How Have Website Trends Changed Over The Last Decade?

Just reading this title makes me chuckle. It causes me to envision what websites looked like 10 years ago. Things have evolved so drastically, that it's actually funny to remember what we used to consider innovative, fancy and on trend. Websites are obviously nothing like they were a decade ago, but there are some major components of today's designs that really stand out.

Today, a website is an expectation. Consumers expect businesses to provide them with sites that are fast, easy to use, and provide them with the important details they're looking for. They want to make purchases with the swipe of a finger, and have a site that functions properly on any type of device. My, we've come a long way!

Let's look at some of the specific trends that have either changed or developed over the past 10 years:

Social Media Integration
Social media has really changed everything over the last decade. It's made the world seem smaller, and become a necessary and expected component of today's websites. Consumers expect to find multiple profiles easily accessed on a company website, and social media is now a huge part of what allows businesses to get their sites, products and messages in front of new customers.

Functionality
In years past, the purpose of having a website was to provide information for your customers. Many businesses got one simply because they felt they had to. It was a "set-it and forget it" mentality. Today, consumers have extremely high standards, when it comes to the functionalities they expect to experience. They want to shop, search, and do things quickly. The website must be easy to navigate, and the information they're looking for must be easily found. If your website doesn't function the way a consumer wants it to, you are creating a poor user experience and chances are, they won't be back.

Design
Many websites used to look like someone had vomited everything and anything onto the homepage. It was a mess of information that wasn't displayed in any logical order. Flash, giant images, clutter and information overload was the common theme. Today, it's the opposite. The current design trends are focused on minimal, clean and logical pages that are easy to navigate. Providing a good customer experience is top priority, and the design plays a huge role in allowing consumers to find what they're looking for.

Mobile
The mobile revolution has pushed businesses to develop responsive sites, or create a separate mobile version altogether. Now that mobile internet usage surpasses desktop usage, companies have no choice but to get on board. It's now the assumption that a mobile version will be included when you purchase or develop a new site. Consumers expect to have mobile specific functions, that include ease of purchase and social media integration.

Investment
Technological advancements have dramatically reduced the investment required for a new website. Once upon a time, if you wanted a website set up with e-commerce, it would cost a minimum of $10,000. Today? You can almost do it for free by yourself, using sites like Shopify and Wix. Now that customizable templates are the norm, there is no longer a need for coding. If you're just looking for something basic you can manage yourself, you no longer have to outsource this.

Personalization
Technology has also allowed for the development of personalization, across multiple channels. Websites can adapt their content to match whatever device the user is on, but it now goes even further than that. You will see content and advertisements based on previous interactions, your locations, and more. You'll be re-targeted based on previous purchases and actions you've taken.