If you asked anyone about the future of the internet and websites today, you’re sure to get a lot of opinions. There won’t be a shortage of the “AI” buzzword in those answers, that much we can tell you.

But, to really get a grip on the trends and projections for the “website for the future”, it’s best to first understand what the websites of today are about.

In 2024, aesthetics doesn’t necessarily equate to conversions for sites. Even if your website looks stunning, if visitors can’t instantly understand what you offer or who it’s for, or if they have difficulty navigating to what they need, they’re likely to leave.

So, as you design or update your site, the key question should be “How does this improve the experience for my target audience?”.

If this is the status quo for the modern-day website, then it’s fairly certain that the future will improve on that. Understanding the fundamentals of creating a user-centered website puts you in good stead for the future of the digital space.

With that in mind, let’s dive into how to design a user-centric website in 2024. This approach will help you stay focused on what truly matters for success, ensuring you don’t get sidetracked by the latest design fad, trends or distractions.

User-Centric Website Design – 2024

We’ve established that creating a website that prioritizes user experience is crucial for business success. When done correctly, you can quickly establish your online presence, gather valuable data, and start generating revenue with a user-centric website.

But we can’t have a balanced conversation about user-centered designs without considering the users themselves. What do netizens really want from a website?

It’s a broad question, but an instructive one, nonetheless. From our experience, it’s much easier to figure out what they don’t want. A laggy website will chase off a prospect faster than you can read this sentence out loud.

From that, we can draw inferences towards things that elevate the average user experience on a website. We explore two of them below:

The Multi-Device Experience

In 2024, users expect consistent interactions across various devices, from smartphones and tablets to desktops and smart TVs. This isn’t a ridiculous thing to ask for, considering that there are three times more internet-connected devices than humans currently walking the surface of the earth.

Since we all tend to interact with more than one device at a time, the websites we visit naturally have to keep up. Over the years, we’ve seen how that has played out. PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) are a prime example.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are a hybrid of regular web pages (or websites) and a mobile application. The application model attempts to combine features offered by most modern PC browsers with the benefits of the mobile experience.

On the inside, PWAs are built for speed, reliability, and engagement. They load quickly, even on unreliable networks, and offer features like home screen icons and immersive full-screen experiences. This is made possible by a web app manifest file and service workers. Service workers enable offline functionality and background tasks, while the manifest file defines how the app behaves when installed on a user’s device.

Many companies have implemented PWAs to great success. For instance, Twitter’s PWA has led to increased user time on site, and Starbucks’ PWA has doubled the number of online orders.

On the whole, we think users will continue to push for a more immersive multi-device experience on websites, making it a crucial focus point for your user-centered website development.

The AI Experience

We’re a tad tired of “AI-powered” rhetoric all over the internet, but it’s only a matter of time before we circle back to the much-bandied word here.

Ideally, users prefer sites that “sees” them: one that understands their content preferences, recommendations after just a few visits.

Currently, there’s one technology that makes this possible – you guessed it, AI.

Web developers are increasingly using AI to deliver personalized experiences on websites. By analyzing user data such as behavior, preferences, and past interactions, AI models tailor content, product recommendations, and marketing messages to each individual.

As you might expect, this level of personalization enhances user engagement and boosts conversion rates, encouraging users to take action. Additionally, a customized experience fosters customer loyalty by making users feel recognized and valued.

But the million-dollar question, at least for us, is, “how far can AI take a user-centered website?”

Really far, apparently.

AI-powered chatbots, for example, use natural language processing (NLP) to offer instant, 24/7 customer support. They can answer questions, assist users with services, and help complete transactions, reducing the reliance on large customer service teams while improving user satisfaction.

How about this: AI improving user interface testing by automatically detecting and reporting visual inconsistencies across different devices and browsers, helping to ensure a smooth and consistent user experience.

Evidently, incorporating AI into a user-centric website design pays some dividends, which is something to consider when developing your site.

How to Create a User-Centered Website in 2024

Step 1: Needs Understanding

Before you start building your website, take the time to understand your target audience’s preferences, behaviors, and pain points. Begin by creating user personas to guide your design choices and help prioritize your content effectively.

When crafting your copy and brand guidelines, keep the focus on your customer. It’s easy for business owners to get caught up talking about their own offers, but the key is to highlight what’s in it for the customer – specifically the benefits and outcomes they can expect from working with you.

