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Cross-Browser Compatibility: Why Your Website Needs It

July 22, 2021
By Joshua Hay
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You have spent hours of time and effort in building and developing a solid website and excellent branding strategy. At this point, you may think that your website is just about ready to go live. However, before you do this, one critical aspect needs to be taken care of – cross-browser compatibility.

At this point, you may be asking yourself if cross-browser compatibility is that important. However, if you overlook this seemingly minute detail, you may lose countless customers looking to buy your products or services. While this may not be the most exciting part of designing your website, read on to find out why it is a crucial step that should not be taken lightly.

Cross-Browser Compatibility: Why Your Website Needs It

Before anything else, you need to understand what cross-browser compatibility is. It can be defined as a website, script, or application to support different types of web browsers identically. In a nutshell, a website with this capability will be able to function and load, no matter what browser a website visitor is viewing it from. 

Cross-browser compatibility should be built into the framework of the website as it is being developed. However, if you add this capability in the final stages of development, it can be added as a template to your site before you launch. 

What Happens If Your Website Isn’t Compatible With All Browsers?

Different drivers have different specifications, styles, and features. Various browsers are set up differently, which can make a difference in how they interpret your website. After all, your website comprises a specific set of instructions on how it should be displayed. Once it reaches a browser, it is up to the browser to read into the code of your website and produce the output, which is your website.

Since browsers vary from each other, there may be a chance that your website will be rendered a little differently on each one. Making your website compatible with all the major browsers will enable you to reach all the members of your target audience, no matter what browser they are using. 

Have you ever had the experience of trying to access a website, and it wouldn’t load? We have all been there. Most of the time, instead of trying to load the website on another browser, you will most likely close the website and never look back again. If you do not want to lose potential customers that way, it is vital that you have cross-browser compatibility on your website.

What Are the Main Browsers You Need Compatibility with?

Now that you are aware of the importance of getting browser compatibility right, you have to take note of the major browsers that most of your target market may be on. The top browsers in America are Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, with Microsoft Edge following closely in the fourth spot. If you have an Asian market, you will want to ensure that your website is also compatible with UC browser. 

Conclusion

After you have taken care of the cross-browser compatibility issue, you may be wondering if your website will be able to load for all your website visitors. The short answer is yes, your website will now be available on most major browsers! Ensuring that your website will have this capability will prevent missed opportunities because your website would not load.

If you need help developing your website and making it compatible across all major browsers, work with Hello Digital Marketing! We love creating digital solutions for all types of businesses,

whether we’re designing a website, building a brand, or delighting audiences. Work with the best Winnipeg web designers today!