The modern e-commerce community is far from static. New products are always entering into the marketplace. Customer demographics can change. Certain marketing strategies may no longer be valid. In the same respect, website design techniques are constantly evolving. Businesses that want to remain one step ahead will need to appreciate the latest trends, and to execute these modifications at the appropriate times. Let’s examine four unique approaches.
Virtual Private Servers
The use of a virtual private server (VPS) has now become commonplace, and is preferred over standard shared platforms. There are several benefits that a dedicated web hosting service can provide:
- Over 99 per cent uptime.
- Enhanced security protocols.
- Increased cloud storage.
- 24/7 customer support.
- Competitive pricing packages.
E-commerce sites that choose to work in tandem with a VPS can likewise enjoy higher customer retention rates.
A Focus on the UX
UX is an acronym for “user experience”, and this concept has taken centre stage over the past few years. Websites are no longer solely concerned with functionality. They need to provide a visitor-oriented experience to ensure that users can find what they happen to be looking for. Streamlined navigation, fast page loading times, no blind links, and reduced visual clutter are some prominent features of a well-designed site.
Content Optimisation
Although this next observation has always represented a hallmark of quality website design, it still needs to be mentioned. On-page SEO strategies are some of the most important factors in relation to search engine rankings. The only issue here is that the associated techniques are subject to change. For instance, SERPs such as Google have now placed a greater emphasis on specific elements such as H2 tags, and meta descriptions. Some other concepts that should be included within any well-rounded approach to search engine optimisation include:
- Quality internal and outbound links.
- Images optimised with “alt” tags.
- Original written material.
- Consistency across multiple pages.
- Text that is free from grammatical errors.
Note that (at least at the moment) the use of artificial intelligence is not wise when curating content. Sites may actually be penalised if they contain a superfluous amount of material written by AI.
Dark Mode Design?
This decidedly new trend has gained an impressive following, and for good reason. The presence of a low-light user interface is said to be easier on the eyes, as the text appears much brighter than the background. Low-light options are also preferred by the majority of smartphone users; important when creating a mobile-responsive website. Ideally, visitors should be provided with the option to toggle between a standard interface, and a low-light mode.
Before concluding, it is wise to mention how artificial intelligence might still be able to fit into the picture. Although the use of AI to create content is not recommended, these tools can come in handy when creating the code for a site.
The world of website design is in a state of constant flux, so it may be better to work with a professional hosting service to cover all bases.
