TRENDING today in the ever-changing web world
Responsive design is not a new concept. In fact, it’s a must-have for e-commerce businesses now that most of the browsing and shopping is done on mobile devices. What’s new are developments that add impact and usability features previously hard to get in small-screen environments. Technical and design improvements have made great strides in cutting down screen loading times, opening a wide range of possibilities previously impractical for mobile sites.
Point-and-click has dominated the desktop world for so long that it’s not surprising that it took so long for this design to catch on. But mobile users have become so accustomed to swiping their screens that it’s more natural and convenient than trying to poke small links to navigate from page to page.
Parallax scrolling makes the website background move slower than the foreground, creating an attention-getting 3-D effect with greater depth and impact. This is one of the new technologies available in programming languages like CSS3 and HTML5 that give designers levels of creativity previously unavailable.
Showing menus and navigation tools on web pages has long been a standard design element, but the trend toward using smaller screens has made screen space too valuable. Many mobile sites now have a small icon with three stacked bars in the upper corner (the “hamburger icon”) as the access point for a drop-down menu. Expect to see it and similar icons in wider use as users grow more familiar with it.
E-commerce designers have long known that large images drive sales. The problem has been screen loading time for mobile devices. New techniques like adaptive images and better responsive design techniques are making larger and more sophisticated images like rotatable photos possible for small screens. Expect to see them more on mobile sites.
The same design and technical advances are letting mobile e-commerce sites enjoy the benefits of sales-building video that have proven so effective on desktop sites.
Ad designers have known about the power of typography to deliver impactful messages, but mobile site designers have been hesitant to use it to its best advantage because of flow and scalability issues. Recent technical improvements have eliminated some of those concerns, so expect to see better, more powerful uses of type in the future.
eCommerce is highly competitive. To outsell your competition, your online presence needs to tell site visitors that you are on your game. Just like a storefront tells shoppers what to expect inside, website design conveys a powerful message about your business and its products or services. Today’s online marketing involves a coordinated strategy that includes design, content, and technical know-how. When you’re ready to expand your marketing reach, the Unleaded Group is here to help.
We’re ready to work with you to deliver proven, tested results with creativity, precision, and ease of use that set you apart from the competition. Browse our site for complete details on the many ways the Unleaded Group works with our clients to build a web presence that stands out in the crowded e-commerce marketplace.
Then call The Unleaded Group toll-free today at 855.865.3233 or drop us an email and we’ll send you a free quote for designing a site that does the job you need.