If you haven’t updated your website in over three years, then 2015 is the year to look into making a change.
Technology and design has changed dramatically in the past three years and so to stay ahead in business you need to keep your business.
Here are some important trends to keep you on top.
1. Mobile Responsive
Seriously if you haven’t looked at your website on a smart phone then now is the time (don’t forget to check tablets either). If your site doesn’t look good on mobile or even more importantly isn’t user friendly then it is time to look at mobile responsive design.
You will lose clients these days if they find your site frustrating to use on the mobile.
The premise behind mobile responsive design is that your website will adapt based on the type of device people are viewing your site. Your website will automatically work out what screen is being used and adapt the design to suit.
This is particularly useful on mobile phones, where the screen size is dramatically smaller than tablets or desktop and can make websites harder to read. With mobile responsive design your site should be easy for people to read and to navigate around without difficulty.
If you only choose one tip for this year – this is my top pick!
2. Eye Catching Images
Images can tell people more than words can and quickly. Make the use of images on your site with cool graphics.
If you aren’t a graphic designer then never fear. We love using Canva.com for quick (and free!) graphics. They do have paid sections on the site but they are super cost effective.
If you are going to create beautiful graphics then make the most of image heavy social networks like Pinterest and Instagram to work together. You can streamline these and use the images to generate traffic to your site.
3. Videos for Mobile
If you create your videos and use them on your website in the old SWF format then it is guaranteed that people on mobile devices won’t be able to view them. You don’t want to miss out on that much traffic.
So ensure you use a program like YouTube or Vimeo to host your videos and upload in MP4 format ideally.
YouTube is also great for SEO so it is an added benefit.
4. Less is More
Gone are the days of over the top design. This year think simplistic design and you will be on trend.
Make the most of the images we said above and create simplistic design. You don’t need to go overboard with huge amounts of text or too many images. Keep it simple and let your design speak for itself.
5. Focus on telling your story and engaging with clients
Readers no longer want just basic facts about your company, they want you to show your personality online. Ensure your website does this in a really engaging fashion.
Use videos and images to show behind the scenes stories.
Don’t stick with a boring about us page, really vamp it up a little and use video to tell your story along with text.