The internet was born back in the 1960s as a resilient, fault-tolerant network of computers through the joint effort of the United States government and private companies. By the 1980s, funding poured in, which led to the development of complex technology networks and their mergers – ultimately creating a super entity we know today as the World Wide Web. The 1990s saw its commercialization and further expansion towards the 21st century. Ever since then, users have begun to multiply, reaching as much as 2.2 billion in 2011 – a third of the Earth’s population. The internet today incorporates a lot of day-to-day activities into its system, like socialization and shopping, most of which are accessed through websites, which are developed from codes and integrated with niche-specific design and content.
Websites are portals used by researchers to know more about a specific interest and participate in an activity or acquire a need. In other terms, they are mediums for marketing, interaction, purchases, and information dissemination. Websites are essential because, without them, there would be no virtual link between businesses and consumers; producers would not be able to showcase their wares and services to different demographics locally and abroad; and consumers would not be able to know whom they can turn to, to get their requests attended.
But, websites should be able to adhere to certain trends and requirements to be found by searchers. With more than 108 million counterparts in cyberspace today, each representative should be able to bring something unique and functional to the table, so that they would be noticed more than their competitor. But since codes for web pages are usually just the same, much of the artistic and operative freedom is reliant upon the web design of a site.
One has to note that consumer expectations change regularly. Hence, there is no right or wrong way to go – you only have to pay close attention to the timing. For 2023, here are some design styles that you should consider:
- Bigger Images and Streamlined Animation. Back in 2000 to 2008, it was discouraged for websites to use flash images and videos because it slowed down page uploads. Today, it is expected for vector logos and company videos to be found on websites for better branding and user interaction. With the availability of newer techniques, designers do not have to worry about the difficulty associated with creating both and incorporating them into the portal.
- Responsive Web Design. Today, people not only use laptops and desktops to check the internet. There are plenty of mobile devices that have WiFi access, such as phones and computer tablets. Websites should be able to conform to any research medium a customer may utilize. That way, they are not only able to address and attract audiences, anytime, anywhere, and through anything.
- Shorter Content. People currently spend less and less time going through certain aspects of the website. So, a company’s purpose and offerings should be easily identified through the initial display presented. Otherwise, audiences may not feel compelled to scroll down or click for more information.