Imagefix Predicts 5 Web Design Trends for 2019
It’s that time of year when the design team at Imagefix start to lay bets on what the website trends will be this year. They’ve been pretty accurate for the last few years, or so they tell us. We thought we’d raise the stakes a bit this year by putting their top 5 predictions in writing. That way we can check the accuracy as the months roll by.
So here are our 5 prediction for design trends in 2019…
1. Sites That Answer Key Questions Your Visitors Are Asking
This year Google is rewarding sites that are all about the visitor. What does that mean for website design? Well, it’s all about knowing:
- Who your visitors are
- What their concerns or questions are
- What they want from you
- How they want to buy, or access it
- How you can help them
So website design in 2019 will be all about facilitating your visitors’ journey, and the more you show you care about their experience, the higher you’ll rank.
2. Content That’s Worth Reading
This year sites will start to compete for providing quality content for their visitors. What’s meant by ‘quality’ depends upon the site itself, and could include:
- Client reviews and case studies
- Expert information that is unique to the site
- Helpful advice that is tailor-made for visitors
- Useful tips and ideas as takeaways
- Links to authoritative sites and resources
In 2019 web content will evolve from ‘telling’ to ‘sharing’, ‘helping’ or ‘engaging’. It will also appear in visitor-friendly formats such as videos, animations, pdfs and webinars.
3. Speed is of the Essence
53% of visitors abandon mobile sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load. Recent research at the BBC supports this claim:
All of which is an excellent reason to ensure that web design is both responsive and fast to load in 2019. Speed is all about understanding how to manage the features integrated into your site to avoid ‘bloating’ which is what slows the loading process down. Look out for ultra speedy loading as the year progresses – it’s fast becoming a critical differentiator for brand trustworthiness.
4. Look Out For Featured Snippets
Google Search is 20 years old now, and over the past two decades our search habits have evolved. We now search for information that responds in an increasingly bespoke way to our needs. Here’s a few typical search queries:
- “Emergency plumber near me”
- “What kind of tiles are best for underfloor heating?
- “Is microblading safe?”
In 2019 sites will be expected to respond quickly and efficiently to these kinds of queries, rather than just selling a product. Google is now featuring ‘snippets’ that exemplify this approach, such as: answer boxes, graphs, lists, ‘how to’ lists, and simple animations.
5. Visitors Care About Data Privacy
2018 saw two huge events that fundamentally changed website design:
- GDPR – in May 2018 the GDPR came into effect, giving consumers new rights in relation to how their data is collected, who has access to it, and whether it is sold on to third parties.
- Cambridge Analytica – in early 2018 it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica had harvested the data of millions of FB users, without their permission, and used it for political purposes.
These two factors have raised the awareness of consumers when it comes to online trust, and they’re likely to vote with their feet of a brand proves unworthy. Users are now able to request detailed records of the data a business holds on them, and failure to comply can lead to a hefty fine.
Imagefix Designs Websites to Rank Highly
If there’s a phrase that sums up where website design is going in 2019, it’s “bespoke visitor engagement”. This is an exciting development for us as our team has always placed the visitors at the heart of the web design experience. It looks like our designers, copywriters and SEO experts will be working ever more closely with visitors’ needs, questions and requirements.
Looking for a new website for 2019? Our clients trust us to design websites that not only look good but also achieve prime position on Google. Call us on 01234 924859 or 01525 715608 to talk to an expert.
