How we interact with the internet changes and evolves from year to year as technology grows. Just think about how much more frequently we use apps or voice searches in 2020 than we did a decade ago.
Your website needs to change and adapt as our expectations for the internet change. Otherwise, your website starts to feel outdated or it can drive users away. To have a website that converts visitors into customers, your site has to stay current to the trends and practices.
Why? These practices are working. There’s a reason why we’ve let go of outdated development practices like flash intros, automated video and audio, and static design: Consumers don’t respond well to it.
So instead, here are some of the ways you can bring your website into 2020; the best practices for web development that will keep your page current
1. Focusing on Acceleration in Page Loading Speeds
According to a Google report, 53% of mobile sites are abandoned if the pages take longer than 3 seconds to load. Especially on our phones, loading speeds matter to us as consumers. Because of this, Google has started accelerated mobile pages, which can load instantly, so there’s no wait time and there’s less chance of page abandonment.
While accelerated mobile pages (AMP) aren’t an entirely new idea, what is new is the shortened length of time your visitors will wait for your mobile page to load, and as a result AMPs are starting to really take off.
2. Including Progressive Web Apps
What’s a progressive web app (PWA)? PWAs are mobile pages that are designed to look and act like an app. They are relatively easy to develop and much less expensive than an actual app, but consumers respond well to them. Why? Because we spend 85% of our time on our smartphones using apps.
You can check out examples of PWAs here. They boost conversions, engagement, and time spent on the site, with less data usage than a traditional mobile site.
3. Implementing Chatbots for Customer Support
In 2020, immediacy is everything. This is why more and more users are relying on chatbots for support-- in fact, 57% of users rely on chatbots because they can get an answer right away. These aren’t the clunky, robotic chatbots of 5 or 10 years ago. Chatbots today are capable of providing even the most complex-level answer.
85% of customer interactions will be with a chatbot in 2020. They free up your team for more pressing tasks, and provide your customers with a fast, reliable answer any time, day or night.
4. Considering Adding Motion User Interface (UI)
We have so much information available at our fingertips now. In an ever-expanding web-based world, developers have started adding motion UI to their pages to keep visitors engaged, and keep them scrolling.
Just what does motion UI look like? For some pages, as you scroll, the page changes and adapts --frequently with animation-- to keep the user reading. Here are a few great examples of motion UI in action.
5. Implementing Responsive Design
If you haven’t already, you should create your website with the idea of responsive design in mind. Responsive design is a step ahead of mobile design. A responsive site changes and adapts based on the screen size, whether that screen is a laptop or desktop computer, a tablet, or a tiny phone screen. More than 60% of users refuse to return to a site if it is not responsive to the device they are using.
Having a responsive site also means not having to manage both a desktop site and a mobile site; instead, it’s all just one comprehensive site. These sites react with the user in mind and boost usability no matter what kind of device your visitor is using. It makes your life easier from a development standpoint and increases ease of use for the consumer.
6. Adding Voice Search Optimization
From 2008 to 2016, voice search queries multiplied by 35 times. With Siri and other smart assistants like Cortana and Alexa, voice search is a trend that isn’t going away anytime soon.
20% of mobile searches are voice searches. Why not add speech recognition, or optimize your site for voice searches if you haven’t done so already?
Do you need some assistance bringing your website into the 20s? At Webbege, we provide exceptional web development services, personalized to drive the goals you have for your website, whether that’s views, subscribers, followers, or a specific type of conversion.
Our web development services can help you turn your website into a whole brand experience, so that your website isn’t just functional, it’s an extension of your brand persona. Can we help you take your website to the next level? Contact us today!
