As of December 2024, mobile devices account for over 63% of worldwide internet use (desktop ~35%, tablets ~2%) (source). If your website doesn’t look and work great on a phone, you’re missing the majority of your audience.

This page explains the shift from early mobile-only sites to today’s responsive standards—and why responsive is now the clear winner.

From Mobile-Only to Responsive Design

Around 2010, many businesses launched mobile-only versions of their sites to handle small screens and slower networks. These lived at m.example.com or a “/mobile” path and were simplified for speed.

That approach worked then, but it came with trade-offs:

  • Imperfect device targeting—some visitors still saw the wrong version.
  • Two sites to maintain—double the updates and cost.
  • Reduced content and features—mobile visitors got a thinner experience.

The Responsive Shift

Responsive design means one website that adapts to every screen. Instead of separate mobile pages, the layout:

  • Uses flexible grids to adjust column widths by screen size.
  • Scales images/media without fixed dimensions.
  • Stacks columns vertically on smaller screens for easy scrolling.
  • Switches to a mobile-friendly menu when space is limited.

The result is a single, complete site that looks and works right on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.


Responsive site preview on a mobile device

Why We Recommend Responsive

Responsive design is the current standard—for good reason:

  • Consistent UX: Works across modern devices without redirects.
  • Lower maintenance: One site to update—no parallel mobile site.
  • SEO benefits: One URL, no duplicate content, and Google recommends responsive for indexing.

Accessibility & Performance on Mobile

Small screens amplify friction. We design for:

  • Readable text with proper contrast and comfortable line length.
  • Touch targets with enough size/spacing for thumbs.
  • Fast loads via optimized images, caching, and minimal scripts (Core Web Vitals aware).
  • Clear actions—prominent buttons and streamlined forms.

Pro Tip 💡: Quickly check responsiveness in Chrome DevTools (Toggle Device Toolbar) or run Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test for instant feedback.

Need help making your site mobile-friendly? We build every new website on a responsive framework and can modernize older sites for today’s audience. Contact us to get started.