To keep the focus on customer benefits, show them that you:

Understand the challenges and concerns they face throughout their buying journey.
Are committed to educating them and providing the information they need to make confident, informed decisions.
Can be trusted to positively impact their lives once they’ve chosen to work with you.

Step 2: Making Site Navigation Streamlined

Your website’s navigation should be easy to find and simple to use. It’s crucial to design an intuitive structure that helps visitors quickly locate what they need, while also supporting your business goals.

Remember to always prioritize functionality and consistency over flashy designs.

Here are some tips for creating intuitive navigation:

Create a simple, consistent menu: Ensure your menu is easy to spot, with clear, concise labels that accurately represent the content of each section.
Place the menu where visitors expect it: Typically, this is at the top or left side of the page.
Use descriptive labels: Avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse users who aren’t familiar with your industry.
Add a prominent search bar: Consider using features like autosuggestions or popular prompts to enhance the user experience.
Include breadcrumbs for navigation: This is especially useful for websites with complex structures or a lot of content.
Optimize for mobile: Evaluate whether reducing the amount of visible content on mobile devices improves the user experience.

Remember, most visitors won’t want to search hard for what they need. Strike a balance between navigation that is both stylish and accessible.

Step 3: Prioritizing Mobile-First

Between us and you, many visitors will likely access your website on the go. You can then agree that making sure your site is mobile-friendly is essential to delivering a great experience to a wider audience. Here are some tips for optimizing your site for mobile:

Optimize images: Large images can slow down page load times, so ensure they’re properly compressed.
Keep the design simple: Use easy-to-read fonts and limit animations, which can also impact loading speed.
Avoid fixed-width elements: Use flexible grid layouts to ensure your site adapts to different screen sizes.
Test your site regularly: After making changes or adding new content, always check the mobile version to ensure it is optimized for the best user experience.

Step 4: Consolidating Visual Appeal

We’ve mentioned that user-centered websites shouldn’t only be flashy. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be attractive, if you can help it. You can achieve a visually appealing site without sacrificing functionality.

High-quality images, thoughtfully selected fonts, and a cohesive color scheme contribute to a positive user experience and enhance your brand’s professionalism.

If you don’t have access to quality images or prefer not to feature yourself prominently, consider using stock photos and professional design elements.

Here are some tips for selecting photos and designing your website:

Plan your content carefully: Decide which information to include and prioritize it. Organizing your content to guide users through your site will prevent overwhelm and tell a compelling story.
Showcase your audience: Use photos that clearly represent what you do, featuring either your target audience in their current state (highlighting their pain points) or their future state (showing the potential benefits of working with you).
Limit fonts to 2-3: Stick to ideally two fonts to enhance page load speed and maintain brand consistency – one for titles and another for body text.
Choose a cohesive color scheme: Select a consistent palette and ensure it’s accessible. You can use free contrast checkers to verify that your color combinations meet accessibility standards.
Incorporate icons and graphics: Break up long blocks of text with visuals to communicate your message more effectively; this helps maintain user interest.

Consistency is crucial in your brand design. Once you select your fonts, color scheme, and design elements, stick with them throughout your website.

Step 5: Page Speed Optimization

Slow-loading pages can frustrate visitors, causing them to leave your site before they even engage with your content. A fast-loading website makes a positive first impression and encourages users to explore further.

Users have come to expect quick load times (internet technologies’ pretty rapid growth is to thank), so it’s essential to take the time to compress images, limit animations, and prioritize your content to ensure speedy page loads.

Here are some tips to help speed up your website:

Enable Caching: Caching allows previously loaded pages to load faster for subsequent visitors.
Limit Third-Party Code: Excessive third-party scripts can slow down your site, so evaluate their necessity and impact on performance.
Minimize Animations: While animations can enhance visual appeal, use them sparingly, especially on pages with minimal content, as they can increase load times.
Optimize Images and Media: Upload high-quality images but keep their size under 25MB. Use JPGs where possible, as they are generally more efficient than PNGs, and prefer SVGs for design assets and logos.

Wrapping Up

Website design as we know it will keep changing, but user experience will always remain at the forefront. To create a successful website in 2024 and beyond, prioritizing user needs is paramount.

Remember, a user-friendly website is not just a trend; it’s a necessity for businesses that want to thrive in this digital age and the next. By implementing these recommendations and staying attuned to the evolving needs and expectations of your target audience, you can ensure that your website remains a valuable asset for years to come.