It is without a doubt that businesses of all size must stay on top of the latest web design and technological changes that can have a major impact on internet marketing efforts. Whether you are a large textile manufacturer or a medium-sized commercial real estate brokerage; knowing the dynamic changes that are happening in the web design industry can make or break the success of your internet marketing campaigns. The image of your business is now completely driven by the perception of your customer base. Nowadays, such perceptions are largely based on an organization's ability to produce and maintain a high-quality web presence Whether its emerging layout trends, mobile site experience, or font usage; here is a comprehensive list of the top ten web trends your company should diligently follow.
1.Content
With the recent Penguin and Panda updates rolled out by Google, the world of content is starting to dominate how relevant sites are becoming in the eyes of major search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and Bing. Businesses and organizations across multiple industries are having to develop serious, creative and thoughtful content strategies that will be highly enticing to internet users. Creating relevant content such as blog posts, articles, case studies, YouTube videos, etc., is key the sustaining audience engagement. Because search engines want to become better and better at giving internet users the most relevant search results, your company's web content needs to generate great social media recognition. Aim to work with a reputable digital media agency to craft the best content for your site.
2.UX - User Experience
How well a user interacts and engages with a site is the ultimate determinate behind the success of a website. Design experts all agree that sites must begin to integrate basic user experience principles into multiple platforms. Whether it's on a tablet, phone, laptop or desktop; user experience must bring about efficiency, simplification and and ease of usage for internet users.
3.Responsive Sites
Websites coded in HTML5 are bringing about greater unification between mobile and desktop platforms. Say goodbye to the days when you had a separate site for mobile devices. Web designers and developers have embraced HTML5 as a popular markup language because it responds and adjusts itself to the device of the end-user. This is known as "fluid design", where sites can automatically adjust regardless if the user is on an iPhone, Galaxy tablet or a regular desktop.
4.Typography
Everyday, font databases are being filled left and right with awesome and very unique fonts. Front-end developers are beginning to embrace using a wide variety of fonts to capture the imaginations of users and draw them into creative web content. Businesses should not be afraid to add some creative spice to their site in order to increase user engagement.
5.Infographics
Studies have shown that information compressed into creative, attractive and high-quality infographics are 30 times more likely to be read than traditional text. Infographics are visual representations of usually complicated information or data. They generate tons of inbound links. Any experienced, professional digital media agency will have the knowledge to create infographics for your business or organization.
6.Website Footers
The long-forgotten website footer is starting to become a web designer's best friend. These once insignificant sections on a website are now being utilized to include relevant information such as: Facebook status updates, twitter streams, blog updates and other relevant content stemming from various social media platforms. Maximizing usage of layout space is key.
7.Website Branding
Nowadays, Web Designers are beginning to realize the importance of creating a harmonious blend between making attractive web design layouts and designing sites that are cohesive with a company's overall brand strategy. Companies and and organizations want their audiences to immediately recognize brands. Therefore, there is increasing emphasis to integrate color schemes, tag lines, logos, and other relevant elements on a website with a company's brand image.
8.Vertical Scrolling
Vertical scrolling makes navigation of websites far easier compared to horizontal scrolling. As more and more internet users begin to become more reliant on mobile devices, websites are beginning to create sites that enable vertical scrolling. Content placement with vertical scrolling is will increase user engagement because it makes navigation easy and convenient.
9.Non-traditional Navigation
With the increasing popularity of HTML5, many websites are discovering that with touch-screen devices traditional navigation can be thrown out the window. More and more sites are moving to non-traditional layouts that are in alignment with Windows 8. A good example of this is parallax scrolling, which gives websites the illusion that they have both a foreground and background. RIP Static navigation bars.
10.Retina Display
Tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices continue to provide more and more pixel resolution. The latest phones put out by Samsung now come with unparalleled resolution. Web designers now need to make sites that will look stunning on these devices that come with high resolution. Changes are occurring rapidly in the web development industry. New technologies are changing this landscape and in order for businesses and organizations to thrive, they must swiftly embrace these changes. Although the initial investment at first might seem daunting, especially, if you are working with a limited marketing budget; it is well worth the extra money to create a spectacular website that will look stunning in the eyes of your customer base. Ease of navigation, awesome images, engaging content and accessibility on mobile devices are the trends that are surely re-shaping how businesses and organizations design their sites. However, it is also important for businesses and organizations to keep in mind that embracing these emerging design trends is just one facet of developing a comprehensive and sustainable web marketing strategy. Staying on top of the latest search engine optimization, paid search, and social media trends will further enhance your web presence. Therefore, take the time to work with an experienced digital media agency that will produce a high quality product for your needs.
