Will 5G Change My Website Design?
5G is going to force change in your website design. Whether you are currently lacking responsive design or you have been eager to introduce hi-spec user experiences – the opportunity is here to improve.
While many people will consider the introduction of 5G connectivity as a mobile advancement, many people might not have thought about the way in which it will impact the way in which websites need to be designed.
Ultimately, 5G means greater data transfer speeds (1Gbps+) and lower latency which opens up a whole world of possibilities for businesses and consumers.
However, your Website Design is very much dependent on speed and 5G is going to influence design in one way or another.
Initially, you will be pushed if not already to design for mobile first and stick to SEO principles. As a leading web design agency in Surrey, trust us, this subject is important for your web development.
5G and 4G – What Is The Difference?
5G or fifth-generation networking is going to replace 4G but there are major differences.
There is no doubt that 4G made a significant difference to the way in which people browsed and streamed on the move.
However, 4G with maximum speeds of 300Mpbs is now reaching its limit and technology has advanced to the point where 5G, with potential speeds of 1 Gbps+ (Gigabit), is going to change how we use our data.
It will enable us to utilise the ‘Internet of Things’ and industries and cities will become more data-driven.
Ultimately, 5G will offer higher speeds, less latency, and will enable more devices to be connected with greater efficiency and interference.
5G Will force change on mobile web design
-5G mobile device use will soar
We now live in a world where network connectivity is key.
Users are now accessing from remote locations using their smart devices to carry out a wealth of tasks online. So before we get too excited with 5G, we need to set you some boundaries.
If you are a business owner with Google Analytics, you will notice mobile sessions by device at 60% and potentially higher if you are direct to consumer. Be advised that they will be the main search and control device of the future.
5G Mobiles will be more voice search ready, with phones now being more trigger ready, used more frequently and consumers expecting faster search speed.
5G is going to increase mobile device use in general due to their ever-expanding processing power for controlling the home i.e. heating systems, home lighting, doorbells and entertainment such as music and gaming. Many Apps vs websites are already there leading this.
In fact, it’s free to play mobile gaming that is driving the huge growth for game developers.
5G may lead as a preference over home wifi as some neighborhoods still struggle for decent fibre broadband.
Making sure your website is therefore mobile ready is paramount.
-So Embrace Web Design Changes & SEO Basics for Mobile
Websites design must tick search engine optimisation boxes that Google requires.
Whilst 5G may permit more embedded video, JavaScript coding or other clever design transitioning effects, you must adhere to
- professional responsive design,
- user experience and
- content.
Responsive design and UX (user experience, i.e. friendly). This includes, and is not limited to, clear spacing around buttons and videos /image’s within the screen viewable limits.
Think of scalable fonts, and spacing for fingers and thumbs with no zooming in and out required.
As mobile search continues to increase and to score highly for SEO you still need content (copy/words!), therefore loading your site with just more video and effects will not help your rankings.
Designers and developers creating sites for 5G must strike a balance with aesthetics and content.
5G is going reduce website rankings for those not mobile ready. Web design could see some of the most significant changes it has seen for some time.
With greater speeds comes more possibilities but it will mean that your web designer will have to change their approach.
Will 5G Enhance Web Design?
5G is not just going to change the landscape for image-heavy sites because there are many tools out there that designers use to optimise images for 4G usage.
While web designers will be able to incorporate more images, they’ll also be able to consider video and many other new technologies that transform user experience.
Loading times and speed have governed web designers in some way because ultimately, the speed and connectivity of 4G has meant that they have had to consider keeping the design safe.
Being user-friendly and ensuring a good experience is key to ensuring users get what they want. Whilst still adhering to the search engine criteria is all part of ensuring websites remain within the boundaries of 4G connectivity, 5G pushes boundaries and creates new opportunities.
With this in mind, what will web designers be able to achieve with 5G powering the web and connectivity?
Designers will have the scope to implement high-resolution images but 4k video is likely to be one of the biggest changes we see. As 5G is geared up for faster speeds, it will mean designers will be able to implement 4k video content that creates an immersive experience for users.
