The world is impatient today. The early days of dial-up internet are long in the rear view mirror. That means we marketers have less time than every to capture a prospect’s attention on our websites. Most industry experts report that if your web page takes more than 3-4 seconds to load, your visitor will abort mission and leave – no questions asked.
As we enter 2019, here are three things to remember to keep your website cutting edge and keep your customers coming back for more:
Mobile-First &Flat Design
Did you know that more searches are conducted on mobile phones than are on desktops or laptops? It’s probably not new news!
Mobile became the largest web search platform in 2015. Today some 60% of all searches are conducted on mobile, which means that mobile optimization is no longer a nice to have, but the name of the game. Marketers should stop thinking “mobile optimization” and starting thinking “mobile prioritization.”
Along with mobile came a new wave of digital design. Called flat design, it was a response to the upsurge in mobile website traffic.Essentially, website designers started designing around the mobile platform and using a more simplistic approach to layout. Flat design is characterized by clean edges and shapes, modularity, bright colors, and modern, high-contrast aesthetics. Gone are the days when web browsers would tolerate a lot of copy.
Easy to Buy
Sure, today’s web browsers might want information about your company or products. But keep it to the basics. Tell them what they need to know and make their time on your website seamless. At Inbound 2018, HubSpot’s annual inbound marketing conference, HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan and CMO KippBodnar used the term “frictionless marketing.” Whether you like it or not, you’re up against the big dogs. Your website in 2019 is going to be all about customer experience. Think about things like:
- Using bots to answer customer questions
- Updating your shipping and returns policies(compete or die here, folks)
- Incorporating clear, engaging CTAs that anticipate customer needs and interests
- Ditching the internal jargon. Nobody cares aboutwhat you talk about in board meetings. Use language that your customers use andsignal buying options clearly.
More on 2019 Trends
Are you as excited about 2019 marketing as we are? Join us for a panel discussion on 2019 Trends to Watch Thursday, January 17
