The Benefits of Adaptive Web Design
Based on Google’s recommendations, marketers already know the benefits of Responsive Web Design (RWD) over creating separate pages to be served up for mobile vs desktop searches. But have you considered the benefits of Adaptive or Dynamically served content over simply responsive design?
A responsive website displays the same content in different layouts based on the device being used, while an adaptive website does the same thing but shows different content based on the device used and/or individual accessing the site. In either case, the goal of responsive/adaptive design is to offer an enhanced user experience to the visitor.
Why Use Adaptive?
Adaptive sites – particularly those that offer contact/context-based dynamic content – do more than just look good on mobile devices. They offer a fully individualized experience, which is what it’s all about in modern consumer marketing. The more personal and engaging a site, the better the conversion rate.
If your business (or your clients’ businesses, if you’re a marketer) could benefit from delivering a more contextually relevant experience, then adaptive design could be worth the investment. Adaptive sites are created in several different targeted ‘content segments’, with a server detecting factors such as device and operating system and then sending the correct ‘segments’ to the page as required. While adaptive design is a bit more complex, it’s the only way to reach the broadest mobile audience.
Here are some basic benefits surrounding the use of adaptive design:
- Super-Efficient Page Loads: Adaptive websites are much better for load time performance and overall user experience because adaptive delivery works by transferring only those assets necessary for the specific device and optimizing images and multimedia content on the fly.
- Tailors the Experience Based on User Intent and Context: For some businesses, a mobile user’s intent is to engage with the business in a very specific fashion that is different from their behavior on a desktop website. The experience on an adaptive site can be finely-tuned to the device or the individual, so it is intuitive, super quick and takes advantage of elements such as voice, location and more.
- Reaches the Maximum Mobile Universe (More So Than RWD) Including Smartphones: If developing markets are important to your business or your clients’ businesses, this is the most inclusive, globally-robust approach.
- Features One URL with Associated SEO and Discoverability/Sharing Benefits: As is the case with responsive web design, this approach is Google-friendly and reduces the need to maintain two content management systems. If you need a highly interactive, secure site that works for everyone who might ever visit with any type of mobile device, then adaptive design becomes even more imperative.
Adaptive design allows you to stay ahead of the trend curve as the demand for media-rich mobile Internet and apps grows.
