For business owners, implementing the latest web design trends can present many opportunities and pitfalls.
For example, your company might be the first in your industry to use some unique web technology that can push you ahead of the competition. You might find out about it by keeping your eye on web design trends. Only then can you leverage this knowledge and be first to market.
However, most business owners have a limited budget and don’t want to spend money on technology just because it is a new web design trend. In doing so, you could spend more money than your company can afford and produce little tangible value. Like all business decisions, there needs to be a business case for your investment. How will it improve customer experience and your overall profitability? You will want to answer these questions before you spend too much time and money on a new web design trend.
Web Design trends don’t have to be new
You will see from our list below that many of the trends are not new. In fact, many of them have been around for a long time. Technology does not need to be something new to be a web design trend. A trend just needs to be a direction in which the Internet is developing.
Many people look at what is new and think of it as a web design trend that they should consider for their website. This approach may not produce the results you are expecting. Just because a trend is “new” does not mean its important or worth considering. Instead, you’ll want to pay attention most to what works. If something works for others, you are more likely to experience success with it in your business. While you read on, you will want to consider that some new web design trends won’t last. Therefore you should focus most on those trends that have been around for a while, have not changed and will probably be around for a long time.
Now, let’s review some of the most critical web design trends to be aware of for planning your website redesign.
Here are 12 web design trends you should consider when planning a website redesign.
1) Quick site speed and loading time
The longer people must wait for a web page to load, the more likely they are to leave the page and head to a competitor’s page. People abandon 40% of websites that take more than 3 seconds to load. Therefore, one of the improvements you will want to make is to increase the speed of your site to prevent users from heading to a competitor who might have a faster website.
Your goal should be to have a website that outperforms your competitors in terms of speed. That way, if your site also ranks well, you will receive excellent traffic overall. Likely, an increase in traffic will lead to positive business conversions. Test the speed of your current site today by using Google’s PageSpeed Insights testing tool.
If you updated your website within the past few years, it is likely up-to-par with web design trends and industry standards for website speed. If it has been a while since you updated your website, now is as good a time as any. You should focus efforts on upgrading it for speed and performance. If you do nothing, you will lose visitors, and your company will lose credibility. In general, you should want your website to be as fast as possible, as people will leave if it is not up to par with the competition.
2) Voice search compatibility and implementation of structured data
Voice Search is a growing web design trend
Optimizing your website for voice search has become one of the hottest web design trends. Voice searches have increased due to the popularity of home speakers like Alexa, Google, Cortana, and Siri. This fact has put the importance of structured data front and center for web developers. Structured data is content on sites that have been marked up with code that search engines can quickly scan and read. Therefore, voice search assistants, such as Alexa, can browse through structured data rapidly to provide answers to people who ask common questions. Unstructured data, including text and HTML, is less helpful since computers have difficulty identifying essential details.
While structured data is not all that new, if your website has not been designed or redesigned in the past couple of years, you are likely missing out. With the popularity of voice search machines, you want your business and its site results to be the top results for those systems to use.
Structured data and enhanced SERPs – popular web design trends for SEO
You will also notice that search engines are displaying enhanced search results (SERPs) on the top of your browser. This feature comes in various styles and forms, including featured snippets, knowledge cards, top stories, and knowledge graphs. If your website us well written and uses structured data, there is a higher likelihood that it will display in a search engine enhanced SERPs.
A website redesign should include structured data. It is not difficult to add to your site and can be very influential in the success of your website when it comes to enhanced SERPs. Note that structured data does not guarantee that your pages will rank high in search engine results. Quality content is still the most critical factor for search engine optimization (SEO).
3) Planning a secure website – a web design trend that has been around
While security has always been a concern with the web, recent developments have made it a web design trend that you can’t overlook. Over the last few years, Google has been focusing on making the web a more secure place. That is, since 2018, they have been marking all HTTP websites as not safe. The message warns visitors that HTTP websites make them vulnerable to malware and hacking. Google Chrome is now warning users when they are entering a site that is not secure. Google’s goal is to stop consumers from using websites that could lead to a leak of private information. If this happens to your website, it may be something that can be fixed easily by installing an SSL Certificate. This warning may also be a sign that you have been hacked and need a more substantial website redesign.