5G Will increase the Opportunity for Voice Search
Voice search has already become a part of our daily lives but 5G enhances scalability which means that web designers and SEO managers need to consider how web design can incorporate voice search.
Siri for example could see its use increase 10-fold as phones become faster.
Searching with voice will also become more natural due to the increase of Smart Watches, Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices.
Combine this with any more people working from home, the temptation for a faster answer by ‘asking’ a search query will increase.
Web Content Must be Ready for 5G Voice Search
To have your website in contention for the 1st query in voice, you will have to focus more on snappier answers to queries in your content.
Accordion website FAQ pages will be a popular way to answer search queries with answers.
Similar to the way content experts target Google snippets, the answer must be complete in one sentence.
Your copy will also need to focus on more long tail keywords and read more conversational in format.
Users will tend to use 10 words in their voice query, this will include the main keyword and long-tail variants. As stated before, the website design must have a responsive design and load fast.
Voice search tends to provide retailers or suppliers near the consumer on the map, so focus on your local SEO if you want 5G to benefit your business.
Mobiles will work off 5G, so your website must have responsive design to take advantage of the potential increase in ecommerce sales.
Users will expect ‘Easy Street’ Search With 5G
Users want simplicity and they’re eager for 5G technology to take the hassle out of searching for things online.
Whether it’s searching for specific products, discovering information in an FAQ section or asking a website to search for something specific, designers are going to need to discover how the systems work and that includes identifying key phrases so the system can be integrated seamlessly.
5G Will Advance Augmented Reality (AR) in Web Design
Augmented reality is another advancement that’s been knocking on the door.
It’s been held back by a lack of capacity on a wider scale. Up until now, 4G has made Augmented Reality a technology that has been unreachable but now 5G allows designers to roll this out.
Designers will be able to create new experiences for users, offering the ability to explore their physical shops, carry out property viewings and even see how they look wearing clothing before making a purchase.
The possibilities that 5G brings are almost endless when it comes to creating new experiences for users on the move.
If you are involved in VR then embrace it, the better processing power with cloud-based computers will enhance VR’s portability in headsets for example. Up to now, they have had to be connected to PCs.
Statista.com says the global market for VR will increase hugely by 2025. “..increase by over 195 billion U.S. dollars, increasing from roughly 3.5 billion in 2017 to over 198 billion U.S. dollars in 2025.”
5G Creates More Freedom With Lower Latency
When it comes to web design, the increase in data transfer is a game-changer.
One of the main benefits of using 5G is that users will benefit from faster speeds and lower latency but for designers, this opens up the door to more freedom when designing.
Latency is the time taken for data to transfer between 2 points. 5G expands the capacity of data being sent at one time and also the speed.
As mentioned, certain parameters have held designers back because they have had to forfeit their freedom in design for optimisation and fast speeds.
As every second passes, the bounce rate increases but with 5G web design, these kinds of restrictions will be reduced.
Can Web Designers Go 5G Crazy?
Cream Soda Media’s SEO team, still agrees that mobile speeds still count regardless.
However, some designers might use HD images wherever they wish as loading times will not be impacted, creating a seamless and more exciting experience for users.
They might believe they have no boundaries when it comes to streaming videos, apps, and content and all of that makes for a completely unique experience for users.
Be very wary of the above, whilst 5G may have launched, its distribution may not be as widespread as you think.
It will be similar to the 4G rollout, mainly in cities. So keep in mind that full-blown experiences might not come that quickly for a number of years.
5G will Impact advertising and Ecommerce
There is no denying that 5G is going to transform advertising. It’ll enable you to implement new and exciting strategies that harness the power of 5G with the implementation of 4k videos and Augmented Reality.
The entire marketing journey for users will become more immersive and engaging. Your website will likely become more interactive and users will be able to explore new features and new possibilities.
With successful advertising comes sales and it’s expected that e-commerce web development is going to grow exponentially. With faster, more reliable speeds, browsing becomes more accessible to most and that means shopping will become easier.
Designers will need to consider building websites that are easy to access and capable of handling increased traffic.
