, our viewers visit our sites on a plethora of internet display sites –  Google TV, Smart-phones, Tablets, PCs, Laptops, and Google glasses!  The way of handling such variance in devices had been to run separate sites with the development of mobile versions that are easier to use on smaller screens.

That world of two primary device types, large and super small (mobile), is over.  We live in a shades of gray world now with how our sites are being used and we need to adapt.  Techniques using newer versions of CSS and HTML5 now allow for responsive site designs that present themselves cleanly on each device.  There is nothing more aggravating than going to a website on a smart phone that scales way too big with print way too small.  The login is in the upper right corner… drag… zoom… drag… zoom… login in… back to the left… drag… drag… drag…

That experience is, well, a drag, but it doesn’t have to be.

Example of a responsive WordPress theme

If you want an example of a responsive site,  visit my site for futures traders at http://redliontrader.com.  If you are on a PC, take your browser and narrow down the screen.  See how the sidebars move to the bottom when narrowed down and the menu squeezes into a single drop drown?  This site does a reasonable job of “responding” to the device and keeping the look, feel, and content the same.  It is a single website with a responsive theme.

responsive wordpress theme full responsive wordpress theme small

Full Screen the Layout is a standard 2 column layout

Squeezed in like a smartphone or tablet and the site narrows to single column with a handy drop down menu system.

That is what a responsive theme is.  Now to the big question – Do I need one?  Only your analytics can tell you that.  If you are reaching a considerable amount of people on mobile and smaller devices, then your answer is yes, you should be working on a responsive theme.  If you are starting your site from scratch, you should do nothing else but.  The extra effort is not that hard.

If you need help in determining whether or not you need a responsive theme and how to get one, contact us.  We can make recommendations and help you with your responsive theme needs.

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Marlin
CEO FortunesRocks.me