“Creativity is a conversation.” What are trends? Answer to it is simple; they are just like the main threads in this engaging and chaotic conversation. Our creative choices exist alongside these trends. Emerging trends keep changing in terms of functionality, sustainability, web design and development. They guide us to make the best possible changes and discard anything unsuitable. When doing business online you need to make sure that you provide your audience with the best possible user experience on your website.

Therefore, it is vital for you to stay at par with the changing trends else your business may fall behind. You will notice all good web designing companies in Orange County keep themselves updated as per the current demand of the market. 2017 was all about minimalism – rise of conversational interfaces, AI and creative layouts. 2018 brings back bold typefaces, vibrant colours, and new possibilities for users to interact with design.

Now in the second half of 2018, we continue to see these grow further and become more popular, hinting what we can expect in 2019. Let me list down some web development trends that are bound to leave a strong impact globally and leave you behind as an awed spectator to the age of transformation. This will be the future of Web Designing:

1. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

PWAs are web-based applications that have the feel and UX like mobile apps. They utilize the latest web technologies to bring users app-like experience in a browser tab.

PWAs are the happy medium between casual websites and mobile apps. They carve out the best from the two and bring forward dual benefits. Some of its basic features are as follows:

1. PWAs have URLs for every page for trouble-free linking. You can access them in every modern browser without installation.
2. PWAs bring users an app-like experience, ensuring that users spend more time on your website.
3. PWAs load when the network connection is bad or absent.
4. HTTPS protocol serves PWAs, ensuring secure data transfer.
5. Also, PWAs are fast, reliable and engaging thanks to the UI and UX borrowed from mobile apps.

PWAs can help bring sizeable benefits to businesses by increasing engagement with the audience and leading to higher conversion rates and improved reliability. ‘

With its PWA, companies like Amazon and AliExpress have doubled their conversion rates across all the browsers. All said, PWAs are totally worth it. As of now, they have not entered the mainstream, but this is one trend that is expected to raise after all the hype that it has created in the early part of 2018. It is one trend that is sure to provide you a boost that you might have only dreamt of!

2. Motion UI

A popular definition of Motion UI states it as a standalone library that powers the transition effects used in several Foundation components, including Toggler, Reveal, and Orbit. ZURB has been in the business of creating awesome-looking web design tools for quite a while now, one of their most popular one being-Motion UI. Motion UI is ZURB’s own Sass library that offers nothing but customizable transitions and animations for your site.

The library lets you transition the elements of your website, like overlays, modals, off-canvas menus, etc, in and out. Moreover, you can use transition effects to build single CSS animations and even series of them. Its simplicity, flexibility and universal character make it one of the most popular web development trends of this year. With basic knowledge of CSS and JavaScript, the coding of Motion UI is not a hard nut to crack. With multiple parameters at your disposal, you can build your own animation in whichever way you want and apply it to almost every element of your website.

Users today are moving away from showy animations and GIFs towards a simpler website with modern design elements. Therefore, implementing Motion UI animations on your website will provide better user experience.

3. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one such trend which has made its way from the virtual world of sci-fi to reality. It is one of the latest and top trending technologies in web development in 2018.

1. Artificial Intelligence has revolutionized how computing is experienced by people in the present age. It helps to create a better user experience leading to quicker business conversions by decoding buyer intent. It can help in increasing the sales per buyer in the e-commerce industry.

The big cheeses like Amazon and AliExpress benefit a lot from AI as they can track search results of the customers and provide them with alternative or better products relative to their search history. This is how you get the option “Suggestions for You” in your account. Thus, AI leads to increase in sales which in turn lead to increase in revenue.

2. Chatbots are another great way in which artificial intelligence has made way into our lives in 2018. It is a computer program based on the technology of machine learning and natural language processing that helps people in completing tasks like shopping, finding some information or ordering a service. Bots offer online customer support to your users in a manner that emulates a real human interaction.

The big sharks like Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Skype etc have incorporated bots and consider it to be the future of the web development industry. In 2019 bots, powered by AI, will become an essential tool for most websites ranging from sites that sell books, gym memberships etc. Hence, bots have managed to secure their place in web development industry for the years to come.

4. SSL and HTTPS

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a technology that provides for establishing an encrypted connection between browser and web server. According to a recent research more than 43% of users abandon a website if they see a security alert message.

Therefore, it has become vital to secure your website by installing Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and Hypertext Transfer-Protocol Secure (HTTPS). When your website uses the SSL technology, you’ll see an ‘S’ added to http:// in the address bar, as well as a padlock. Some SSL certificates also display your company’s name in green for better recognition.

1. They are cryptographic protocols which are secured through Transfer Layer Secure (T.L.S) using three layers of protection.

2. It protects sensitive information of users and lets them complete transactions without any risk of data loss.

3. The data exchange is authenticated to prove that users are communicating with the intended website and no hacker is intercepting the transmission.

Also, Google gives ranking benefits for HTTPS websites thereby giving a boost to your SEO and increasing the reputation of your business over the internet. So, this is one trend that is going dominate 2019, therefore, all businesses should go for this certificate as it ensures data integrity, encryption and authentication.

5. WordPress 4.9

WordPress is one of the most popular website engines for content management in the world – home to numerous personal blogs as well as personal and e-commerce websites.

WordPress has always been a front-runner in the business of content management and post the release of its latest version it has become an even more popular web development technology. WordPress 4.9 delivers better menu customization UX, theme previewing within Customizer and improved theme switching. It aims to improve your workflow inside the customizer.

It is a thing to watch out for in 2019 because it plans to integrate a variety of plug-ins to facilitate VR and AR technologies into web design which will create an ease of use experience for readability of content. This developer friendly platform will now also offer a huge variety of drag-and-drop themes, which will make it very easy for developers to design websites without writing a single line of code.

Conclusion

These trending web development technologies that I have listed are just a few among many web development trends that are sure to leave a mark in 2019. Other trends include Push Notifications, PHP, User Behaviour Tracking, Google AMP, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. For someone working in this dynamic career of a professional web developer, understanding and using these technologies will always put them ahead of their competition. You must choose which technology has the potential to guide your business towards great heights. Your choice determines your future. Choose wisely!