The one constant when it comes to running an online business is that you’ll always have to deal with change. As 2017 rolls around, many things could impact small business websites. Here are some trends in website development and design updates that companies should watch for 2017.
Page Speed
Page speed is getting more significant every year. Page speed is described as the time it takes to fully load a page or the time it takes the browser to fetch the first bite. It does not matter how you think about; a faster page load is will both rank and convert better.
Responsive Web Design
As mobile usage continues to grow, it’s important to realize that we live in a multi-device world. Google has already released a major update that penalized sites that are not mobile-friendly. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly site, you’re going to go missing in the mobile search results.
Design for Multiple Audiences
Having a responsive website is just not enough as far as 2017 is concerned. What’s becoming more popular is targeting your responsive design according to age. Website owners can tap into shared cookie data to determine the age of the visitor who’s landed on their page. Younger users might prefer video, while older users will more likely prefer text.
Consolidating
A web design trend that has been percolating is the consolidation of web design services according to market segments. The bottom end of the web design market is being soaked up by the likes of Wix and Squarespace. Many companies at the top end of the market are moving their design teams in house. This allows them to train their web designers and developers just as if they were their employee.
Small Business
For those in the middle of the high and low-end scale will still mainly contract out to freelancers or depending on the budget, an agency. Is important to recognize that having an online presence is important for multiple reasons like competition, convenience, credibility, relationships and the ability to advertise online as well. If you are ready to build or update your website, contact us today!