However, to enhance the customer experience, it’s likely that artificial intelligence is going to play a significant role in both design and the customer journey.
Chat bots are growing in popularity via desktop but 5G will allow them to become more accessible and smarter too on mobiles due to lower latency and faster speeds.
Consumers expectations on page design and user experience will move to those with holograms or Virtual Reality advancements.
Security will be another factor you must adhere too. This means a minimum SSL certification for your site and GDPR compliance for all customer data.
What Does 5G Mean for Wearable Devices
We have all seen the growth in wearable devices but as these devices become smarter in order to align themselves with 5G, it’s likely that web designers are going to need to change website design so they can be accessed.
It’s no secret that user habits are going to change as a result of the improvement in wearable devices.
Users will expect content to be accessible in a matter of a split second. This is likely to become the main focus for designers, much like it became important to make websites mobile-ready.
Despite the current usage of wearable devices, this is only going to grow and designers are going to need to adapt to ensure users can benefit from using websites on smaller screens.
5G Will Improve Progressive Web Apps
One significant change for website designs is the use of Progressive Web Apps or PWA technology.
This technology makes it possible for 5G web designers to utilise this software in order to create an app experience that is diverse and engaging.
It allows for greater levels of customisation options for their online content. What this means is that eCommerce apps are going to be revolutionised.
Will 5G Expose Weaknesses in My Web Design?
With faster speeds and greater expectations comes the potential for problems.
The reality is that your website will need to instantly impress users and with that comes a need for responsiveness.
As speeds increase so will use and more users will turn to their mobile devices to browse the web.
With this becoming more prominent, it could lead to users becoming exposed to problems with your website. It might not be responsive, icons might not appear right or users will be unable to experience the website layout.
Actually they may not be exposed to it, because you will not rank in the first place.
These weaknesses will result in users looking elsewhere.
If your website is not responsive or providing an excellent user experience then Google and other search engines are going to pick up on this.
With higher bounce rates and reduced user satisfaction, it’s going to mean that your ranking will suffer.
5G won’t Make All Web Design Work
You might think that with greater speed comes more potential. You might add more high-resolution images or videos but that doesn’t mean it’s a universal answer.
Web designers are going to need to find that perfect balance through testing to determine where the tipping point might be.
It’s also important to remember that users are not going to want to be bombarded with masses of content just because you can make use of it.
Ultimately, the user experience is going to drive what happens when 5G comes into play.
Sure, they want high-quality images and videos but if their device isn’t set up for that kind of thing then they are going to suffer and that can also have a negative impact on how they perceive your website.
5G – What Businesses Need to Consider
There is no doubt that the arrival of 5G is going to open the door to amazing possibilities in usability and design. However, this comes with challenges that need consideration.
One thing to remember is that while network providers might claim that 5G has arrived, that doesn’t mean it is widespread.
It is slowly being implemented across the UK and it is going to be a while yet until it is mainstream. Partly due to the delays of banning Huawei technology in UK infrastructure. The US is currently the only country with decent penetration.
The implementation phase of the technology is still in its infancy and that means that it is only going to be available in major towns and cities which immediately makes it inaccessible for many.
Along with this, technology is going to need to adapt and users are going to need to make the switch to 5G devices, such as the iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy S20.
Many carriers are still implementing the infrastructure required to deliver higher speeds but web designers should consider preparing for a time whereby the majority of UK mobile users have made the switch.
This is a case of timing because should designers create a website that is 5G friendly too soon, they will only succeed by pushing away their current 4G users and that could be hugely damaging.
So, businesses are going to have a lot to think about. When it comes to selecting a web designer, one that has an excellent reputation is going to need to understand the importance of evolving and adapting.
They would have done this several times throughout the years and this would become another process for them. Despite this, they are going to have to understand the true fundamentals of web design in an era where 5G and faster speeds are pushing boundaries like never before.
Our Conclusion On 5G Website Design
Our advice is to make sure your website has a responsive design and works as fast as it can, whilst maintaining some design flair. When 5G finally emerges you will simply ride on the back of increased traffic and rankings.
