As online transactions gain preference and meet the needs for social and secure distancing for activities including learning, shopping, and even exercising, your website has become synonymous with your business. Customers assess the quality of your business from your website. For this reason, it is vital to develop websites that are in sync with the current landscape. This can help businesses establish an effective identity online, and one that sets them apart from competition.
2020 witnessed a huge shift towards online and digital interactions, some of which are expected to continue in the year to come. A report by McKinsey says that shifting consumer behaviors brought on by COVID-19 reflect the acceleration of anticipated trends, emergence of new preferences, and complete reversal of some routines. The report also identified ‘fast accelerators’ or high-performing replacements for traditional in-person experiences that will likely persist in the next normal. These include offerings such as telemedicine that have grown 91% since the pandemic hit, with 48% of consumers expressing the intent to embrace them long-term. Here are ten web development trends to watch for:
1. Going mobile: Online transactions over mobile devices caught on during the social distancing enforced during 2020. It has become a preferred way to carry out business transactions. An online report by ZDNet says consumers spent 1.6 trillion hours on mobile devices in the first half of 2020, while 4.3 hours per day were spent on mobile devices by the average user in April.
2. Single page websites: Single page websites allow for faster page loading and easier navigation. These attributes are helpful when browsing or — more importantly — transacting, on mobile devices. With smaller screens, single page websites can contribute to decreasing the bounce rate, or the measure of people who abandon the site after viewing a single page. Single page websites can also be less expensive and better designed for the businesses opting for them.
3. Voice search to take precedence: Voice recognition technology is currently used for internet searches by customers of companies like Google and Amazon. The introduction of sharper voice technology, utilizing smart speakers and voice assistants, will become more prevalent. Websites with voice-enabled functionality are expected to take precedence in 2021.
4. Cybersecurity in focus: A Business Wire report says that the application security market is expected to grow by $13.1 billion, processing at a CAGR of nearly 26 percent during the forecast period. Threats could come in the form of data leakages, data breaches, and vulnerabilities in open source software.
5. UI to boost visitor engagement: Technology such as motion UI can be implemented to enable visitors to interact with websites. Motion UI allows the user interface to guide navigation through animations, thus creating a positive, enjoyable, and effective experience.
6. Progressive web applications (PWA): PWA helps websites load fast and also work offline. The in-app experience created for the user is a positive one, including on mobile devices. For developers and businesses, PWA circumvents the need to create different native applications for different devices.
7. No Code and Low Code Development Platform (LCDP): This is a trend that will benefit developers and businesses. LCDPs can enable speedier delivery of business applications. Their mobile accessibility is also a driving force as online transactions move to handheld devices. No code platforms, which require no coding, are similar to LCDPs, but they may lack the flexibility provided by LCDPs in UI, though they may enable developers to modify or add functionalities in an app more easily as compared to traditional methods of web app development.
Taking the leap
Businesses that already possess some digital or technical capabilities are better able to adapt to contactless transactions and remote working requirements. With a dynamic and continuously-evolving technical landscape, businesses must find that unique attribute that sets them apart from competition and endears them to customers. One way to do this is through partnering with professionals who provide expertise in web development, customized application development, and an understanding of the needs of small businesses and startups.
At Analytix, we have helped small businesses and startups launch effective web designs to match the business. Our solutions have helped businesses acquire a digital presence that accurately reflects the business. Click here to learn more about how we helped one of our clients revamp their web presence to create a high-impact, high-energy, responsive website that improved the user experience.
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