It’s amazing how far the Internet has come, and how much websites have grown up. Those who’ve only had access to the technologically superior websites of today are going to have a hard time getting used to the older websites that are still active today. And, while some people may have a hard time understanding exactly why modern websites are so different, the distinction is actually very clear. In an effort to showcase the web’s growth and the distinction between modern and outmoded site design, here’s a look at how websites have changed in the last twenty years.
Old websites, especially those from the 1990s, look hopelessly outdated. Outdated websites are loud, obnoxious, and feature html tables, flashing gifs, and horrible soundtracks. Today’s websites aren’t so in-your-face. They’re streamlined to meet the modern requirements of search engines, and to fit on smaller screens. If a website is up-to-date, it can be viewed on devices, such as smart phones and tablets.
Mobile Friendliness and Smartphones
The rise of mobile technology is the most distinguishable feature of the 2010s; even though, mobiles were released before the 2010s and have been capable of accessing the Internet since before then. Despite this, the 2010s mark the rise of smartphones because it is during this time that people began accessing the Internet almost exclusively with their smartphones.
In the 1990s, Internet access was very niche. Cell phones were fairly niche too. In the 2000s, the Internet became mainstream, but people typically accessed it with a computer or laptop. Today, people use their smartphones, and the result is crisper, cleaner websites that are more streamlined to be viewable on devices. This characteristic is known as mobile friendliness, and it’s become an essential aspect in web design. Naturally, it has changed the Internet landscape, and the look and feel of many websites.
It stands to reason that outdated websites should do their best to update their technology; and, at the very least, update their sites to be mobile-ready.
Search Engine Optimization and Web Content
Search engines made their debut in the late 1990s, and they revolutionized the way people use the Internet. The Internet is a vast, unfathomable landscape of information. Organizing it is impossible, so a search engine is necessary for people seeking out the best information.
For web developers, it’s exceedingly important to reach the top of search results pages, in order to drive traffic to the page. People don’t usually navigate beyond the first five pages of a search engine’s results page. The most popular websites are those that populate on the first pages of results, which is why search engine optimization is such a unique and integral part of modern web design.
Overall Improved Website Quality
If you don’t already have a website, or yours is rapidly becoming outmoded, it’s time to embrace the modern landscape. Websites such as iPage allow you to host a modern site, building it quickly to the standards of mobile computing and SEO marketing. These sites can be altered on a whim, and are already uniquely designed to fit in with the current landscape.
In the span of 15 years or so, the Internet has gone from something rarely talked about to a worldwide phenomenon that connects us all. Internet and web-technology is improving at an ever-accelerating rate, but no form of technology is immune to this trend. Expect the Internet of Things to produce an entirely new way of remaining online, and soon the websites that make up the current landscape may be the ones that are outmoded.