World Wide Wonders
We have all seen for ourselves how the realms of cyberspace have changed over the years. But these changes encompass more than the exterior aesthetics of graphic design trends and altered logos. Our entire online experience is constantly advancing, which demands the attention and response of all internet users — but particularly of small businesses.
So what’s changed?
Let’s take a look at the World Wide Web that was, and what these changes mean for your business.
Screen resolution:
Around twenty years ago, websites were 640 pixels wide. In the new millennium, this grew to 800 pixels. A few years later, it changed to 1024 pixels wide, which is currently the most popular resolution.So any good web designer (like our wonderful code monkeys at nucleo!) will most likely optimise a site for 1024 pixels — but they will nonetheless accommodate for smaller resolutions to ensure your business’s website looks great and works as it should on any computer.
New devices:
Wait, there’s more. For years, the internet was getting bigger and better with the growth of computer screen resolutions. Then, around eight years ago, the market was bombarded with a new, smaller screen — the smartphone. And then there were tablets of varying size; and both of these could be viewed upright or sideways.But this does not mean that web designers can simply take the original website and shrink it for a smaller screen. Instead, it must be redesigned with thought paid to which elements of the site are most important, and which will need to be resized, recoloured, relocated or removed. This is vital in allowing for all potential customers to access and benefit from your website.
Ease of access:
Thanks to laptops, tablets, smartphones, and near-omnipresent sources of internet access, many people can now hop onto the world wide web from virtually anywhere at any time. So what does that mean for your business? Ultimately, it highlights the need for an online identity. These days, potential customers are most likely to find you online, so you need a responsive and informative site that meets their needs.
And remember: a poorly designed website can reflect on your business as poorly as not having one at all.
Touch screens:
Alongside the release of smartphones and tablets came a rapid influx in the number of online users who abandoned the mouse in favour of touch screens. This change relates back to that all-important factor of ensuring your business’s website caters to all of your potential customers, regardless of their chosen device, browser, and so on.
Internet speed:
No longer are we subjected to the pitiful wailing of the dial-up tone (and today’s teenagers will never hear the phrase, “Get off the internet; I need to use the phone”). Instead, we’ve entered the world of fast broadband, NBN, and near-constant proximity to Wi-Fi hotspots.In a sense, we have all been spoilt by the assumption that our every whim on the internet will be catered to in a speedy fashion. As a business owner, this means that your website must be easy to navigate and quick to load. After all, studies have shown that a load time of longer than one second will be noticed by your customers.
And more importantly, up to 50% of people may click away from your website if it takes longer than 4 seconds to load.
The future of the internet
The World Wide Web has always been an expansive, limitless space. New capabilities, expectations and advancements are emerging, and as a business owner, it is vital that you provide your customers with a website that responds to and interacts with these changes.
It’s a big job, but we’re happy to do it — and we’re good at it, too. If you’re looking for someone to update your website, establish your online presence, or monitor ever-changing online requirements, get in touch with the team at nucleo.