But how has COVID-19 affected the web design industry?

Or, to put it more directly – how will life change for web designers after COVID-19?

If you’re a web designer and wonder how things will pan out for you, then read on.

What is Web Design (And What Do Web Designers Do)?

Most people think web design is a simple matter of slapping together a theme, a couple of plugins, and a few images to create a website. However, web design goes deeper than that and is a more complicated discipline.

What is Web Design?

Web design is the process of planning and putting together the different elements of a website that gives it a unique look and feel. It also impacts how a website functions on various devices. As a result, a web designer must be well-versed in many different skills and disciplines needed in the production and maintenance of websites. 

What Does a Web Designer Do?

Web designers are a unique breed of people that have to wear many hats to pull off their job. Some of the different areas involved in web design include:

• Graphic design
• Interface design
• Writing code
• Search engine optimization (particularly the technical side)
• User experience design
• Information architecture

As you can see, web designers do way more than just sit at a desk and fiddle with their computers. There’s a lot involved in producing a website that both looks beautiful and functions well.

Apart from the challenges that come with multitasking and taking on different roles, web designers also face several challenges in their careers. Here’s a summary of those challenges:

While finding new clients is one of the biggest challenges, according to 46% of the web designers surveyed, this might soon change as the pandemic has made it mandatory for businesses to go online. Thankfully, once you get a client, handing over the website doesn’t mean the end of the relationship, as web design also involves running and maintaining clients’ websites.

Web Design vs. Web Development – What’s the Difference?

Web design and web development are two terms you’ll find being used interchangeably – but do they mean the same thing? 

Since we’ve already looked at web design, let’s take a brief look at web development.

Web development is the discipline focused on creating a website’s core structure using coding languages such as HTML, Java, CSS, and others. 

Web designers focus on the user-facing aspect of a site while web developers focus on the “backend” that ensures that the website is interactive and functions.

In essence, the most significant difference between web design and web development is that web design focuses on usability (user-focused) while web development focuses more on functionality (technology-focused).

The Evolution of Web Design 

Before we dive into how life will change for web designers post COVID-19, let’s take a brief trip down memory lane to look at how web design has evolved.

1991 – Tim Berners-Lee creates the first website. It featured simple text and hyperlinks.

1994 – The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was established and HTML introduced as the standard for marking up websites.

1996 – Flash-based web designs. Flash provided a lot of tools that could build more advanced websites than could be done with HTML alone. Of note was the ability to incorporate music, videos, and animations into web design.

1996 – Table-based designs and the emergence of WYSIWYG web design applications that led to drag-and-drop web builders.

Early 2000’s – Cascading style sheets (CSS) gained popularity. Although having been in development since the mid-’90s, CSS became more popular in the early 2000’s thanks to the dotcom boom. One of the primary reasons for its popularity is how it separates design elements from content, making for more visually appealing and easy to use websites.

Today, the world of web design has come a long way from the days of static sites built purely using HTML. Responsive designs and progressive web apps (PWAs) which can easily be installed on a mobile device are now widely used.

How the 4th Industrial Revolution has Impacted Web Design

The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) has ushered in many new technologies that have impacted how we do life and work. Of note have been cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the increased speeds at which devices can compute data (thanks to quantum computing). These have a direct impact on web design because advanced technologies mean designers and developers have greater flexibility to create websites that can perform better than before.

Because of these advancements in technology, people are now spending more time online. From shopping to getting an education to cooking dinner, 4IR has made (almost) everything possible at the click of a button. And that’s why many businesses have no choice but to adapt and adopt the current digital transformation. 

As a designer, this means you need to keep up with the latest technology as well as processes if you’re to remain relevant in these ever-changing times. In hindsight, 4IR seems to have been preparing the world to survive and thrive in and through the pandemic. Speaking of which, let’s get to the main order of the day, shall we?

How COVID-19 is Changing Life for Web Designers

Saying the world has changed due to the COVID-9 pandemic is an understatement. But since we’re talking about you as a web designer, let’s zero in on some of the changes you can expect to see in your industry.

1. Web Designers will Become Busier 

One of the most significant effects of COVID-19 is that people’s movements are now restricted.

As a result, the only way businesses can adapt to this new normal is to intensify their online efforts. 

Businesses without websites (especially brick-and-mortar establishments) are frantically trying to get online as fast as possible. Those with websites are redesigning them to give them a fresh, updated look and ensuring functionality is on par.

While some businesses will opt for pre-built websites, savvy brands that understand the power of a website will go the custom route to help them stand out. Not only that, but custom websites, built well, have an SEO advantage over templates.

