Web Development Trends of 2022 and Beyond

In 2002, Stuart Morris created slashdotslash.com, the first ever single-page web application. This led to web development trends and the introduction of frameworks such as Angular, Node, React Native, among others. Since then, advancements in web development carried on and new technologies are launched almost on a daily basis, making websites more dynamic and interactive.

This has made it tough for businesses to survive in the fast-growing digital landscape. Keeping abreast with the latest web development trends has become critical for businesses to stay competitive. Failing to do so can result in dire consequences and you can lose traffic to competitor websites that are offering better user experiences. However, identifying the trends that will work for your business can be quite challenging because there are so many out there.

No worries though. In this blog post we have curated a list of upcoming and promising trends based on market demands in various industries. This should make it easier for you to choose the right technology for your business.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

This is not exactly something new, but the latest iterations of progressive web apps will replace web applications for good. In a nutshell, PWAs behave like native mobile apps but you don’t have to download them from an app store. They provide a native, app-like experience right through the users’ browsers. They make websites load faster and can work offline in certain apps like Google Maps.

In 2021, mobile devices accounted for approximately 54% of global internet traffic. This is very significant because as people increasingly rely on smartphones and other portable devices to perform online tasks, it is imperative to convert web apps to PWAs. Here are figures to validate the rise and perpetuation of PWAs:

Their conversion rate is 36% higher than native apps.
They have a 50% higher user engagement rate.
Their maintenance cost is 33% lower.

Big companies like Pinterest, Starbucks, Twitter, and Uber are already using PWAs to deliver better user experience. This year, Angular, CSS, HTML, JavaScript or React are the frontrunners in creating progressive web apps.

Accelerated Mobile Pages

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) were originally launched in 2015 by Google, and until the summer of 2021, they were widely regarded as a new web technology. AMPs are basically optimized pages that work fast and have a basic yet convenient design, which is in stark contrast to full-scope web products. The concept behind it is to provide seamless user experiences to keep them hooked to the site. AMPs also minimize bounce rate across mobile devices and help in enhancing key business metrics such as conversion rate.

Google’s AMP is still the most popular mobile technology in the world as it is used on roughly 35% of websites that utilize mobile technologies and more than 50% of the most popular websites. This is no surprise because the load time of non-AMP pages is up to 22 seconds, while AMPs load in only about 2 seconds. This is extremely beneficial for news portals, e-commerce sites, catalog sites, among others. It also positions small and niche-oriented products and services in competition with market leaders.

Single-Page Applications

As the name suggests, SPAs have a single page that loads the whole web page then dynamic content is loaded as needed without refreshing the same page. These JavaScript-based web applications are regarded as one of the most notable recent trends in web page development and they have been embraced by the development community, as well as Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

Aside from being cost-effective and easy to create, SPAs occupy less space in servers, optimize the page load speed, decrease the bounce rate, and efficiently provide information to users on a single page so they don’t need to navigate around. Studies also show that SPAs boost conversion rate by up to 37%, helping businesses reach their target audience with requisite content. These benefits make SPAs ideal for companies to simplify customer navigation and increase their bottom line.

Artificial Intelligence Chatbots

Bots are expected to become self-learning and will be able to respond based on users’ specific needs and preferences. AI-based bots will ultimately possess 24/7 problem-solving capabilities, consumer behavior analytics, and provide a captivating human-like experience. They can be easily integrated into regular websites, progressive web apps, mobile apps, and more.
Facebook Messenger and VoIP giants like Skype and WhatsApp are already leveraging chatbots and other business-to-consumer (B2C) companies have followed suit. A number of established brands like Starbucks, Pizzahut, and Sephora are now also using chatbots powered by artificial intelligence to deliver a more personalized service to their customers.

Voice Search Optimization

Voice search was initially introduced by Google in 2011 and since then it has rapidly grown in popularity. More tech firms are launching new products like Apple HomePod and Google Home in order to meet consumer demand. In 2021 alone, 27% of Internet users were already using voice search. The statistic is logical given the fact that there are at least 200 million smart speakers worldwide. Moreover, a report by Statista revealed that the smart speaker market will hit $35.5 billion by 2025, while another study shows that the voice recognition market will reach $27 billion by 2026.

Note, however, that aside from smart speakers, consumers are also using mobile phones and IoT devices to conduct voice searches. This means voice search results will be ranking higher and more often on search engine results.

Given the aforementioned stats and taking into account market conditions, it’s quite evident that voice search optimization has emerged as one of the top web development trends of 2022. If you are a web developer, an app developer or a website owner, you must include it in your SEO strategy in order to stay ahead of the competition. The trend of “Hi Alexa” and “Hey Siri” has definitely caught up with us!

Serverless Architecture

Researchers have long been trying to find a technology that will minimize data loss, system overloading, as well as development costs. These have led to the use of serverless architecture. It operates on cloud technology, enabling users to run code for almost any kind of app or backend service with no administration.

Moreover, there is no need for managing or upgrading servers. This means programmers can develop and run web applications without thinking about servers. They can therefore concentrate on writing code instead of spending time mulling infrastructure provisioning, maintenance and scaling.

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and IMB are the best examples of companies utilizing and providing serverless architecture. The market for this technology is expected to expand from $7.6 billion in 2020 to $21 billion by 2025. We will also see more products, including APIs, IoT apps, and chat bots using serverless functions to run tasks like delivering notifications and downloading file backups. The benefits are absolutely perfect for businesses and it’s about time that you take a serious look into this technology.

Motion UI

Another web development trend that we’re seeing this year is creative web design. Businesses tend to concentrate on user experience while investing less in aesthetics and visual appearance. But there are higher chances of drawing the attention of prospective customers if you have attractive and well-designed mobile apps and websites.

People are not only expecting faster and seamless digital experiences, they are also looking for richer, engaging, and more interactive experiences. According to data released by Blue Corona, roughly 48% of people think that website and app design are the key factors in determining the credibility of a business, and 38% of people stop browsing a website when they find that its interface is bland and boring.

All these explain why motion UI has become extremely popular. It is basically a front-end framework that allows developers to create fully responsive mobile apps and websites, and to implement predefined motions in a native app setting. With motion UI, you can make an element bounce, slide, spin, transition, and more. It works with all web technologies and has become increasingly more accessible to all devices thanks to SASS library technology. Lastly, developers won’t have to spend a lot of time and effort in creating digital products, while saving a significant sum for product owners.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The widespread use of the internet has ushered this technology to us and it is shaping to be one of the most vital technology trends that will have a huge impact on the future of web development services. IoT is essentially a network of devices with integrated software, sensors, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other systems over the Internet.

The technology helps businesses deliver their services to connect with customers as fast as possible. Some examples where IoT is providing the best possible experience to users include home security systems, connected smart appliances, biometric cybersecurity scanners, wearable health monitors, and wireless inventory trackers.

Statista reported that by 2023, global spending on IoT will reach $1.1 trillion, and 75.5 billion devices will be in it by 2025. These figures prove that IoT is currently one of the fastest-growing web development services. It works everywhere and proving its value in various industries.

Parting Words…

We have come up with a list of emerging web development trends that you must consider incorporating into your website to stay on par with the competition in today’s digital world. Each trend boasts a set of features and functionalities that can increase revenue and boost customer engagement.

If you are contemplating on implementing any of the above mentioned technologies to meet your business objectives, having a reputable web development partner is one of the top prerequisites. In case you need web design and development services, feel free to contact us so you can have a website that ticks all the trends boxes.