Most modern businesses build and maintain their own website to reach more customers. It’s good to have an online presence, but know that your competitors are also doing their best to optimize their websites for better brand awareness and profitability. Don’t fall behind — follow these web design trends to increase web traffic and boost your bottom line.

Mobile-friendly layouts

Many websites today are designed to have a mobile version. With around 47.07% of all internet traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s safe to assume that you are losing a big percentage of your viewership by not having a mobile-friendly website.

Implementing a thumb-friendly mobile web design is also critical, as most people who browse websites on mobile do so with one hand while on the go or doing another task or activity. Putting important navigation features within reach of a mobile user’s thumb on the screen will greatly improve your website’s user experience.

Website load time

One of the most important web design features these days are high-speed website load times. Site visitors seem to be more impatient than ever, and they would most likely close websites that take three or more seconds to load. According to a study conducted by Pinterest, efforts to speed up web page load times reduced perceived wait times by 40%, resulting in a 15% increase in search engine traffic and sign-ups.

One technique for cutting down load times for content-rich sites is to lazy load the page instead of fully loading it before it can be viewed. Lazy loading is when a browser is configured to only load the portion of the page that is currently viewable on the screen. The parts of the page that are currently off-screen won’t be loaded so that they don’t consume too much processing power. This works great for websites that are configured to have infinite scroll, like Pinterest.

Micro-interactions

Micro-interactions are small animations that provide subtle feedback after they complete an action. These are usually found on navigation and tool buttons to further emphasize the purpose of each button. For example, if your cut button is a pair of scissors, you can make it do a couple of snip motions during mouseover. Or if your delete button is a rubbish bin, you can make its lid pop open during mouseover.

These actions will make your website more lively and easy to navigate for site visitors. It’s also a great way to keep them on your site for longer periods of time.

Micro-animations

Although similar to micro-interactions, micro-animations are more for aesthetic purposes. You can use them to make your site more visually appealing, as well as to subtly direct visitors toward certain parts of your site that you would like to gain more attention. For example, if you run a coffee business, your website’s micro-animations can be a pot of coffee brewing for page loads, or a big puff of steam from an espresso machine for page transitions.

Dark mode

Many users appreciate dark mode because it helps them conserve device power and lessens the strain on their eyes when they browse the internet before bedtime. Websites that offer this option may entice visitors to stick around to read articles and learn more about the product offerings, simply because the site is comfortable to use.

If you need help staying on top of website design trends or adapting to an ever-changing digital landscape in general, give us a call.

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Windows 10 is developed as a service, and regularly receives patches and bug fixes. It also gets feature updates at least twice a year, and 2018 is no different. This October, Microsoft unveiled the October 2018 update, also known as Redstone 5, which comes with some amazing new features.

Your Phone
Windows 10 is getting a built-in app called “Your Phone” that makes it easier to integrate your phone’s features with your PC. For instance, it will let you send texts and instantly access photos from your phone’s library on your computer.

There’s also talk about syncing notifications between devices in future updates. Currently, the iPhone has limited compatibility with this app, but Microsoft promises additional features will be added later.

Clipboard History
The Clipboard app has been revamped and now allows you to access a list of items you’ve copied to your clipboard, pin frequently used images, and sync your clipboard across your devices. All you have to do is hit Windows key + V to pull up your clipboard history and copy-paste items without having to constantly switch between windows.

SwiftKey
Windows touchscreen devices like the Surface Pro will come with SwiftKey functionality, which lets you type by swiping your finger from letter to letter rather than tapping each one. According to Microsoft, this feature produces accurate autocorrections and makes typing faster once you get used to it.

Dark Mode
All Microsoft apps will now support Dark Mode, which can be enabled by going to Settings > Personalization > Colors. This improvement may seem small compared to other features in this list, but Dark Mode reduces eye fatigue and saves battery life.

Cortana Search
When you use Cortana’s search functions, she’ll now provide previews to give you more information. For instance, if you use Cortana to search the web, Bing search results will be displayed on your Start menu. Or, if you search for an application, Cortana will show you its download page.

