More than five billion people use the internet daily and visit more than 1.5 billion websites, according to internet live statistics. As companies (and website owners) provide users with personalized experiences, improve the usability of their websites, and implement visitor-favored navigation, that number is predicted to rise.

The process of creating websites has changed and is still advancing quickly. It’s crucial for website owners to keep an eye out for emerging trends in the market. If you don’t follow the latest trends, your website’s functionality, user experience, and network may suffer. You run the risk of falling behind your competitors and losing visitors to websites with better network scalability and user experiences.

Making sure your website is regularly updated, current, and trendy is the best way to maintain competitiveness.

Here are best practices you should know about.

Progressing Web Apps (PWAs)

Progressing Web Apps (PWAs) are a great way to boost website loading times and have offline functions in multiple applications. Companies like Starbucks, Uber, Pinterest, and Twitter have already incorporated PWAs to enhance user experience. As more people are using smartphones and tablets for various online activities, it is essential to develop into PWAs as they provide better user experience, higher levels of engagement and conversion rates, as well as lower overall cost of development.

Motion UI

Motion UI is the ideal tool for developers to create fully responsive website designs that look good and give users the information they seek. Motion UI makes it easy to add motion to native apps without needing expert JavaScript knowledge while helping people find what they need with efficiency.

Privacy Center

Privacy Center is a must-have feature for websites in order to ensure customers feel secure while browsing. It is an organized page that compiles privacy policies, notices, terms of service, cookie policy, refund policies, data subject requests and more in one place so customers can find the information they need without searching multiple pages or reading through long paragraphs. This trend has become increasingly popular due to data privacy laws that call for companies to implement these organized Privacy Centers.

Dark Mode

Dark Mode was not widely used until recently but it has become standard practice for web developers these days due to its beneficial impact on users’ eyesight as well as increased battery life on mobile devices. It utilizes a darker background with light-colored text/UI elements which helps reduce strain when using devices in dim lighting and even those with light sensitivity or sight impairments will appreciate this feature.

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) emerged when Google and Twitter came together to allow faster loading mobile pages; compared to normal non-AMP pages which may take up 22 seconds to load, AMP pages can be done within two seconds! This optimization method improves bounce rates while fitting into any browser with no need for sitemaps or extra effort from developers.

AI Chatbots

AI chatbots are also becoming a staple in many web development systems as they offer an almost human-like experience by utilizing machine learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) which allows them to understand user intent and respond appropriately. With this technology being more cost-effective than customer support representatives for dealing simple queries/FAQs many businesses have already taken advantage of this AI tool’s potential benefits for their customers’ experience.

Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is another budding trend since the introduction of voice recognition tools such as Alexa or Siri back in 2012; by 2023 8 billion digital voice assistants are estimated to be used worldwide so tweaking websites accordingly is becoming essential for web developers if they want their sites ranking higher than others on any search engine result page (SERP).

 Push Notifications

Lastly push notifications draw user’s attention where companies employ this tool with clickable popups containing announcements or promotional material; it works across any device from laptops all the way down laptops thus improving click rates and conversion rates while providing an improved user experience overall. Major digital giants like Facebook or Google have been using this technology since some time now making use of its full potential benefits.

Takeaway

Web development has been around for a long time, but it keeps evolving and getting better as businesses work to shape how web experiences are delivered in the future. It is essential to stay on top of these trends if you want to provide your users with the best experience possible, improve your website’s search ranking, and achieve new heights.

The post Web Development Practices for Creating User-Friendly Websites appeared first on Creativ Digital.

Every part of your business’ digital marketing leads back to your website.

No matter where potential customers find your business—on social media or an online article, through a colleague’s recommendation, or simply browsing the Internet—they come to your website to check it out and validate it. Considering that it takes visitors 0.5 seconds to decide whether they like the look of your website (and want to do business with you) or click the back button, a good website presence can make a big difference to your sales and revenue. 

Additionally, 88% of people are less likely to return to a website following a negative experience. A website that meets visitors’ expectations in terms of appearance and function is critical to avoid losing sales. Most of businesses invest in web design to improve their brand and stay ahead of their competitors, so if your website looks and functions like it was created in 1990, it’s time to update it. 

Read on to find out how to improve your website in 2023 and beyond!

What is a website redesign?

