The truth of the online world is that not all websites succeed. To turn potential leads into real conversions takes time, talent, and a little bit of creativity.
It also helps to have a solid web design and development plan, one that ideally has been backed up by research, statistics, and professional assistance from a web development company.
Are you thinking of building a new website for your company in 2022? Here’s what you need to know.
There are close to 2 billion websites in the world
As reported by Internet Live Stats, there are close to two billion websites currently active in the world and counting. What does this mean for you? Well, it points to the fact that you’re facing pretty stiff competition when it comes to standing out.
It also suggests that it will be very difficult for your business to succeed in the real world without a solid online presence. No doubt your competitors have invested heavily in web design, social media, digital marketing, and online branding. It’s probably time to join them.
46 percent of users will not revisit poorly performing websites
WebsiteBuilderExpert reports that 46 percent of online users will not revisit a website if it fails to live up to their expectations. That’s a lot of potential customers down the drain if you fail to make a good first impression.
‘Poorly performing’ can refer to anything from website speed to dead links. This statistic also points to why the testing stage of web development is so important. Without it, there could be many things wrong with your website that impact leads and conversions.
Blue is the most popular color on the internet
It probably comes as no surprise that blue is the most popular color used in web design. After all, Facebook is synonymous with a distinct hue.
Ironically enough, Mark Zuckerberg chose to use blue because he is color blind and can’t see red or green. This points to another important consideration in web design — accessibility. Every design decision you make needs to consider users with additional needs, be they visual, auditory, or physical.
Whether you’re using blue or any other color, make sure that you have provided appropriate contrast and have chosen a scheme that is suitable for all.
Over 50 percent of global web traffic comes from mobile devices
If you need any more convincing that the smartphone is here to stay, Google estimates that over 50 percent of global web traffic comes from mobile devices.
What does this mean for designers and developers? Well, to start with, it’s now impossible to get away with not using responsive web design. Your website needs to be accessible on all screen sizes. Otherwise, you risk alienating potential customers.
Mobile accessibility is also very important from an SEO perspective. Mobile performance is one of Google’s top-ranking factors. Having a mobile-friendly website improves your search visibility and increases lead generation.
2.14 billion people shop online
The Covid-19 pandemic affected businesses in many ways: the mass shift to online shopping. Purchasing goods online has always been popular, but with shoppers unable to leave their houses, it became the sole avenue through which commerce stores could reach their customers. Many of these stores made the jump to the e-commerce sector.
As a result, an estimated 2.14 billion people now shop online. That’s a fair percentage of the Earth’s 7.9 billion people.
If you run a physical store and are wondering where your customers are, it could be time to look at expanding to the digital world.
Google holds a 91.4 percent search engine market share
Search engine optimisation is an important consideration for all developers and designers. When we talk about optimising website content for search engines, it’s automatically assumed that we’re talking about Google.
Well, turns out there’s a reason for this. Google holds 91.4 percent of the search engine market share. It’s closest competitor is Bing, with a measly 2.88 percent. Keeping up to date with Google’s algorithm changes is imperative if web design and development teams are to build successful websites.
79 percent of internet users worldwide feel they have lost control over their personal data
This statistic points to several important pieces of information. To start with, it’s imperative that website developers prioritise security. This includes installing an SSL certificate and offering secure payment options. Secondly, users should be able to access a company’s privacy policy easily and understand how their data will be used for marketing purposes.
The chance of your website bringing in genuine leads increases exponentially if you seek out professional help. Speak to an experienced web development company in Melbourne today about your digital goals for 2022 and start drawing up a plan that will get you there.