So yes, your job as a web designer is in no way under threat. If anything, the industry is on the verge of a resurgence.

2. Web Designers Must Now (More than Ever) Double as UX Designers

While user experience (UX) has always been a core pillar of web design, its real value is just now coming to light. The reason for that is simple – competition. With so many businesses and websites offering the same thing, a differentiator is needed. And the one thing that has the power to keep website visitors coming back for more is a positive UX. Contrary to popular belief, UX is not just limited to navigation. It encompasses other aspects, such as:

• Satisfying a user’s needs
• Positive emotional reinforcement
• Offering a smooth user/customer journey

It’s best if you consider all these in the design stage of a website. Failure to do so will result in a website that may look good but lack in user satisfaction. Once a user clicks away from your website due to a negative experience, getting them back is next to impossible. That’s why UX must be entrenched into every web design project.

3. Product Design will have to Be More Streamlined

One of the biggest mistakes many businesses make when building a website is to consider it as a secondary (or even tertiary) aspect of their business.

The truth is a website is as much a product as the business’ core product line up. 

As a designer, each website you build is a product. Whether it’s a redesign or a first build, your product design must be more streamlined to ensure:

• Efficiency on your part. This means reducing time to market without compromising the value of the product (website)

• Business doesn’t grind to a halt as your clients await their websites

One way to ensure a streamlined product design and development process is to leverage design systems. A design system is simply a collection of reusable design components and web design tools, as well as guiding principles on how to use them. This saves you time and effort because you can quickly scale production by reusing or tweaking the components you have in your library. 

4. Remote Working will Become More Acceptable

Web designers are one of the privileged professions where work can be done remotely. With most parts of the world experiencing lockdowns and restricted movement, remote work has become the norm. 

However, with web designers, working from home might not be a temporary solution as with most professions. It just might be the norm.

While working from home does have many advantages, it does require that you be disciplined and have the ability to self-manage. Failure to do so will result in missed deadlines and shoddy work.

So yes, COVID-19 has impacted many industries. Thankfully, however, the web design industry can expect positive changes moving into the future.

Soft and Hard Skills You Need to Have as a Web Designer in the Post COVID-19 Era

Succeeding as a web designer post-COVID-19 requires that you possess several skills – both soft and hard. Here are some of the essential skills you’ll have to master:

Soft Skills

Soft skills are non-technical skills that help you work and are mostly made up of personality and behavioural traits. A few soft skills that can help you succeed as a web designer include (but are not limited to):

• Empathy. Empathy in web design means taking a customer-centric approach to your product. It involves focusing on the user’s needs, feelings, experiences, and desired outcomes.

• Creativity. With so many websites popping up every day, you must take your creative chops to another level if you’re to design websites that will stand out.

• Innovation. Let’s face it. Most sites on the internet follow the same design “recipe”. Innovative designers take risks with new concepts, thereby helping them create products ahead of their time.

• Communication. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are critical if you’re to capture a client’s heart and vision. This is what leads to products that embody the business’ personality.

• Growth mindset. This is the drive to continually learn new things that help you become a better person and web designer.

A good set of soft skills can make a world of difference between a good web designer and a great one. So make sure to work on improving yours.

Hard Skills

Hard skills, the technical design knowledge you have, are also essential if you’re to thrive as a designer post-COVID-19. Let’s briefly take a look at some of the more critical hard skills you need to have:  

• Knowledge of design principles. While it is possible to be a good designer without formal design training, knowledge of design principles will help you become a great designer.

• Excellent visual design skills. Web design mainly focuses on creating aesthetically pleasing and easy to understand websites. To do this, you need excellent visual design skills, particularly graphic design. This will help you select the perfect visual elements of your website – such as images, colours, typography, etc.

• Composition and information architecture. This involves knowing how to create visual harmony and structuring information in a hierarchical order that makes it easy for the user to grasp the essential elements of the website quickly.

• Knowledge of coding language. Knowing how to write code is an integral part of a web designer’s skill set. Design languages like HTML5, Javascript, CSS, and Bootstrap are some of the popular coding languages you need to be familiar with.

• Proficiency in using design tools. Because web design involves many disciplines, you’ll have to know how to use different tools that span the gamut from graphic design tools like Adobe XD to design software like Figma to mobile application design software like Iconic.

While it may be uncertain what the future holds post-pandemic, one thing is sure – you must hone your soft and hard skills if you’re to flourish as a web designer.

The Web Design Industry – Getting a Shot in the Arm in the COVID-19 Era

How will life change for web designers after COVID-19?