Windows Security
Windows Security will replace the Windows Defender Security Center program and add even more safeguards for your devices. It will have a “Block Suspicious Behaviors” setting that detects and prevents app and file activities that can leave you open to attacks.

What’s more, Windows Security keeps track of all the antivirus software, firewalls, and other security measures on your device, so you can see threat reports and manage your device’s cybersecurity in one place.

Predictive Updates
If you’re tired of Windows 10 restarting your computer at the worst times, you’ll love the new predictive updates feature. This function uses machine learning to study your computer habits and predict the best time to restart and update your PC.

These are only a few of the features that Windows 10 has in store for users. Microsoft will likely release dozens more in future updates, so tune into our blog to learn about the latest Windows developments.

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You’ve just logged into your PC and you’re greeted with an incredibly plain desktop background and an equally drab Start Menu. What could be worse? The pinging noise of that notification tab on the bottom right of your screen is also telling you that an application you barely use is ready for an update. Thankfully, Windows 10 allows you to customize your PC however you like. So if you like things to look a certain way, then try out these tips to personalize your Windows 10 experience.

Change your themes

Probably the most obvious way to personalize your Windows 10 is by changing your background and lock images by right-clicking on your desktop and going to the Personalization settings. Fiddle around with the different themes you want to see every time you minimize your windows or even add new themes by selecting your own or by clicking on the Get more themes online option.

Use dark mode

Want to give your Windows 10 an edgier feel? Replace those white backgrounds with dark mode. It does take a bit of effort to get to though. Open the run menu (Windows key + R) and type regedit to open the Registry. Then go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER> SOFTWARE> Microsoft> Windows> CurrentVersion> Themes> Personalize. On the right, you’ll notice an option called AppsUseLightTheme. Open up the box, and change Value Data from a 1 to 0.

Changing the value to 0 switches off the light theme and takes you to dark mode. To make sure the changes are made you need to logout of your PC and log back in. To switch the themes back to the Light theme just take the same steps but instead you need to switch the Data Value back to 1.

Virtual desktops

If you’re having trouble separating your work files from your personal files, try creating a virtual desktop. Press the Windows key + TAB to show all your open windows. At the bottom right corner of your screen you’ll notice an option to add a new desktop. Simply click on it to create a new desktop and immediately enjoy looking up your hobbies on one desktop while strictly doing business on the other.

To quickly switch between your desktops you can use the CTRL + Windows key + left/right arrow shortcut to maneuver between screens.

App snapping

App snapping is not exactly a new feature for experienced Windows users but with Windows 10, you can now snap any app in place. For people who like to multitask, this feature can be just for you. Snap any app window into one side or corner of your screen by simply dragging it into the desired area. You can have a maximum of 4 separate windows open in your monitor at the same time for when you want to browse the internet while you’re filling out spreadsheets.

Reorganize your Start Menu

To add a little more “you” into your Windows PC you can do a few things to customize how your apps are readied on your Start Menu. To begin with, you can resize the Start Menu by simply dragging the top or right side of the menu to resize.

You can choose to resize the live tiles by right-clicking on them and selecting the Resize option. You can also rearrange application tiles by dragging them anywhere around the Start Menu. Or if you don’t see yourself using a particular application simply right click the tile and select Unpin from Start. On the other hand, you can pin applications into the Start Menu by going to the All Apps tab, right-clicking and choosing Pin to Start. For even faster access to the apps that you like to go to, simply pin the program to the task bar.

Change color themes

Is plain black Start Menu color not doing it for you anymore? Just right-click on your desktop, choose Personalize> Color and select any accent color that suits you. Switch on the Show color on Start, taskbar, action center, and title option if you want this color applied to the entire menu. There are also various other options you can choose to display the Start Menu by going to the Start section of the Personalization settings.

Disable notifications

We don’t know where you stand on app notifications but if you absolutely hate it and wish to never hear that notification sound ever again, simply click Start> Setting> System> Notifications>Actions and switch off whatever app notifications you don’t want. Goodbye annoying reminders.

Switch up and personalize your Windows 10 how ever you like by using some or all of these options and hopefully you get the settings that’s just right for you. If you would like to know about more ways you can personalize your desktop or need information on anything Windows 10 related, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

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