Responsive web design, in which digital content is created to adapt to different devices so they layout and words maintain optimum readability, is becoming increasingly crucial for companies to maintain a connection with their customers.

Websites that work seamlessly across many different types of screens will obviously engage more readers and retain more viewers. It allows readers to view the sites with minimal panning, scrolling and resizing. Because readers are connecting with content more frequently on their mobile devices, achieving responsive design that adapts to those smaller screens is especially important these days.

Media Queries, which is a browser-centric CSS3 module that allows for content rendering, is a cornerstone for responsive web design.   Media queries allow for different CSS style based on, say, the width of the browser.  Page layouts adjust by units, not pixels or points, through the fluid grid concept, which includes images. The end result is app-like experiences for the website users, but without the apps.

One drawback with responsive web design is it cannot accommodate for videos or banner ads. And it doesn’t work for more complicated sites like the LinkedIn. Some also argue that companies may want to invest in actually creating ideal, unique experiences for different devices instead of creating one code that adapts.

For businesses like banks that want to add mobile-specific services like remote deposit capture for checks, responsive web design wouldn’t suffice. Instead, responsive web design is ideal for simple content delivery, in the way that magazines or newspapers deliver content.