5 Features Of 21st Century Websites

Websites have taken over as the king of content. You won’t see this statement too often, but it’s true when you think about it logically. Not only does it incorporate both video and written platforms, as well as responsive design, but it’s the place where users land. Today, there are over 1 billion sites on the Web and only a small slice of the pie will revolutionise your fortunes.

More than ever, it seems as if a new feature is released on a regular basis. In the past, designers only had to focus on the aesthetics and navigation because they were the only things available. Now, it’s all about the new elements and styles and how to incorporate them the best.

As an entrepreneur looking to build the ultimate platform, this can make things tough. What do you choose and what do you discard? The answer lies in the most crucial features. To help, below are five of best elements associated with a 21st-century site that you can include to boost performance.

eCommerce

The goal for users is to go online and do their shopping without having to leave the house. The fact that a vast percentage of the one billion sites on the internet are optimised for eCommerce says a lot about what customers want. It also tells you what they expect. Keeping up with the competition is vital as you don’t want to be the platform which doesn’t provide a similar service.

Using Magento and accepting credit card and PayPal payments is one thing, but even money is changing. Nowadays, shoppers use cryptocurrencies because they are cheap and anonymous. Bitcoin is the most popular one. Plenty of hosts won’t have this technology, but those that do propel a site above the rest of the industry. It’s incredible how many people will flock to a business which accepts cryptocurrencies.

If that’s too much, you should focus on the basics such as the Cube and Zen shopping carts. Check out A2 hosting plans and pricing as a guide. Also, never underestimate the speed and bandwidth as they directly impact the experience on an eCommerce site. No one knows if the transaction is complete if the confirmation page doesn’t load.

Hamburger Menu

Chances are you’ve never heard of this term yet have come across it on several occasions. In basic terms, a hamburger menu is a drop-down version which has three lines on top of one another on the right-hand side of the screen. It’s been coined that because it seems like three burgers laid on top of another. Although it appears to be a cosmetic choice, there is more to it than meets the eye.

First of all, a drop-down menu takes away the need for a bulky search bar. Not only is this feature a bad move sponsorship-wise, but it also increases load-up times. It takes plenty of muscle to power a search engine on a relatively small site. Secondly, it’s clean and sharp and easy to follow. The user clicks on the menu and finds what they want without any hassle.

Traditional formats are cluttered and make it tricky for shoppers to locate what they want. When this happens, they are likely to bounce and might not come back depending on their experience.

Embedded Images

High-resolution pics have been the difference between successful sites and the ones which fail. Anybody buying products online needs to take away the confusion, and HD images are the answer. With one click of a button, you can see every tiny detail and make a quick decision. Usually, it’s a choice to proceed to the checkout and break out the credit card.

Embedded images come into play for a number of reasons. Of course, they are cheap because there is no need to pay for them or to splash out on royalties. If they are already on sharing sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, then they are fair game. Also, they’re interactive. Pinterest in particular lets browsers add photos to their personal account for future use.

And, let’s not forget that the pics are high quality. At the moment, the “card design” feature is popping and will continue to do so while the social media age rages on.

Feature Videos

You can’t create a website without using video technology. Up to 90% of online users click on videos when they land on a site, which puts their importance into perspective. See Inc for more stats and data regarding online videos. The reason 21st-century websites need them is that of the job they do for users. Nobody wants to sit around and scroll through text, and they don’t have to with the right vids.

Where savvy entrepreneurs have changed the game is problem-solving. A short, sharp clip which walks people through the process is an excellent way to add to the experience. Think of it as a learning curve while interacting with the audience. Then, there is the trust element. ASOS incorporates models on catwalks to ensure the shopper understands what they are buying and there are no nasty surprises.

Modern web design is about instilling faith in the audience. Do it and they’ll spend their money without a second thought.

Mobile-Friendly

There are nearly as many mobile phones as there are people on the planet. Again, just a small percentage of this number is enough to propel the site forward. You’re not going to convince them to land and stay for the long-term if they can’t use their preferred device.

Right now, smartphones are by far and away the most popular form of online appliance. Laptops are still going strong yet the majority of people pull out their sleek and ever reliable phones for the most part.

Without the right mobile-friendly features, a website is sure to crash out. If you’re unsure, check out this Magnet 4 Blogging starter kit.

Fundamentally, it’s about keeping up with the times and offering the people what they want. Do it and your site will flourish and stand out from the crowd.

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