Website redesign entails redeveloping your website from scratch – from the code to its appearance, user experience, and functionality. Just like you would renovate your office or store, a website redesign improves the look of your website, adds new features, and ultimately drives better business results.

During the redesign, you have the opportunity to transform the look of your website completely. You can also add new features that provide a better user experience and increase leads. You can also opt for a partial website redesign, where only the backend or frontend is modified (the backend is the code that supports the functionality of your website, and the frontend is the visual interface with which visitors interact). 

With the website redesign, you can achieve the following benefits:

• Enhanced site performance
• Increased sales and leads
• Improved SEO outcomes
• Keep up with the newest web design best practices and trends
• Enhanced user experience
• Improved brand identity
• Improved site security
• Better alignment with your company’s current needs and goals

How often should a website be redesigned?

You should assess whether you need to redesign your website every two to five years. This, however, will vary based on how your site looks as well as your industry, audience, and the constant advancements in technology and design.

Also, if your site isn’t performing as expected, consider updating it or giving it a complete overhaul. You can’t just use a calendar to figure out when your website needs a makeover. While a website from 2014 or even 2017 might need an overhaul today, it’s not a hard and fast rule. Dive deep into your analytics to identify traffic, rankings, or performance issues, then decide what to do next.

Why should you redesign your website? 

Before you redesign your website, find out why your present site isn’t working. 

We’ve put together some compelling reasons to help determine why you should consider a website redesign.

1. You don’t like the site’s appearance

Website design creates the first impression, so it’s no surprise that businesses want to maintain the visual appeal of their website. We are often asked to redesign a website when the visual aesthetic of the website feels outdated or no longer matches the brand of the organization.

2. You want to create a better user experience

A website that is difficult to navigate, slow to load, or overly complex can leave a bad impression on your visitors and cost you valuable leads. If your website is guilty of these poor UX practices, you should consider a website redesign that focuses on making the user experience more enjoyable.

3. Your website no longer accurately represents your brand

Your website must convey a strong brand image that truly represents your business and reflects the essence of your brand. A stronger brand image can elevate entrepreneurs and small businesses beyond their more established rivals, leveling the playing field.

4. Your intended audience has changed

You may be targeting a certain demographic or user group, and by launching a new product or service, you have changed your target group or marketing strategy. Each type of user targeted by your site may have specific needs. Hence, you may need to redesign your website to meet the expectations of  new user groups.

5. Your competitors have adapted to change

It is not wise to revise your website every time a competitor changes theirs. But it’s time to make improvements if these changes help improve your search engine rankings and ultimately move you higher in the search results. And if you think you can quickly achieve your goals on a competitor’s site instead of your own, it’s time to make a change.

6. Your site isn’t generating enough leads

Businesses usually start over when their current website needs to generate more leads or sales. This comes from the idea that you can get better results with a completely new website than fixing a broken one. Try to make the required improvements to move customers deeper into the sales funnel.

7. Your site isn’t mobile-responsive

In today’s multi-screen world, you need to ensure that your website can easily fit the screen sizes of any mobile device. Responsive design makes it easy for visitors to navigate your site across these unique devices, providing a great user experience. If your website is not optimized for mobile devices, you will likely lose valuable leads or customers.

8. You need a better site security

One of the biggest concerns of our time is cybersecurity, and small businesses and entrepreneurs are just as vulnerable to website hacks and viruses as large corporations. If your website was created a few years ago and hasn’t been updated since then, there is a higher risk of malware and hacking.

Creativ Digital can help with your website redesign 

Your website is the backbone of all your marketing efforts, and a redesigned website sets your business up for continued growth and success. Working with an expert web development & design agency is the most effective approach to ensure your new website meets the specific needs of your business while providing the exceptional user experience that your audience deserves. 

Creativ Digital’s highly experienced team can redesign websites to make them worthy of your effort and vision. Whether it’s bespoke website design, plugins, or digital marketing services, we’ve got you covered.

Call or email us today. We help you get the most out of your website.

The post Why Your Business Needs a Website Redesign in 2023 appeared first on Creativ Digital.

A well-designed website will allow its users to navigate efficiently, keep their users’ attention with appealing visuals, be speedy and responsive for a great experience.

Let’s quickly discuss the important role website design plays in your business.

The Role Of Web Design In A Digital Business

If you want to entice your target audience, make sure to invest in a powerful website design. You need it to attract potential customers and increase web marketing results.

