When you’re running a business, it’s not enough to be planning for the present, you need to be thinking about the future too. The last thing you need is for your competitor to run ahead of you and steal your customers because they’ve come up with innovative methods of working that have impressed the masses. If there’s one place you truly need to focus on for the future, it’s digital design and marketing. Technology changes in the blink of an eye. So, what can you expect from the future of digital design?
Mobile First Approach
It’s becoming more apparent that people are starting to use their smartphones for personal purchases more than their laptops or computers. Having said that, many businesses will begin to use a mobile first approach. That means they’ll centre their website design around mobiles before any other type of device and then gradually make websites friendly for all types of devices. It also means businesses will need a server that performs well. Take a look at this example of a server performance test for SiteGround. Considering the majority of people in the UK and US use their phones for browsing up to five hours a day, that’s a good move.
Artificial Intelligence
No, we’re not talking the rise of the Terminator here. But, we are talking facial recognition and the ability to access personal information quickly, like who you’re connected to on social media. It may seem like a privacy issue, but for businesses it’s good news. AI programs and integrations are a growing trend for many businesses. While some continue to see AI as a threat, a lot of people believe that it won’t take over the jobs of humans but will rather improve the quality of services with humans still in control.
Within the next twenty years, businesses may have access to technology that allows them to design a website that immediately recognises visitors and can offer them personalised products and services, which could be more likely to result in sales.
High Resolution Monitors
Although people may already by choosing a smartphone as their device of choice for browsing, we haven’t reached the point where everyone is using a 4K screen. It won’t be long before mobiles, tablets and other devices are using high-resolution and the images they see on the screen will have to match. When people start using these types of devices, a poorly designed website will stick out like a sore thumb; perhaps literally if we progress to holographic imaging as quickly as some are predicting. Web designers will be up against it, to produce designs of high quality and immaculate viewing.
Virtual Reality
Right now, businesses are focused on the quality and quantity of content on their website because it’s what attracts visitors and aids search engine rankings. The same maybe true for the future of digital design, except there may be a different kind of content in the mix. More and more people are using VR headsets and it won’t be long before this type of content will be seen on business websites. It’s a great way of creating an authentic experience for your viewers and engaging with them in a way you’ve never been able to before.
The future of digital design is exciting, but good luck to the business that lags behind!
