It should be no surprise to anyone who has been on the internet for more than a decade or two that website development has come a long way. No longer are websites with clashing text and background colors the norm, it is now straightforward to build a web page and lots of business is conducted entirely online. This is all thanks to advances over time in the technologies that we use to create and maintain websites.
Technology in this context can include the physical components, software developments and techniques that web developers use. This article will explore some of the technological advancements that we think have been particularly impactful for website development.
Mobile Friendly Designs
This is probably one of the biggest changes over the last decade or so. It used to be that the internet was primarily used from laptop and desktop computers, from relatively fixed points. This is overwhelmingly no longer the case. While laptop and desktop computers are still perfectly popular, people are now using their mobile phones to access the internet at a rate never before seen and this trend is only increasing.
Accessing the internet via mobile used to be an arduous struggle. No websites had any sort of mobile-friendliness, and often you would be unable to view certain parts of websites. Now, most websites are designed to be viewed on both mobile and desktop computers.
UX Focused On Mobile Accessibility
In many cases, a focus on a good user experience for mobile users supersedes the experience that is offered for desktop users. With website developers keen to tap into the huge mobile user market, buttons, menus and all sorts of interactive elements are designed to be easily usable for touchscreen phones. It is unarguably a good business decision, as they are offering the largest market the best experience.
Backend Content-management Systems
Along with platforms that simplify the website design and creation process, most website platforms allow simplified and easy content management systems. These systems allow the website owner to update and manage their content without knowing anything about the actual process of website development.
Apps And Websites That Work Together
Another way in which web development is attempting to corner the massive mobile market is through the creation of seamless app and website interaction. If we can use online gambling as an example, considering it is a huge industry that relies on cutting-edge website development techniques it seems fair to use it. If you have been playing online poker on your favorite website and need to go for a short trip into town, but are in a tight game and don’t want to fold just yet, if that website also has an app with seamless interaction, you can open the app on your phone, close the website on your computer and then still be in the same game while on the bus on your way to your errand.
Put simply, seamless interaction between website and app encourages users to remain as long as possible within the ecosystem of whatever the website is. It also provides an unparalleled convenience for the user.
E-commerce Systems Built-in
With so much business being done over the Internet, and so many people wanting to sell things, it makes perfect sense that this innovation occurred. Many website platforms have all of the trappings and functionality to facilitate e-commerce built-in. Instead of being a complicated process, it can be as easy as entering the details of the recipient account and letting the software do the rest.
Using AI To Innovate The Possible Interactions On Websites
Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven itself a disruptor in many industries, especially those that touch the internet. Website development is most definitely on that list. To be brief, AI allows web developers to create more interactive and intelligent websites and to provide what amounts to a more personalised user experience.
The Cloud Brings Huge Changes To What It Means To Host A Website
Cloud computing has changed the game for hosting a website. No longer do companies need to have a server room with physical servers located somewhere on the premises. Now, with websites hosted on virtual servers in the cloud, a business run out of a suburban dwelling can have just as strong a web presence as one that occupies the entirety of an office block. The way that websites are hosted and managed has changed forever thanks to cloud computing.
Hosting a website is more flexible, cost-effective and has much easier scalability than ever before. Not only that, but website hosting is more efficient and reliable, with cloud-hosted websites able to handle high degrees of traffic with no downtime.
The Importance Of Social Media Integration For Amplifying Reach
Social media has become a massive part of many people’s lives. Website development has shifted to reflect this. Most website platforms have the tools built in to easily allow integration with the most popular social media platforms, meaning that content can easily be shared across multiple platforms directly from the website. This greatly amplifies the reach of products and content, as people can with the click of a couple of buttons, spread it to their followers.
Using Data Analytics To Make The Best Choices Possible In The Development Process
The analyzing of data has become an important part of effective web development in recent years. If web developers can pull analyses from data that show specific trends or behaviours are popular, then they know which areas of the website are the most important to focus on or which features aren’t necessary. Being able to make data-driven decisions in the development and design phase means that websites are being developed that provide more value to both the users and the website host.
This is another area of web development that AI has affected. AI can process and analyze huge quantities of data with greater accuracy than a typical person can. AI-driven data analyses can provide even deeper insight and therefore lead to even more effective website design.
Conclusion
As you have read, the way that we develop and design websites has changed greatly as technological advancements have impacted it. With a much greater emphasis on mobile accessibility and UX improvements, Websites and their partner apps are largely designed so that users will spend as much time as possible on them. Websites are also developed to make them as visible and integrated with other platforms as possible.
New technologies will certainly mean new advancements in website development. A technology to watch is AI, which is certain to cause further disruption to the web development industry, as it has and will continue to do for many others.