To appeal to users, create a website with attractive graphics and content. In order to reduce 94% of user distrust, your site should have good design.

Web Design Mistakes To Avoid

It is important to plan out your website overhaul. If you make a mistake while doing it, then the results may be worse than before, and solving the problem will take even more time and expense.

To help you avoid mistakes in redesigning your site, I have come up with a list of major mistakes to avoid

Prioritizing Looks Over Functionality

Designing your site in a way that’s easy to navigate and has smart layouts is essential. Whether you want your site to appear as aesthetically pleasing or not is up to you; however, it is important that aesthetics and easy navigability intersect.

Your website’s functionality should be more important than anything else. It should have a good search feature and also be designed so that visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for.

Slow Page Loading Time

If your site is slow, you might lose visitors. Google reports that 53% of mobile website visitors leave a web page if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

This mistake can impact your search engine rankings and create a tech problem if your page takes a long time to load. When designing a new website, make sure to include your developer in the optimization process.

The next step is to assess what technology to use if you want higher outputs in the shortest amount of time. Choosing your target audiences and dividing tasks among individual teams will help you decide which technologies to use.

Not Assessing Which Technology To Use

In some cases, the best choice for web development is a specific technology. If speed is a priority, React.js may be your best option; Django, on the other hand, may be best suited to help programmers use Python to create a website. In general, developers have more options since the creation of web technologies.

No Clear Targets

One common mistake is not knowing what your site needs or what you can do with a design upgrade. To succeed, you need to go through a website analysis.

You will get a clear picture of what your website needs to look like in the redesign with the Assessment, and can identify which areas need more attention.

When you hire a website design agency, they should have a rough strategy in place for your site before coming up with the design. The designs are always based on the ideas or requests of the client.

You may want to find a website that you can use as reference for your own site. This will describe what you would like the web designer to create for you.

Poor Mobile Experience

This is a big issue in the world of website design. The way that the client views your site from their mobile device makes a big difference in the impression they have of the design. People are now constantly connected.

Out of every two people, one is more likely to use their mobile browser than their desktop browser. The other 60%, or 3 people, is usually on a computer. Mobile-friendly sites are important because 40% of people have already left the webpage, searching for the best experience elsewhere.

57% of users will not recommend a business if they have a poorly designed mobile website. To make an impression that lasts, make your website responsive.

With more than 50% of your site’s traffic coming from mobile, a business needs to have a mobile-friendly presence. 67% of consumers prefer to purchase items from a website that has easy to navigate features, and is user-friendly on all devices.

Not Having an Accurate Budget

Trying to upgrade your website for free is a big mistake. You always have to pay for something. When businesses contact a web design company years ago, they don’t expect to pay the same amount of money as they do now.

It’s important to establish a realistic budget, because website redesign is all about integrating different features on the site, like animations and social media integrations. Websites can also help convert leads into customer sales.

Not Analyzing Your Site

If you have just taken your site up, you cannot just follow the good design practices but also need to analyze site for data analytics and KPIs. This way, you will know all your issues, things which are working as expected and missing scope of work on the site.

It is crucial to measure the data related to your website so that you can identify what has changed since the redesign. This will also help you compare data from before the change occurred.

Not Giving Designers Enough Time

Setting a deadline on new website design work will help ensure the process is not completed for a long period of time. However, you should avoid setting unrealistic deadlines as this will make it impossible to provide quality work.

There are many things to consider when redesigning your website. Approaching custom design might not be the best option if you don’t have ample time, because it will take just as long as a website with predefined templates.

Not Providing Contact Information

The business owner should place a clear contact button in their header with their official phone number.

Add a ‘Contact Us’ link to increase your scope by reducing clicks needed to find contact information and make it easy for customers to reach you online.

Provide options for getting in touch with you, such as submissions, email and phone contact. Responding quickly when people get in contact with you will maintain a strong relationship with your clients.

Unclear Brand Messaging 

Did you know that users form an opinion within .05 seconds of website loading? If they find that they cannot decide whether to visit your website or not, they will click the back button and leave.

This is why it is important to add your products or services together with some confidence-creating elements like industry affiliates, awards and testimonials in clear view.

Wrap Up

These are some of the most important mistakes you have to avoid during a website redesign. Escaping them will help you accomplish what you have strategized for the redesign.

The post Mistakes to Avoid During Website Redesign appeared first on Creativ Digital.