Choosing a provider
Responsive website development services
If your website struggles on phones, you need a developer who will find every problem, not just the obvious ones on the homepage. Responsive issues hide in tables, forms, embedded content and pages nobody checked.
This page explains what a responsive audit should cover, how to decide between fixing and rebuilding, and what evidence of testing to ask for.
Illustrative diagram
- Header — menu covering content
- Image — too wide or too heavy
- Content cards — cramped, tiny text
- Floating button — covering form fields
- Bottom area — tap targets too close together
A responsive audit should cover every template
Most websites are built from a handful of templates: homepage, service page, article, contact and so on. A responsive audit checks each template at several widths, plus content inside them that often breaks, such as tables, embedded maps and videos, long words and forms.
The result is a list of problems grouped by template, so fixing one template fixes every page that uses it.
Fix the existing site or rebuild
Fix
Suits you when
- The site uses a modern, flexible layout with specific problems
- Content and structure are still right
Watch out for
- Fixes on very old code can be fragile
Rebuild
Suits you when
- The site was built for fixed desktop widths
- Many templates are broken
- Content also needs rethinking
Watch out for
- Larger project
- Redirects needed if URLs change
Evidence of testing to ask for
| Evidence | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Screenshots at defined widths | Each template at phone, tablet and desktop sizes |
| Device list | Which real devices and browsers were used |
| Overflow check | No page scrolls sideways at any tested width |
| Form test | Forms submitted successfully on a phone |
Keeping new content responsive
For editors
- Use the provided table and image styles rather than pasting from elsewhere
- Keep image file sizes reasonable
- Preview new pages on a phone before publishing
For the site
- Embedded content wrapped so it scales
- Long words and links allowed to wrap
Prioritising fixes
Not every responsive issue is equally urgent. Problems that stop someone contacting you or buying, such as a broken form or hidden button, come first. Issues that make pages awkward to read come next. Cosmetic misalignments come last.
Ordering fixes this way means the most important improvements reach customers quickly, even if the full list takes longer.
Content that breaks layouts
Even a well-built responsive theme can be broken by content added later: a wide table pasted from a spreadsheet, an embedded booking widget with a fixed width, or a very long web address in a paragraph. These often appear on only a few pages, which is why audits check content as well as templates.
Fixes include wrapping wide elements in containers that scroll on their own, replacing fixed-width embeds with responsive versions and allowing long words to wrap.
How responsive work runs
Audit
Templates and problem content checked at several widths.
Output: Findings by template
Prioritise
Fixes ordered by impact on enquiries and sales.
Output: Agreed fix list
Fix and test
Fixes applied and checked on devices and widths.
Output: Screenshot evidence
Responsive and accessible together
Many responsive fixes also improve accessibility. Allowing text to enlarge without breaking layouts helps people with low vision; larger tap targets help people with limited dexterity; visible focus outlines help keyboard users. We check these alongside layout during the audit, because a fix that works visually but blocks keyboard users is not finished.
Measuring improvement
Before fixing, note how the site performs on phones today: which pages scroll sideways, how quickly key pages load and whether forms can be completed. After fixing, repeat the same checks. Comparing before and after shows exactly what improved and confirms nothing was missed.
Questions about responsive website development services
What does a responsive audit include?
Checks of each template at several widths, plus tables, forms, embeds and navigation, with findings grouped by template.
Should I fix or rebuild my site?
Fix if the layout is modern and problems are specific; rebuild if the site was designed for fixed desktop widths.
How will I know the fixes work?
You receive screenshots at defined widths, a device list and confirmation that forms work on phones.
Which problems should be fixed first?
Anything that stops visitors contacting you or buying, followed by readability issues, then cosmetic ones.
Can my team keep new pages responsive?
Yes, by using the provided styles for tables and images and previewing pages on a phone before publishing.
Do you test on real phones?
Yes, alongside browser simulation at a range of widths.
Will fixing the mobile layout change my desktop site?
Usually only slightly. Changes are reviewed at all sizes before going live.
How long does a responsive audit take?
It depends on the number of templates and the amount of problem content. We give a timeframe after a first look at the site.
Can you fix responsive problems on a website builder?
Within the builder's limits, yes. Some issues can only be solved by changing templates or moving platforms.
Will fixes survive future updates?
Fixes made in the right place, such as the theme's styles rather than individual pages, generally survive content updates.
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