Calgary, AB -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/06/2013 -- With nearly half of all people accessing the web from their phones, responsive website design has become an essential tool for companies both large and small looking to build their digital business.

"Businesses need to reach their audience wherever they are -- which is now everywhere," said Michael DeMartin, owner of the Fairfield-based design and branding consulting firm Designsite.

Responsive web design, according to DeMartin, is the new standard for designing and building websites that respond or adapt to any size screen. A responsive website works across all mobile devices including iPhones, Androids, iPads, tablets and devices not even on the market yet.

"Traditional websites will look fine on a computer but once you look at them on a website, you have to pinch and zoom," he said. "So for a business, if their website doesn't show up on a phone, they can lose business. If you're not being seen on a phone, then you're not being seen period." Opening Designsite in 1999, DeMartin and his wife Melissa, aimed to utilize their experience at large design firms in Manhattan and offer high-quality design work at an affordable cost in Connecticut.

Designsite has worked with companies like News America Marketing, Capitol EMI, Disney and Tauck, in addition to smaller start-ups, to rebuild websites and ensure they are accessible from every device.

"A responsive website can benefit anyone, it's amazing how many Fortune 500 companies are still not doing it. It's a great vehicle for start ups and small businesses because it helps level the playing field," he said.

According to Gartner, a leading technology research and advisory company, 94 percent of people look for local information on their phones and 90 percent of people take action as a result of finding the information on their mobile device.

Still, DeMartin estimates about 75 percent of businesses do not have a responsive website.

"Sitting down with clients and showing them their own website on a phone usually comes as a shock to them," DeMartin said. "Their websites scale down to the size of the screen, making them pretty much unreadable -- almost useless. You have to pinch and zoom to see anything at all, and it creates a negative impression of the business."

Trevor Furrer, co-owner of Riverhouse Properties, which encompasses four upscale events facilities throughout the state, said Designsite has built responsive websites for his company.

"The websites help us reach a demographic who are using their phones to access us and it's assuring to know the websites look great when viewed from any platform from a smart phone to a large computer monitor," said Furrer, a resident of Redding. "The websites have increased our traffic and have resulted in more contacts and sales."

If a company's website is not mobile-friendly, according to DeMartin, it can actually lose business.

"If you think about it, if half of your visitors are accessing your website from their phones, it's like you're closed for business half the week," he said.

About Red Cherry Digital
Red Cherry Digital a well-known software company Calgary; it has carved a niche for its competency, expertise, quality of work, etc. amongst others. Also, it caters to both large and small scale businesses to reach out their customers and design websites using the latest and trendiest tools and techniques. With a team of highly qualified IT professionals who can provide custom website designing solutions, they are placed well above others in the competition.