With almost every business having no choice but to increase their online footprint, web designers have to brace for a busy period ahead. While there may be a few changes in how work will be done, most changes are bound to be good. It’s safe to say the web design industry is getting a shot in the arm in the COVID-19 era.

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Appear on the first page of Google, and you can claim a majority of all internet traffic. Get stuck on Page 2, and the odds are considerably stacked against you.

In your quest to gain visibility, you’ve likely heard of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This is the process of setting up your website or web page to help it rank within the Search Engine Results Pages.

International SEO focuses on reaching a global audience while local SEO centres on amplifying your community presence. Which one should you prioritize and is one more important than the other? Read on to learn the right strategy to take as you direct your business forward.

What is International SEO?

Also known as global SEO, international SEO is the practice of expanding your digital reach as far as you possibly can. It means targeting traffic from all over the world, using keywords and phrases designed to put eyes on your content from a wide geographical range of internet users.

This strategy can be successful if you operate an e-commerce store that isn’t tied directly to your local community. 

However, it comes with a ton of behind-the-scenes work that can often negate any momentum you earn.

The main challenge is the incredible competition you’re up against daily. While it might be easy to outrank your local competition, it can be nearly impossible to best some of the global giants in your industry niche. Moreover, there’s the added work of translating your content into multiple languages to help it climb the SERP ranks.

Even then, you’re up against some fierce competition. Every website in the world is also targeting those same key-phrases. Unless you can offer content that’s heads above the rest in terms of quality and relevancy, restricting your efforts to international SEO alone can be a costly and challenging endeavour.

Why Go International?

Understanding the risks and work involved, why should anyone pursue an international SEO strategy?

The most logical reason is if you know for sure that a large portion of your web visitors come from a country outside of where you’re physically located. Or, your traffic data might show that most of your visitors speak different languages.

In either case, you can optimize your website to be as user-friendly as possible for your international audience. It helps to think of this process as geo-targeting, but with a twist.

Instead of designing your site to attract local traffic, you’re optimizing it to appeal to different countries and languages. As such, a wholly internationalized site is one that accommodates both a country and language that’s different from your own. To set one up, there are few strategies to employ.

• Create a URL structure that targets a particular country or region
• Use hreflang or language meta tags to indicate the language(s) of your content
• Create and tailor content for your target audience’s language and culture

The quickest and most effective URL structure to employ is a ccTLD. You’ll recognize these as the letters after the period in a given domain name. They’re a simple way to show web visitors and search engines alike in which country, state or territory your website is registered. 

For instance, a site targeting traffic from France would end in “.fr” as in “http://www.example.fr.”

The only drawback to ccTLDs? While they’re excellent at targeting countries and regions, they don’t target languages. This is where the other elements, including hreflang, language meta tags, subfolders, and subdomains, come into play.

What is Local SEO?

If international SEO is ultra-broad, consider local SEO as hyper-concentrated.

With this approach, you’re primarily interested in using your website to attract both virtual and foot traffic to your local store.

The main tactic you’ll employ with local SEO is to include a specific region in your targeted search phrase. This means instead of optimizing simply for “shoe repair,” you’ll try to rank for “shoe repair in Charleston, SC.” As expected, this method is best reserved for companies that operate physical stores in specific locations and aren’t as interested in attracting the attention of a global audience.

While the process can be reasonably straightforward for small businesses with a centralized footprint, it can become more complicated for enterprises that operate multiple satellite offices or regional franchises. For local SEO to be effective in these cases, web developers have to create separate web pages or content hubs for each location.

Why Optimize Locally?

To understand the benefit of pursuing local SEO, it helps to know the difference between a standard, international search and one with local intent.

Research shows that a majority of consumers shop at businesses located within 20 minutes or 20 miles of their home. While reports vary, most experts agree that between nearly half of all web searches are likewise local.

The reality is that any website in the world with a high enough Domain Authority (DA) and solid SEO practices can rank for a given search query such as “How to fix a broken HVAC.” However, a search query with real purchase intent often includes some element of localization. It might become “HVAC repair near me” or “best HVAC repair in (location).”

When users enter these types of keywords or key-phrases, search engines automatically understand that they’re looking for nearby businesses. Conversely, queries without local intent often deliver how-to instructions rather than links to targeted local providers.

The main goal, then, of local search is to appear as high as possible on local SERPs. Specifically, developers are striving to earn a spot in what’s known as the “Three Pack” or “Local Pack.” In short, these are the top three listings that appear right below the map in a Google search with local intent.

In addition to links to the sites themselves, Google will pull data from the top three companies’ online business profiles. Without clicking on the websites, users can see pertinent details, including user ratings, operating hours, addresses, phone numbers and more.