Updating security is crucial to making sure that people trust and rely on your website. Therefore, a web designer can help set up an SSL certificate to encrypt your data and add the needed security to your site. If you are not sure if your website is secure, there are free online tools that will test the security of your site. Google has a tool called Lighthouse, which is used by developers to improve web pages. This tool will let you know if your website is using HTTP or HTTPS.
Previously, only sites that had e-commerce capabilities were pushed to secure their websites to prevent financial information from being leaked to hackers. However, private information is all over the Internet, in many forms. Securing your site is a growing web design trend for all websites. If you don’t make your website secure, it could affect your ability to get traffic and keep your customers and business safe.
4) Easier usability and accessibility
Once you get people to your site, you want to be able to keep them there, as well! To do this, you will need to focus on planning a website that includes web design trends for usability and accessibility. Having a responsive website is one way you can achieve this goal. If a site is responsive, people trying to reach your site from any device can do so easily. If mobile users can contact your site but are unable to navigate it easily, then you are going to lose business and credibility. In 2019, you must make your website accessible to people on all devices. If it is not, you will want to redesign it as soon as possible, as mobile use accounts for 50.3% of all web traffic. Don’t miss out on double the potential customers!
Not only do you want your site to be responsive to different devices, but it should also work well in various browsers. Don’t be shocked to learn that your website is not working on newer browsers if you created your website a decade ago using Netscape. You will want to test it using Edge, Explorer, Safari, Chromium, Chrome, and other modern browsers. A website redesign of an older site will likely include restructuring the software for different browsers, which is essential today. There are many modern browsers in use, and your website should look good on all of them.
5) Planning a website that is stunning and aesthetically pleasing
Maybe the most exciting part of a website redesign is the visible changes, including redesigning the old graphics to give an updated and modern feel. People will not want to stay on your website if it looks boring and feels old. Part of any redesign should be to make the site look as clean and professional as possible.
Use modern programming techniques like HTML5 and JavaScript for animation
One example of updating that would be necessary is if your site is still using Adobe Flash. Ever since Apple blocked users from viewing Flash animation on millions of iPhones in 2008 due to security, its usage has gone downhill. Many other companies also followed suit. Developers and designers stopped using flash. If your site is using flash, you would need to find an alternative for animation like HTML5 or JavaScript that works across systems today. The aesthetic of your website is just as important as its functionality. Both are important to the success of your redesign.
6) Progressive web applications and modern online capabilities
Over the last decade, the Internet has developed rapidly, and often without restrictions. This growth has made many online features today that would not have been possible just a few years ago. For example, progressive web applications (PWA) are a growing web design trend. They are popping up around the Internet to engage people to subscribe to content.
PWAs are installable experiences, like an app, that functions entirely on the web. For example, YouTube uses PWAs and might send a notification in the corner of your screen when a creator you like posts a new video. These web apps are available in every browser and work very quickly on most devices. If you do not have a modern and responsive website, you will not be able to keep up with growing technologies, such as this one. Your business could utilize PWAs to get out information about your business and make your site a better experience for customers. Without a website redesign, it is another opportunity missed.
Google’s YouTube Video on Responsive Design and PWAs
Below is an in-depth video on responsive web design and progressive web applications, as well as how the two go together to create a better overall user experience. You should keep this in mind when deciding if a website redesign is the best choice for you.
7) Integration with marketing automation systems, SMS messaging services, email marketing platforms, CRMs, and social media websites
If you are planning a website, you don’t want to miss out on opportunities to integrate your site. Important integration points include social media, marketing automation, texting, email marketing, and customer relationship management systems.
Integration of your website with marketing automation systems
Marketing automation systems are a powerful web design trend that both small and large businesses can implement. These systems let you keep in touch with and track your website visitors from the first engagement through the entire sales funnel.
