September 07, 2022
As in many fields, the world of web design has evolved rapidly during the last decade or so, with the period from 2011 onwards seeing significant development for the creative website designers at the helm of the industry and the brands they serve. Read on to discover the journey of website design from 2011 right up to the present day…
The web design world went a little quiet after the launch of responsive design elements in 2010. For the following few years, experts worked on perfecting the many aspects that had been launched in recent years, experimenting with layouts and content to open up new opportunities for online businesses.
It wasn’t until 2014 that the next big development became apparent, but my, what a development it was! With businesses searching for more ways to interact with new and existing customers, and online advertising and pop-up windows getting an increasingly bad reputation, there was a gap in the market and inbound marketing was ready to fill it.
Now companies operating online could use inbound marketing tactics to help potential customers find them with even better success.
From 2015, business owners began to see their websites as work in progress. The most successful online businesses faced the fact that their websites were never finished, using the latest trends in design and search to make the continuous improvements they needed to better reach their customers.
Team this with Google’s clampdown on black hat link building, and websites were being rewarded for their organic, growth-driven designs.
The rising popularity of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube saw online businesses and the content their websites offered in increased demand.
Businesses began to focus on social selling to achieve better return on investment from their websites and wider online activity. This use of social media marketing and its influence on web design grew and grew until the progression into omni channel marketing in 2019. Now, websites had to embody the mission of the company they represented with colours, themes and site-wide branding that was cohesive and clear. This changed the face of many websites as well as the user experience they offered.
It was at this point when page elements like meta descriptions and title tags began to take precedence.
Access to better looking, better functioning websites got easier for online businesses, with the start of a new decade seeing the launch of website builders where companies could take web design and development matters into their own hands.
Whilst seen as a positive for the industry at first glance, the limitations these builders presented saw more and more brands looking for custom builds with tailor made designs and features. One size after all certainly doesn’t fit all! The importance of customised websites and the capabilities they unlock has never been so important today.
Want a website that brings your brand and its online success bang up to date? Contact us today to discuss your ambitions.