By Darren Gilbert

Just ask the team at Fixate: “Trying to guess where websites will be in the next few years is like guessing the plot for the next Mr Robot episode. Impossible.” However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth discussing.

Websites are irreplaceable

According to Brett Vorster, director at Originate Media, one thing is certain – websites will not be replaced. Instead, they will become better. “Websites represent a brand, person or business – they are personalised. Non-homogenous. So long as life is diverse, websites will remain – because they form an expression of what they represent.”

Garth Howard, owner of NetMechanic agrees: “Today, over two decades after the publication of the first website, web design has firmly established itself as an irreplaceable component of every good marketing strategy.”

Now this is all good and well. But what are clients actually demanding from a website?

What are clients demanding?

Well, the answer is slightly different depending on who you speak to. For Vorster, it’s about providing clients with modern-day websites. “Most clients are wanting sites that are up to date with what is happening – like mobile responsive, Google friendly, [and] easy to manage,” he says. “My primary concern for my clients is that they see a return on their investment.”

And that makes sense – clients need to see tangible results.

For Howard, it’s really depends on the business as no two are alike. “Some clients look for affordable solutions that will drive traffic and to showcase their business [while] other clients are more serious about their brand and will spend more time and investment on the creative aspect of their websites.”

“Right now, the majority of our clients are simply looking for a web presence,” say Fixate. “Although many are unaware of responsive technologies, they realise its importance once it’s explained.”

This will undoubtedly point them to future technologies, as it should. Which leaves the important question: what does the future hold for web design?

What does the future hold?

As stated in the opening paragraph, predicting the future of web design is nigh on impossible. Vorster agrees: “It is a very difficult space to predict properly because the space is evolving and accelerating. [N]ew ideas and ways of doing things are being developed all the time.”

But instead of dreading the uncertainly, one should embrace the possibilities. “One big mindset change that lies in store for web designers is the move from web design to more experience design and is directly caused by the shift from web pages to digital products, tools, and ecosystems,” says Howard.

One such trends that plays along with this is the Internet of Things. “It’s perhaps the biggest trend taking place right now,” says Fixate. “Everyday physical objects that are connected to the Internet, enabling them to perform certain tasks.” In the future, most, if not all devices will need a corresponding website or application that allows users to interpret information transmitted from them.

This world will be populated by websites that cater for people’s needs. Websites that listen to you.

What are your thoughts on the future of web design? Where do you think we’re heading? Tell us below.