Bold And Brutal Is The Future Of Web Design
As far as Website design goes, 2017 has ripped up the rule book and thrown it out of the window. With increasing competition and decreasing attention spans, it’s harder than ever to get your business noticed Online, which has led to the growing demise of Templated Design.
Every man and his dog has a Website these days, so to prevent getting lost in the masses, Designers and Developers are mixing things up. Until recently Web Design was dominated by closed, symmetrical and static content, but the Websites of 2017 were seeking new and exciting ways to attract audiences. These methods included the use of unconventional layouts, bold colors, videos, animations and the type of long scrolling screens usually found on Social Media.
You’ll definitely see these same eye-grabbing elements continue into 2018, as Businesses try harder and harder to stand out from the crowd and get noticed Online. If you feel as though your Website might be lacking in some excitement, then consider adding some of the aforementioned Design Components. This will give your Website an added boost of interest and help you get ahead of your competitors.
The Customer Is Key To Website Design
We all know how important a good Google ranking is in achieving the number of customers, leads and sales that you’ll get from your Online activity. One thing that became apparent in 2017 was the increased importance Search Engines place on customer interaction.
By using data and analysis of audience behavior, Web Developers are now hatching more effective ways to engage with customers, as a means to maximize their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) capabilities. While good Web Development used to predominantly focus on simply creating an aesthetically appealing Website, 2017 has moved beyond this, and is now focused on the realms of audience behavior and psychology.
Customer-focused design is led by knowledge and research into what appeals to the target audience and their Online behavior. By applying this information to your own Website, monitoring audience activity and adapting content to move with audience trends, you’ll be better able to engage with customers and keep them coming back for more.
Simplicity Is Key For Content
This year has shown us that customers don’t read Online, or they certainly don’t read very much. It’s often far more effective to use a few well-placed words rather than large bodies of text, which can simply serve to intimidate or bore your Online readers.
Simplicity is key. Time poor customers want to find what they are looking for quickly, and this is a piece of wisdom you should definitely carry with you into 2018. Customers should have a clear path to find what they are after, if the process is too complicated or requires too much time, they’ll simply look elsewhere.
Keeping Your Website Ahead Of The Tech
As more and more weird and wonderful Mobile Devices hit the market, 2017 has become the year of Responsive Design. And with the number of new devices sure to only continue growing, Responsive Design is a trend that you need to jump on board with. And fast.
Responsive Design allows your Site to be viewed effectively on any device, from tiny smartphones to massive 4k displays and everything else that’s in the mix for 2018. Responsive Design ensures your Website is reachable by everyone and offers all users a seamless experience, regardless of their preferred device. As Online customers become increasingly demanding for a quality user experience, it is essential that Websites function across all platforms.
Using Moving Images To Boost Website Interaction
The data shows that however much we hate to admit it - we simply don’t like to read anymore. We much prefer to watch and listen.
2017 has seen the evolution of moving images and animations on Websites. In the past, motion would often be used to provide instruction or information, such as in a demo video for a specific product. However, now video and moving graphics are now being used as a way of attracting customer attention to certain areas of a Site and to encourage them to carry out specific actions. Creating moving images and animations isn’t necessarily cheap, but it can really engage your customers, increase interaction and help tell your story.
How You Can Embrace These Website Trends In 2018
If 2017 were to have a mantra, it would be: “Dare to be Different,” and this is definitely a shard of wisdom that you should take with you into 2018. Think outside of the box when it comes to themes, colors and text, as this will separate your Site from the competition and make you the number one choice for many Online browsers.
On top of this, simplify your site. Cut down on the text and give your audience an easy way to get what they want. Text should be engaging and straight forward, while still capturing the tone and character of your Small Business.
Make sure your Website uses Responsive Design to reach as much of your audience as possible. You don’t want to be missing out on all those potential customers just because your site doesn’t work on their device.
Look at the data. Make sure that you have a way to effectively collect, assess and analyze the data from your Website. Study it and understand it, as this is the best insight you can have into how your audience is using your Site. Once you’ve deduced their Online behavior, you’ll be able to apply these learnings to your Website for maximum success! Onwards and upwards into 2018!
