OK … no surprises there. But it is always nice to sneak peek into possible (and most of the time quite predictable!) future trends, to see on which past developments they build upon and to get back in touch with some basics.
Internet users are on the Go!
And their numbers are not just increasing. They are sky rocketing! By the year 2020, an estimated 6.1 billion smartphone users will be surfing through the WWW on their mobile devices. To make this number a little bit more visible: In just three years we will have more people using a smartphone or a tablet, than the amount of actual basic fixed phone connections worldwide! And there is more. If you take a look at the “Ericsson Mobility Report”, you will stumble across an even bigger number: they estimate a total of around 9.2 billion “total mobile” subscriptions by 2020, as they also take the IoT, the M2M and other factors into consideration. In consequence, the web design trends for 2017 all focus on “mobile first!”. As a company with a website, there is basically no way around upgrading it with responsive web design. Especially if the company depends on its website to generate money directly via the internet.
RWD – “Be water, my friend!”
Bruce Lee was one of the most famous and fierce Kung Fu masters ever! During an interview in the 1970s, he described his way of fighting like being water. “If you pour water in a tea cup, it becomes the tea cup. Pour it in the kettle, it becomes the kettle.” Well – little did Bruce know, that he described RWD to the point! A website with RWD adjusts to the end device a person uses to get access to the page. Obviously, each end device has special requirements in terms of screen size and navigation. Looking at a website without RWD on your smartphone is like trying to fill a solid brick into a tea cup.
To call responsive web design a future trend is silly – it has become a design fundament which is essential for any website in the net. RWD also greatly influences the ranking of a website on search engines: Since over a year, Google ranks the mobile-optimised sites much higher compared to websites without responsive web design. A very cool and professional example for a modern and well build website is one, which is also fun to look at … if you’re a heterosexual guy. These beautiful companions single men can book via this VIP escort service depend on the website to make money. If internet based companies like this do not adapt to the rapid changes and demands, they’re faster out of business than the speed of Bruce Lee’s famous “three-inch punch”.
Content is king …
… and he will keep on ruling for quite some time to come! The fact that search engines like Google & Co. now focus more than ever on unique and valuable text content, is fantastic; and should be put into consideration when designing a new website! SEO in 2017 is still of great importance, as an estimated 93 % of all internet journeys begin with typing in a search request. But instead of torturing the reader with key-word overdosed articles, well written informative content is reappearing all over the WWW.
Create an unforgettable user experience on your website
UX is to what modern web design boils down to. To start off with: Forget “mobile friendly” and focus only on “mobile first”! Responsive web design will play an even more pivotal role in the near future. Trends show that a modern website not only adapts to the device of the user, but also to the age of the user! Everything will be individually optimised starting from the colours, the choice and size of the used font and so on. This development is due to the fact, that the older generations are starting to appreciate the mobile approach to using the internet. Another very cool development is the rise of custom designed websites. UX and UI are hands down the most significant aspects of modern web design and will make our surf experience in the future even more enjoyable!