Third-party marketing automation tools like HubSpot, when integrated with your website, offer business owners the ability to see who repeatedly visits their site. The tool can also help you target a target audience and draw them in again to become a repeat customer. As a result, your redesigned website can leverage marketing automation tools to help you send the right message, to the right audience at the right time.
Integration of your website with a customer relationship management system (CRM)
Does your company have customer relationship management technology (CRM)? Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing your company’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. If this sounds like a service you may benefit from, you should consider website integration. It does not matter if you’re using Salesforce.com or Microsoft Dynamics, website integration can help your employees close more deals.
If your website sends customer inquiries by email, you already know that this method is unreliable and hard to track. Integration means customer information is transferred directly to your CRM. With automation, there are fewer mistakes, and your sales team will get the information quickly and can act immediately on the opportunity. Therefore, integrating your CRM with your website should be a top priority.
Integration of your website with email marketing platforms like Constant Contact or MailChimp
If you take advantage of email marketing to get your message out, you should take every opportunity to grow your marketing lists. Having tools that ask visitors on your website for permission to communicate with them is no longer an option for businesses, it is a must-have marketing tool! Email marketing platforms are critical for keeping your company email off blacklists and ensuring you are complying with privacy laws.
Integration with SMS messaging services. – Communicate with customers using text messaging from your website.
Combining the right message with your customers’ preferred medium will help with retention, conversion, and engagement. Jack hates to get an email but likes to get a text message from his favorite restaurant. Jane saves every email offer she gets and reviews them during lunch when planning a night out. You get the point. Texting is perfect for some customers but not for everyone.
Fortunately, major SMS service providers like Twilio and Nexmo have Application Programming Interface (API) capabilities that let you add SMS capabilities to your website. As a result, you can give customers the option to add their cell phone to your marketing list, and you can even send them text messages through your website. Therefore, integrating your website with texting services is affordable and can produce the ultimate experience for customers. You can get instant responses and create the ideal experience for your customers.
Integration of your website with social media
Finally, if you made your website in the late 2000s or early 2010s, it is very likely you failed to include integration with social media sites. At that point, Facebook and Twitter were just starting to grow. Social media is now an integral part of the internet user’s experience. Integrating your website with your social media platforms will make it possible for customers and prospects to interact with you in an entirely new way. Therefore, a redevelopment of the site can lead to an increased ability to connect with social media sites that will grow your business’s identity.
8) Consumers are demanding more control over their data.
Compliance with the latest US Privacy Act, HIPPA, and COPPA
The United States Privacy Act provides essential protection requiring businesses to gain permission and opt-out of opportunities for digital marketing. HIPPA regulations protect sensitive information about a patient’s health records, and COPPA regulates and protects children from online abuse. Your website and business are most likely already complying with these laws. The critical thing to note is that legislation is changing. You will want to try to protect your business from the legal risks and costs from compliance with future consumer protection laws. This planning can impact both your website and your approach to digital marketing.
GDPR and Future Legislation
While US privacy laws are not difficult to comply with, that is not the case in other countries. The European Union led the way in 2018 by regulating and protecting consumer privacy with the GDPR. Companies in the United States that do business with customers in the European Union have already complied with GDPR by tightening the way they handle customer data and privacy.
Today decision-makers and regulators in the US are in the process of strengthening privacy laws.
Many feel the EU’s GDPR is a useful model for privacy regulations in the United States. One way you can be proactive is to comply with the privacy laws in the European Union. Most of the tools are already in place, and it should not cost a lot of money to make it happen.
9) Greater accessibility for people with disabilities
As the Internet expands, our society needs to consider making it available to more and more people. Including those with disabilities. For many people who are deaf, blind, or have other limitations, finding accessible websites that cater to their needs can be very difficult. Furthermore, there is a growing aging population of seniors who are visually and hearing impaired. Making sure everyone who visits your website has the best possible experience should be a priority. Therefore, if you are a business with the funds and resources to redesign your website in an accessible manner, we see it as a worthwhile investment.
Accessibility can benefit SEO
Every business can benefit from reaching people who are disabled. Investing in an accessible website is an excellent opportunity to grow your company. Many website accessibility features are beneficial to Search Engine Optimization and easy to accomplish.
