When speaking of web development, anyone in the industry can tell you that one thing is for sure and that is things are constantly changing. Nothing ever stays the same because user expectations are always being refined due to our ever-changing world. This is even truer today with the internet allowing daily interaction of different cultures from opposite ends of the earth which was never before possible. It is important therefore constantly update content to keep it interesting and educational with current trends in the web industry. Content should be easily accessible from various devices and in real time. To succeed in this modern, “immediate results” driven society, web designers must keep up with the latest trends. Integrating current user demands is a vital component for success. Let’s take a look at some of the more important trends to keep up with concerning growth and progress of the World Wide Web.
Advanced Web Apps
The appearance and implementation of newer and more advanced web applications is a large factor in web development industry changes. Software and computer companies are constantly releasing newer and more advanced applications for using computers, web devices and cell phones. Today the race is on to develop more progressive web apps with the capabilities like super-fast load times, the ability to work offline, better reliability and the potential to receive notifications anytime. These increasingly popular progressive web apps are faster and simpler to use which is a big plus for both the website owner and visitor. Web design agencies must stay up to date with this ever-changing way of using today’s technology for surfing the internet.
Single-Page Websites
One-page websites are growing in popularity worldwide. These easy to use sites are changing everything in the industry. Navigating is made simple with the ability to see everything simply by scrolling. There is no need to search for menus or select the correct target for moving on to the next page to continue. Instead, you can select a link to move further down to the desired section of the same page rather than waiting for the time it takes to load another page. These sites are a big time saver for surfers which is what makes them more in demand than ever. The idea of one-page sites seems to be most popular with mobile devices like iPads, tablet devices and cell phones where scrolling seems to be the fastest and easiest function.
Photos
Photo content is another important part of designing a quality website. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words. The demand for photos for making an impression on users is nothing new. However, creating sites that portray high-quality photos on a single page is a newer method. It is important to have proper placement of photos where the intended message is conveyed without using too much space or creating an obstruction that could cause difficulty in navigating the site. Communicating the intended message related to the picture is the objective.
Chat-Bots
More and more the use of chat-bots is being implemented everywhere into website navigation. A chat-bot is basically a computer software program that is meant to take the place of a person delivering live customer service to website visitors. The positive aspect is that it allows them to always have someone, in this case, a computer program minding the store or site at all times 24/7, every day of the year. The idea is that having someone, anyone, there to answer questions or communicate with a visitor from customer service is better than having the user give up and leave. While this type of app still has room for growth it does already have some impressive functions that are successfully pleasing users. Currently, chat-bots are useful for directing users to the correct page or related site, answering common questions and even assisting with completing transactions. The growth and popularity of these chat-bots will likely increase as users become more accustomed to them.
Unfortunately today, some web agencies do not make industry standards a priority. Web designers should closely follow professional guidelines when working on projects. The rules by which web design agencies play for creating quality projects is crucial. After all, creating a delightful and influential user experience in this constantly changing industry should be the ultimate goal for any web designer.