What is the Future of Website Design: How Will Web Design Change?
Where do you think you shall be five years from now? Actually, how about ten years?
One can only make an estimated guess about their lives (which more often than not turns out to wrong). On the other hand, web design is defined through the upcoming trends and changes in the digital environment. While there is nothing written in stone, a close study of the market and it’s influencing factors can lend an actionable insight into what tomorrow can bring to the table.
As MintTwist, we have carefully run through the deep spaces of the internet to bring you quality content in the form of a time machine. Here are some evolutionary changes one can expect web design to entail.
We’ll see you on the other side!
Integration of AI and Chatbots
AI might be the most controversial topic of our generation. The potential scares that it holds for a few can seem to outweigh the little benefits we derive from it for now. Nevertheless, until machines take over the world, AI is going to play a prominent role in dictating the web designs for tomorrow.
The most common implementation can be found in the form of chatbots. A whole plethora of businesses already employs the feature to keep their customers engaged on a 24×7 basis. They answer the FAQs, register complaints and essentially make space for the customer service resources. 47% of companies are expected to introduce chatbots in their network by the end of 2021.
As technology advances, chatbots and AI may look like automated personal shoppers for e-commerce users, thus overhauling a new era in web design. A coupled stream of human intervention and AI assistance is set to become the new norm.
Immersive 3D Visuals
Although VR is making its moves in the most aggressive of manners, its complete adoption is still way out of sight. The cumulative system upgrades needed to make web VR a reality are too far-reaching to consider in the near future. Nevertheless, it is a very plausible possibility.
Until then, an immersive experience through 3D graphics shall take centre stage. We’re talking about a website that shall take up the entire screen to merge the physical and digital experiences.
As always, the end goal will be to lure the audience in with captivating visuals that encourage them to take desired actions.
Integration of Data Science
The website is no more the one-stop-shop for brand presence. In a world of connected devices and the Internet of Things, all parts of the system are continuously coordinated to deliver the best CX for every user.
Web design shall build on the excess influx of data by applying analytical tools and adapting to the changing environments on a concurrent basis. The variation would be much similar to the mobile-responsiveness wave, with the difference of being applied to routine machines like refrigerators and cars.
The future would put the data scientist and web designers in one box, allowing them to communicate and collaborate in a synergistic manner.
Augmented Reality
After IKEA’s paradigm-shifting Place App, remote product visualization is a highly coveted requirement among today’s customers. In fact, 61% of online shoppers already prefer a website that has some version of AR implemented.
Going forward, users will need both hardware and software to support AR in all its forms. Right from smartphones to wearable devices, designers will have to create an interactive environment that projects location-based elements, overlapping the real world aesthetics. Object recognition like Google Lens and facial scanning in social media will have endless applications as well.
The websites shall adapt accordingly, taking a minimalistic stance that can be displayed without disrupting the user’s viewpoint. A perfect balance would come into play between the content and the contrast.
Pageless Websites
It is not as theatrical as it sounds. Pageless websites take an alternative variation on web design where instead of having multiple pages, the website is one single endless scroll. The concept mimics social media platforms which are known for their engaging UI and addictive engagement.
With only one page in place, web designers shall be looking at blazing speeds, auto-responsive websites and narrative site structures. The flow and fluency of the web elements shall be the most crucial point to keep the bounce rates from going off the charts.
Voice Interface
Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant have their own worlds and own following now. Users have embraced a system where a simple voice command fetches them the results they need. This also wards off the need to look at their screens for any information.
Web design shall adopt this conversational approach in the layout process and the content as well. It would be a complete overturn of all the fundamentals that the concept stands for. Long-tail keywords and FAQs shall form the core content strategy that breaks the traditional boxes of web design.
Although the complete application is far off, it is sure to come.
Dynamic Storytelling
In its home country, Netflix has a library of over 1300 TV shows, 4300 movies and counting. There is way too much content to be consumed by each user on a daily basis. To keep your website in the run, it shall take atomic storytelling that engages the user on all fronts.
It would be like designing as experience map that summarises the system to find the logic behind each click or tap. Web design companies are already adopting campaigns that connect with the audience at a granular level.
Web design would be based around a strong key message that finds its way to your ideal buyers through the proper channels and forms of messaging.
Conclusion
The world of technology is too fast-paced to keep a check on everything around. In such scenarios, the future of websites shall be completely user-oriented. A radical rethinking shall be required to implement interactions at every touchpoint so that the user feels the digital as a part of their reality.
It all summarizes one thing, the future is open to interpretation and ready for the taking today.