For this reason, any business owner hoping to climb the ranks in local SERPs must claim and consistently update their Google My Business (GMB) profile. It’s also wise to perform regular checks on your company’s NAPW (Name, Address, Phone Number, Website) citations floating around on the internet. Check all relevant online directories or business listings to ensure the information included is correct and make updates as required.

Ranking Well in Local Search

Understanding the logistics behind local SEO, how can you make sure you see the fruits of your labour? Below are a few ways to help your site rank as high as possible in local search results.

Localized Content

Localized content is material that naturally includes your city, county or region. This might consist of your web pages, blog, or landing pages.

When your website is localized, users can immediately tell which area you serve and how to reach you. As mentioned, companies with multiple locations will often create separate pages to distinguish between their different local presences.

Business Profile Optimization

Keeping your GMB profile, along with your NAPW citations, up-to-date is another critical element of SEO. Imagine the initial success if a user searches for “Best seafood restaurant in Cape Cod” and finds your restaurant.

Then, consider the subsequent confusion if your GMB (and “Three Pack” listing) displays one phone number while your website or another online citation gives an outdated number that you haven’t used for years. If the user decides to call the wrong number, it’s unlikely that they’ll keep trying.

Monitoring and Managing Reviews

Reviews also factor in local SEO. Not only are they displayed on your GMB profile, but Google bots also crawl them to check the credibility and trustworthiness of your company.

That means they can have a direct impact on how high you appear in local SERPs.

The following factors are all critical to your local search ranking:

• The number of reviews you receive
• The quality of those reviews
• The authority of the review sites

Keeping a close eye on what others are saying about you can help you take proactive action if any issues occur. It only takes one negative testimonial to derail your reputation, so this step cannot be overlooked.

Local, Quality Backlinks

Any time a local online newspaper, blogger or business association recognizes your company with a backlink to your site, you’re one step closer to optimizing Google’s local search algorithm.

The only caveats? 

These must be natural backlinks that you obtained organically. Moreover, the sites linking to your content should be high-authority to give you the boost you need.

International SEO vs Local SEO: Which One is Best?

As detailed, the differences between international SEO and local SEO can be vast. If you’re unsure where to focus your efforts, start by asking yourself one crucial question: Can your business feasibly deliver products and services outside of your operating area?

If the answer is “yes,” then an international SEO strategy can be beneficial. Yet, to stand out in such a global space, you’ll need the budget to compete with every other website out there.

If you can’t access those resources, it’s usually best to stick to a local SEO approach and focus on growing your regional presence before expanding outward. With a localized plan, your level of competition drops significantly. 

From there, you’re able to better capture the attention of your target audience, delivering the uptick in traffic you’re expecting and deserve.

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Two of the most prominent ones are UX and UI. Standing for user experience and user interface, respectively, these two words help shape the design constructs that define every website and app on the internet. 

Yet, what do they mean, exactly? More importantly, which one should you prioritize in your own web development efforts?

Today, we’re taking an in-depth look at the answers to these questions. Read on to learn everything you need to know about UX vs UI from their definitions to their profitability.

What Does UI Mean?

The “UI” in UI design means “user interface.” It encompasses all of the interactive elements that make up the graphical layout of a digital product or service. 

It sounds oversimplified, but the reality is that applications and websites don’t create themselves. 

Behind every interaction, visualization, or animation, there is a choice to make and a design consideration to weigh. Experts in UI design are the ones at the helm of that decision-making process. 

The elements they must create, position, and optimize include buttons, sliders, text fields, images, videos, text entry fields, and others. In addition to those more obvious components, there are other, micro-interactions that cannot be dismissed. Consider, for instance, the technicalities behind interface animations, screen layouts, and page transitions. 

What Does a UI Designer Do?

A UI designer is primarily interested in the aesthetics of web design.

From the onset, this expert will determine what the application should look like, down to every tiny detail. From button shapes and color schemes to image sizes and text fonts, he selects it all. The intended result is an attractive user interface that drives web traffic and engagement.

As such, UI designers are more akin to graphic designers. In addition to making sure the application looks great, they’re also concerned with making sure it’s visually interesting and appropriately themed. Taking into account the site’s intended purpose and personality, they’ll work to ensure that all of the components work together to create a unified branding scheme.

What Does UX Mean?

A great-looking website might be nice to have, but if it’s functionally inoperable, it won’t deliver the results that its creators require. This is where UX design comes in.

