Web Trend Predictions for 2020

For anyone with a web presence, it can be tough to keep up in the ever-changing online world. Lately, new trends and developments have been forming at a rate faster than ever with no signs of stopping or slowing down. The web industry is constantly changing. If you find yourself letting upcoming trends pass you by, you might be falling behind while the online world pushes forward into the future. With 2020 just around the corner, now’s the time to get ahead of the curve! Take a look at the new web trends that will surely be big in 2020. 

1. AI to the Forefront

The growth and development of Artificial Intelligence give machines the ability to perform cognitive functions. Far from standard baseline technology, AI-powered tech is not limited to collecting data and solving problems. It can actually analyze information and learn. As far as web trends go, AI opens the door for entirely different user experiences. One typical example of online AI is the chatbots that some companies use on their websites to answer customer questions and provide easily-accessible customer service. But the potential for AI doesn’t stop there. With the ability to continuously learn and adapt, AI can also be used for everything from recognition and detection all the way to individualized personalization. AI gives businesses the opportunity to moderate and even automatically respond to user posts or actions on social media and websites. It’s expected that AI will become a mainstay for all facets of the web soon, learning from user preferences and behaviors to create a personalized experience every time. 

2.Faster Loading Times

With user attention spans steadily decreasing, 2020 will be the time to think fast. The issue is that with advancements in web design and increases in online content, the size of a standard web page has grown while the user connections have remained the same. A slow page load time combined with a short attention span, is almost always going to result in redirected attention. With the number of web pages and information at a user’s fingertips, waiting for a single page to load might seem like a waste of their otherwise valuable time. With continued advancements in technology, attention spans are expected to continue to shorten, and along with that goes a user’s patience for laggy web page load times. Moving into 2020, we predict faster loading times will make a big splash. With more and more people catching on to the benefits of having a quicker loading time, more and more websites are producing the fast results that users crave. Slow-loading web pages will likely soon be a thing of the past as users begin to ditch slow loading web pages for the speedier competition. 

3. Simplicity in Design

As more people and businesses are trying to stand out online, some are starting to find success in going back to the basics. Simplicity and the previously mentioned shortened attention spans go hand-in-hand. Users are beginning to appreciate simple designs that stand out, and luckily enough, this can also work to help out with those shorter loading times. One specific emerging trend that’s worth noting is the movement towards larger typefaces. Simple, typography-based layouts are steadily gaining popularity. The loud and proud significant typography trend is simple but still attention-grabbing and clear enough to effectively get any kind of message across. This trend is already emerging and gaining more traction. If you’ve been waiting to rework your web design, it looks like 2020 will be the time where big and bold meet simplicity. 

4. Optimizing for Mobile

Mobile usage is on the rise. The number of mobile internet users surpassed the number of desktop users all the way back in 2016, according to this study by StatCounter. To accompany this user shift into mobile, Google Analytics also began its movement into mobile-first indexing. This means Google predominantly uses the mobile version of your website to come up with its search ranking. In fact, mobile has made such an impact that Google recently implemented mobile-first indexing as the default for all new websites. Trends always move with user preferences, and the choice for mobile web usage continues to grow with smartphone usage and tech advancements. Creating a responsive and mobile-optimized web design is steadily becoming more important. It’s a safe bet that optimizing for mobile will become more and more of a necessity moving through 2020.

5. Accessibility for All

Voice assistants like Siri, Google Home, and Amazon’s Alexa have become a staple in many people’s everyday lives. Voice commerce is becoming so popular that it’s expected to grow a $40 Billion industry by the year 2022. Users are becoming more accustomed to navigating and interacting with information using their voice. Speaking to a device instead of manually searching or inputting something offers a new level of convenience to users, but it also creates accessibility for everyone. Utilizing the growing capabilities of web accessibility allows for more users to access your content. Accessible websites that are built to work with assistive technology open up the potential for users with disabilities to easily access and use your webpage. This feature will soon become an expected standard for webpages. If you are optimizing your website for voice-powered convenience or simply making your web pages more accessible for everyone, now is the time to look into online voice compatibility.

One thing remains constant throughout all web trends, it’s all about user preferences. What users expect continuously changes as technology advances and as new fads come and go. Instead of ignoring or shying away from these trends, lean in. It’s an excellent time to embrace the change because, from these predictions alone, 2020 is looking like a bright year for the web. 

Need help with your website? Grova Creative would love to help! Contact us today!