It’s May, which means, believe it or not, we’re already a third of the way through 2022. The world of website development is far from stagnant, and several key trends have already begun to emerge that are changing the way we build, develop, and market websites.
The online world is certainly crowded, and standing out from your competitors is difficult at the best of times. Here at Newpath Web, a leading provider of web development in Melbourne, our many years of experience have taught us that remaining ahead of the curve is best achieved by offering our customers tailored digital solutions that take advantage of emerging trends and technologies.
So, without further ado, here are just a handful of trends our web development services team has already identified as having a huge impact on 2022.
Single page application
The most successful websites consider every aspect of the user experience. You could be providing customers with the most important information in the world, but unless your website loads swiftly, is legible, and is easy to navigate, you’re unlikely to capture their attention for too long.
Single-page applications are designed to facilitate a positive user experience. Without getting too technical, a single page application is an application that dynamically rewrites your current web page with updated data from a server instead of loading an entirely new page. The only difference your customers will note is that your website loads quickly and is very responsive.
Single-web applications are not exactly new — Gmail, Google Maps, AirBnB and many more of the world’s biggest websites already make use of them. However, the technology is certainly becoming more accessible and popular in 2022.
AI chatbots
AI doesn’t have to be scary. Sure, plenty of films have painted it as technology that will lead to a robot overthrow. Many people have also raised legitimate concerns about the intersection of AI and privacy and what companies are doing with all the data they collect to train these machines.
However, there are countless practical applications of AI technology that will make our lives easier, cheaper, and safer. An example of this is the AI chatbot. While current e-commerce websites might have a real customer service representative monitoring their live chat, an increasing number are choosing to leave this communication channel to the able hands of an AI robot. Chatbots can create a better experience for customers (imagine having live chat available 24/7) and their ability to learn over time means that investing in this technology is setting you up for future success.
Motion UI
Motion UI is about using motion to help guide the user experience, rather than simply being a design element that looks pretty. Animations and transitions can help visitors understand your website and how to arrive at their final destination.
Motion UI is both a design trend and an actual Sass (software as a service) library that provides developers with the tools to create an interactive and responsive environment.
In 2022, motion is definitely a tool you need in your arsenal to attract customers and keep them around.
Voice search
If you’ve been using Siri or Amazon Alexa, you understand the power of voice search. These technologies have been rapidly growing in popularity over the last few years and point to the direction that all web developers should be looking.
In 2022, if you’re building a new website, consider optimising it for voice search. For a web development services team, this process is not too dissimilar to regular SEO — ensure your website provides a positive overall user experience, includes targeted keywords, and features content relevant to your customers.
Dark mode
It’s a little scary to consider how much time we spend staring at screens. Digital eye strain is a very real problem and can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing over a long period of time.
Dark mode mitigates some of these problems by reducing eye strain, cutting down on blue light exposure, and helping your eyes prepare for sleep. You can either choose to offer a dark mode option on your site — much like the way Google and Facebook approach the problem — or simply develop one version that meets dark mode principles.
Cybersecurity
It should come as no surprise that cybersecurity continues to be a significant concern for web developers in 2022. Fortunately, we’ve never been better prepared to protect important user data from those with less than good intentions.
From the simple act of using a SSL certificate to ensuring all your plugins are sourced from legitimate sites, prioritising cybersecurity is an easy and ongoing choice.
Having worked with clients across a wide array of industries, we understand what it takes to build a website that’s innovative and engaging. For more information about our digital services, the process of web development in Melbourne, and how we plan to stay on top of digital trends, contact the friendly team at Newpath Web today.
