Web design and development trends change based on use cases and technology. Features like bland graphics, aggressive pop-ups, and generic stock pictures are now outdated.
However, web design features like minimalism are still gaining relevance and not slowing down soon. And these critical web design elements apply across most industries, especially the manufacturing sector.
Like every sector, manufacturing is undergoing an immense digital transformation to turn factories into smart spaces. They’re using the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to achieve this transition to intelligent spaces to drive performance, efficiency, and control cost. And the companies’ websites are also playing a vital role in this transformation.
As such, it is vital to grasp the essential web development trends that never get old to aid your digital transformation. Websites remain an essential online presence to position and scale your manufacturing business online.
So, let’s dive in and check these key trends!
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1. Mobile Friendly Design
Most top-ranked websites have a responsive mobile web design – they can change depending on the device’s screen size. Mobile responsive design has been trending since 2010.
According to Statista, global mobile internet traffic can hit about 60% by Q2 of 2022. That means more people are accessing your website through mobile devices than on traditional search engines. For manufacturing firms that offer products direct to consumers (DTC), your website must remain responsive to customers’ devices.
Responsive web design has been there and will only continue to expand as mobile internet increases. So, ensure your website is optimized for desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
2. Minimalism
Professional web design prioritizes minimalist strategy because of its perks. First, removing unnecessary content and elements without benefits to users improves user experience. Second, it allows visitors to find the resources they’re looking for faster.
However, for manufacturing firms, especially those on DTC platforms, you must balance a minimalist approach and your marketing and sales efforts. That way, you can leverage user experience and product promotion to scale revenue.
Leading NYC web design agency emphasizes bringing professional web design and marketing teams together to achieve this balance. As such, they can deploy their experience and expertise to ensure your website is intuitive, easy to navigate, and adds value to your services.
Minimalist web design can range from visuals to topography. With the rise in 5G and demand for fast and better user experiences, minimalist web design is here to stay. So, ensure you get it right by balancing easy navigation and value to your manufacturing business.
3. Web Security Measures
Source: Pxhere
There is a rise in cyber hacks and it is more dangerous now that the whole factory is going online. Rivals or criminal players can undermine your entire production operations if critical IIoT devices are left unsecured.
Your website connects to your internal network, so if it has a security vulnerability, it can lead to access and subsequent attack on your entire network. There have been several web security features like admin passwords, spam stop features, etc. Two-factor authentication, secure socket layer (SSL), etc., are popular.
Advanced web security features anticipated in the era of next-generation web space (Web3) are steadily embracing blockchain technology.
Some of the web security tools that use blockchain technology include:
- Hyperledger
- Storj
- Bitfury
So, blockchain systems and other advanced tools will be vital if you run sensitive processes and transactions that need extra protection.
However, only professional web design companies can execute military-grade web security tools. Any data breaches that expose critical personal information can also attract fines from data regulations like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
So, web security has been an issue since the dawn of the internet. It will continue to be challenging as threat actors evolve and with more targets like IIoT devices. As such, web security features will always be vital in web design and development.
4. Universal Accessibility
Websites are now a critical part of citizens and consumers alike. Every aspect of life is moving online, from access to government services like passports to online shopping. So, universal accessibility is critical. It ensures digital transformation doesn’t prevent people with disabilities from accessing these services.
Screen readers are perhaps some of the most popular design features that ensure your website is accessible to visually impaired people. But we also have deaf and others that must access your content and services.
The US has strict guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design (ADA). So, your partners, employees, or customers with disabilities should easily access your website. All your website content must have alternate tags (alt tags) to facilitate universal accessibility.
So, ensure the web design services you’re getting will make your website accessible to people with disability. People with disabilities are part of our community, so they must be catered for now and in the future.
5. Aesthetic Visual Illustration
Source: Raw Pixel
A visual illustration is an incredible way to attract attention and engage your website visitors. Generic stock images were common in web content to convey messages. Currently, high-quality photos and videos are preferred.
For manufacturing companies, video content like user guides and installation or behind the scenes can help drive traffic and emotional connection to your brand. Other visual illustrations like GIFs and animations are also becoming standard on most websites.
However, the trick lies in quality and customized visual illustrations that add value to the website. They should also be creative and beautiful to hook and enhance customer engagement and new website visitors.
Remember, it only takes a fraction of a second for any visitor to decide whether they stay on the website or not. An aesthetic illustration is one way of persuading visitors to stay on your site. After that, you can direct them to valuable resources and nurture them into leads based on their customer journey.
Only the top web designers can offer the best custom web design with relevant and aesthetic visual illustrations. They can curate visual arts and factor your brand color to create a memorable lasting impression to any visitor.
Wrap Up
Smart factories need advanced and intelligent websites too. However, some fundamental web design and development trends never change, even to smart factory sites.
We’ve shared some of these trends to ensure you grasp the basic web design features. There are more, but these are just starting points worth incorporating into your industrial website. They can help enhance your web security and brand awareness and drive sales revenue.
