Preparing Your Website for 2018: Top Trends to Watch

It’s hard to believe that fall is already upon us, isn’t it? For many, it’s equally difficult to accept that now is the time for you to start preparing your company’s website to capitalize on the trends that will be even more apparent in 2018. While that might be hard to accept, it doesn’t change the fact that now is the time for you to start prepping your website.

Even if you’re eager to start readying your website for the new year that will be here soon enough, you should temper your enthusiasm and do some research first. You only want to make changes that will engage your audience better and lead to more conversions, after all. And you can only do that if you’re familiar with the current top trends in web design.

Luckily, we’ve done some research for you which can help you get your website ready for the arrival of 2018 and the months that follow. Here are the top web design trends you need to be aware of as you prepare your website for next year:

Making the Most of Micro-Moments

According to Think with Google, micro-moments are critical, evaluative instances in which consumers expect retailers to address their needs by providing trustworthy information no matter where they are or what time it is. It’s these moments that often cause many shoppers to reach for their mobile phones.

To make the most of micro-moments in 2018 and beyond, it’s vital for your website to provide the appropriate information for consumers whenever they want it. Ideally, your website should give consumers access to the exact information they want with just one click in order to build trust and establish lasting relationships.

If you doubt the significance of micro-moments, consider the following:

• 96 percent of people use their smartphones to conduct online searches
• Online searches have become the most frequently used resource for individuals looking for information and search is the first option for 87 percent of people

Visualization Takes on Heightened Importance

More and more, people are turning to online videos for information, tutorials and entertainment. To avoid making it seem like your website is dated, it’s critical for you to incorporate video into your web design and to add new videos on a regular basis. It’s just as important for you to make your videos sharable by having buttons for multiple social media platforms easily accessible

If you’re skeptical of the influence or popularity of videos, think about this – back in 2014, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, forecasted that most of Facebook’s content would consist of videos within five years. Since Zuckerberg made his bold prediction, the number of videos uploaded to Facebook has increased dramatically.

By the end of 2015 alone, the volume of video posts on Facebook had increased by 75 percent per person worldwide. In the United States, the amount of video posts on the social media platform increased by 94 percent per person. Compared to photos, videos have a 135 percent greater organic reach.

While those numbers should be enough to demonstrate the importance of videos, statistics regarding online video platforms like YouTube underscore the importance of video even more. Nearly 5,000,000,000 videos are viewed on YouTube daily. YouTube attracts more than 30 million visitors every day. In a typical month, 80 percent of people aged 18-49 years-old visit YouTube.

Approximately 60 percent of people like watching videos online more than they enjoy watching TV. By 2025, 50 percent of viewers under the age of 32 will no longer subscribe to a paid television service.

Native Ads Are on the Rise

Unlike ads that pop up when you visit a website, native ads hide in plain sight. The use of native ads is on the rise because they provide a way to promote a brand’s goods or services without interrupting a person’s visit with an irrelevant, intrusive ad that literally pops up in front of a visitor’s face.

To use native ads on your website effectively, it’s necessary for them to blend in seamlessly. In general, the calls to action that are included in native ads generate higher engagement rates, especially among people using mobile devices.

Personalized Content Is a Must

To prepare your website for 2018, it’s vital for you to incorporate highly personalized content into your web design. To do this successfully, you’ll have to move away from static content and toward content that’s significantly more dynamic using intelligent, automated marketing techniques.

When you think about it, someone who has never purchased something from your company before will have different needs compared to a person who has bought something from your business in the past. For new visitors, your website can display a standard message that introduces them to your product line or services accompanied by some engaging content. For your existing clients, a personalized message reminding them that their supply of X,Y or Z is probably running low may be enough to convince them to buy from you again.

With personalization built into your web design, you’ll be able to create valuable micro-moments and cash in on them by providing the exact information consumers with a wide array of needs are looking for, exactly when they want it.

Investing in Content

While you don’t have to have a huge digital marketing budget to get your website prepared for 2018, you should invest in your content. Consider hiring a writer, and possibly a professional photographer, to create content that will grab the attention of visitors.

The goal should be to hire a writer who has the ability to create gripping stories that will keep your visitors coming back for more. A professional photographer should be able to bring these stories to life through compelling videos your visitors will want to share. Put simply, your written and visual content needs to be personalized and relevant to viewers while presenting your brand and your products or services intelligently.

If you’re ready to get your website prepared for 2018, contact GoingClear. We’re a full-service digital marketing company that’s been helping businesses make the most of their websites since 2001. Our process is transparent, efficient and proven. Contact GoingClear to learn more about our web design and digital marketing services today.