It could easily be argued that website design is less and less important today than it was, say five years ago.
After all, the trend toward responsiveness so that viewers can see content across multiple platforms keeps designers from getting too radical—what works on a computer doesn’t on a phone, and vice versa.
But the confines of multiple platforms may make website design MORE important going forward. After all, how many sites to you view that look like they were basically designed by the same people? And if more and more websites are starting to look like yours, how do you stand out.
The answer is that web design is still very important, but it is more subtle than it used to be. And if you remember when the web was first getting started, there were limitations because of download speeds.
What goes around comes around. The site that was super-fast on a computer with a high-speed connection bogs down on a phone that’s skirting the edges of a cell tower’s effective range. And since mobile searches outpaced desktop searches back in 2015, it’s a new (old) world out there. Download times matter.
So web design is getting simpler, but designers are using more subtle techniques to make their sites stand out. Can’t use a big image? Pick a smaller one, but give it a single animated element. Put more depth into the design by using gradients. Bring back geometric shapes (easy to distinguish, even in small size) to call attention to different page elements. Instead of five pages, create one long page.
Your information becomes more accessible through a different approach to design.
But you don’t always have to be limited. If your target market is primarily urban, with good access to strong signals, full screen video can be a game changer. And back-end work becomes even more important, because searches are more succinct and you need a better SEO presence.
RTL Digital Media can help you look at all the factors that may affect your website design—audience, location, content, competitors—and give you the guidance you need to create a site that responds well to viewers. It also will get your message across effectively, so conversations can get starter with customers.
Speaking of conversations, wanna start one with us on how your website can be better? Just click here.