If you see accessibility as a critical component of your site, consider making it a part of your biannual website redesign. At a minimum, you will want to use Google’s Light House Accessibility Audit Tool for testing. It is free, and you can use it to educate your web marketing team.
Planning a website with Full WCAG compliance can require costly accessibility consulting
If you run a higher-level educational institution or government agency, you may be required by law to maintain a website that is fully compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Automated tools are great, but they can miss major accessibility issues with websites. To accomplish full compliance, you will want an accessibility testing company that can do proper manual testing. However, for some small companies, full compliance is still a venture that is out of range, monetarily.
10) Implementation of e-commerce systems for convenient transaction processing and market expansion
If your competitor’s website is accepting credit cards online, and you are not, it may be time to consider upgrading. Many use credit cards to pay for everything online, including clothes, movie tickets, and even food. There is also a growing group of people who are using cryptocurrency. E-commerce is an affordable option today; you don’t need to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to sell products and services from your website.
Integration of your website’s eCommerce platform with Amazon and eBay
Amazon and eBay are two of the biggest online marketplaces in the world. They have opened their platforms so small businesses can sell their products.
EBay.com and Amazon have had active Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for developers for many years. These APIs have allowed developers the ability to create online integration capabilities for both open source and custom e-commerce platforms.
Amazon and eBay can be affordable for small businesses.
Thanks to eBay and Amazon’s (APIs), web developers can connect to their platforms and synchronize orders and product offerings and inventory. As a result, millions of small companies can affordably integrate their website to reach millions of eBay and Amazon customers.
Therefore, you can have a shopping cart on your website that integrates your inventory and products with Amazon.com and Ebay.com. When a product sells on your website, it can be removed automatically from Amazon and eBay.
Amazon will even handle fulfillment for your business if you’re going to take a hands-off approach. There is a reason more than 300,000 US-based small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) sell through Amazon’s Marketplace service in 2017.
11) Better search engine optimization and overall traffic
Planning a website redesign can be an opportunity to reinvent the way you want your website to display in search engines. It is also a great time to plan the keywords in which you would like it optimized. If it has been years since you have done SEO, chances are, your company’s site does not rank well.
Algorithms change regularly and so should your website
Google and other search engines change their algorithms for ranking over time. Therefore, an optimized site five years ago is probably not optimized anymore. You will want to redesign your website so that you can leverage the latest SEO trends. This way, you can optimize your site for keywords that are going to bring in the most traffic.
More than people going to your site, you want people to stay on your site and utilize your services. Therefore, a website redesign can be crucial to optimization, as well as for creating a successful customer journey.
12) Creation of opportunities for multinational expansion
Finally, in planning a website you should also consider opportunities to enter new markets. We see multi-lingual web design as a good option for many businesses, big and small, looking to expand internationally. Translation and localization are imperative for increasing your company’s business to new countries. If you have an old website, it will be more challenging to carry out those processes in an efficient manner. Therefore, if you are planning a multilingual website, having a website redesign that appeals to all potential audiences is necessary.
Conclusion: Web design trends offer many opportunities for success in planning a website
We hope our 12 web design trends help you in planning a website redesign. With a website redesign, your site can bring in more traffic than your competitors and help you reach potential customers. Not only that, but your website will be clean, user-friendly, and easy for everyone to use!
In summary, the areas that you should be concerned with for planning a website are:
- Page Speed & Performance
- Voice Search & Structured Data
- Security
- Usability
- Aesthetics
- Progressive Web Applications
- Integration with Social Media and Marketing Automation Tools
- Consumer privacy
- Greater accessibility for people with disabilities
- Ecommerce
- SEO
- Multilingual
Our web designers are here to work with you and make sure your website fits the needs of your business. Furthermore, we will make it affordable, modern, easy to use, and update as you wish. We can work with most open source content management systems; this means you can manage your website in-house.
If you need help planning a website, we are here for you. We can also assist with implementing a new website and/or feature for your website don’t hesitate to contact us.