Standing for “user experience,” UX looks at the human side of an app or website. How do the user interface elements created by the UI designers translate in real life? They might look great, but how easy or difficult is it to interact with them?

In other words, how do users navigate the site, and what kind of experience do they get when they do so? Do all of the components flow together seamlessly for smooth and intuitive site navigation, or is the process clunky and challenging to follow?

This design step takes a close look at why a person might interact with a given website, and whether or not that website meets their needs. A UX-friendly webpage, therefore, is one that provides users with a sense of accomplishment when they click on it. They’re able to navigate the pages logically, find the exact information they require, and close the tab without feeling defeated or confused.

What Does a UX Designer Do?

Like a UI designer, a UX web designer is also concerned with an application’s user interface. However, this expert is considering it less from an aesthetic perspective and more from a usability one.

They have a direct role in deciding how the interface will be structured and how it will function. They’ll determine how the components will be organized and how they will interact with one another.

Ultimately, if the user interface feels seamless and works smoothly, the user experience will be good and can generate repeat visits. Conversely, an unintuitive interface can drive users away and inspire them to share that sentiment with others. 

To understand what drives a good user experience, UI designers will perform what’s known as iterative analysis. In short, this involves creating initial, wireframe renderings of their interfaces and releasing them to limited audiences to gauge user feedback. Otherwise, what they believe to be a well-performing website could wind up being anything but.

Taking user ideas, comments, and pain points into consideration, UI designers will then go back and make edits to their interfaces as necessary. 

UX vs UI: Bridging the Gap

Knowing that UX and UI mean different things but are part of the same overall web design process, it’s essential to understand that these two roles are collaborative. In most cases, the teams will work in tandem with one another to ensure a consistent final product.

This means that while the UI team is busy working on how the interface elements will appear, the UX team is simultaneously working on the flow of the interface. For example, the UI designer will determine the shape, size, and color of the buttons, while the UX designer positions them in the correct order to facilitate effortless navigation.

Navigating UX/UI Design Changes

What happens, then, if a change needs to be made halfway during the design process? What if, for instance, the UX designer decides that there aren’t enough text fields on a given screen, and wants to add a few more? 

This proposed change doesn’t only affect the operability of the site. It also affects its visual elements.

In this case, the UI designer will need to get involved to reorganize the text fields, and possibly even change their size. However, the UX designer has the final say over how the page is laid out, and the UI designer will need to adapt their components to fit into the new scheme.

When there is a UX change that drives a UI edit, it should be one that improves the user experience of a site. These two teams must work in close contact and harmony with one another to create a digital product that looks as good as it operates.

The ROI of UX: The Value of User-Friendly Design

Investing in UI is critical to any business with an internet presence. You naturally want your site to look sleek, modern, and competitive. Yet, you can’t afford to skip the UX side of the equation. 

Not only does UX make the web experience more pleasant for your user, but it can also deliver a tangible ROI that can benefit your business in myriad ways. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Increased Sales

Research shows that 88% of online shoppers report that they wouldn’t return to a website if they had a bad user experience there. Moreover, other studies reveal that 70% of e-commerce businesses fail due to poor usability.

Especially if your online storefront is a viable part of your business revenue, you can’t afford to scrimp on UX design. It’s critical to getting your customers onto your page and leading them down the path to purchase.

Lower Long-Term Costs

Prioritizing UX now can save your business money down the road. How? Consider the costs incurred if you discover a significant design flaw once  your site is already live. One researcher found that for every dollar you spend fixing usability issues during design, you’d pay $10 more to fix it later during development, and up to $100 or more to undergo a full website redesign post-release.

Thus, a robust UX approach helps you avoid these issues right out of the gate. When your design is correct from the onset, your overall costs are lower, and you can avoid costly re-dos in the future.

Customer Loyalty

Your bottom line hinges on repeat customers who visit your site often and tell their friends and followers to do the same. If your interface is simple and easy to navigate, your user retention rate will show it.

Considering that a 10% rise in retention can boost your company value by 30%, this isn’t a step to skip.

The Critical Collaborative: Merging UX and UI in Web Design

Both UX designers and UI designers are necessary team members when you’re seeking to revamp an existing website or create a new one from scratch. Each role has its own place and purpose, and the two must work together to create a successful launch. 

The user interface of any site cannot be merely beautiful, nor can it be merely operable. The key to driving traffic is creating a website that looks as good as it works and vice versa. Therefore, UX and UI cannot exist in silos and must work collaboratively throughout the entire design process.

In terms of ROI, UX design delivers accurate results, but again, requires UI design to be successful. These two processes form the backbone of every successful web launch and should be critical components of yours.

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