Top 8 WordPress Web Development Trends of 2019

About 34% of the world’s total websites are powered by WordPress. The open-source platform is easily the market leader in the CMS domain as it corners more than half of the global market. It will, therefore, not be incorrect to say that the CMS sets the tone for the entire development industry. WordPress web development trends undergo revisions every year. They are affected by factors like the new features introduced by the platform. Changing user tastes and requirements also dictate how professionals will fashion websites in the coming days. Knowing the trends will help in creating interfaces which are aligned with client preferences as well as current best practices. Following are the top trends that WordPress developers and other users can expect to see in 2019.

Let’s see What are the Top 8 WordPress Web Development Trends of 2019?

1. Increase Use of Website Builders:

The availability of ready-made themes is a strong reason for WordPress popularity. However, people looking to create truly unique interfaces depend on WordPress page builders to finish the job. Seasoned users will be familiar with page building tools like Elementor which have been created specifically for the CMS. The introduction of Gutenberg as the new default editor is a shift towards providing the convenience of builders to all users. However, there is still some way to go before Gutenberg becomes the go-to tool for all kinds of purposes. Till then, expect to see an increased use of other page building tools.

2. More Emphasis On Video Headers To Boost Engagement:

Video is slowly becoming the preferred content for more and more people. All kinds of businesses and professionals are leveraging video to engage their audiences. Expect to see website owners employ a similar tactic to drive engagement. Video content in headers and background is not a new concept but it will gain wider acceptance in the near future. Since version 4.7, WordPress has provided the facility for looping video headers. There are many themes which let users include videos content in headers easily.

3. Shift Towards Drag And Drop Themes For Easy Experimentation:

This trend can be seen as an extension of the one described in the first point of this article. A major attraction of using page builders is the convenience they offer. People can easily drag and drop items at the desired locations to build an interface. The same functionality is being offered by a few premium themes. It is expected that beginners, as well as professionals, shift to such templates for building their websites. Instead of using another builder, developers can easily generate a layout through the in-built functionality of the themes. This will allow them to easily experiment with different layout combinations.

4. Expect To See More Animations In Layouts:

Until now, professionals have rarely used animations in projects. However, this will change in the months to come as improved HTML5 and CSS3 make it easy to display animations. Particle animations which can be generated easily through the vast range of JavaScript libraries. Unlike video or image-based animations, they are lightweight and do not bloat an interface. They can be used for sharing information in an engaging manner. Increased use of animations is expected to be one of the top web development trends in 2019.

5. E-commerce Websites Will Become Better:

WordPress is one of the most widely-used platforms for building e-commerce websites. Its Woo Commerce plugin is a powerful and popular tool for creating online stores. The solution provides essential features like inventory management, shopping cart, payment and shipping methods, etc. Latest e-commerce themes have enhanced features for personalized shopping and subscription-based services. They also address concerns regarding mobile shopping experiences. This will improve the quality of online stores even more.

6. Virtual Reality/ Augmented Reality Content Will Become More Visible:

Virtual reality content helps in creating a completely immersive experience for website visitors. Similarly, augmented reality content engages audiences by adding digital elements to live views. VR is still in its nascent stages but AR is starting to make its presence felt. Businesses use it to give virtual tours or comprehensive views of their products, services or locations. There are many plugins that support 360° videos and image content. In the coming days, such engaging content will become more visible on interfaces.

7. Re-emergence Of The REST API:

Seasoned users will remember that the REST API was all the rage in WordPress web development circles a couple of years ago. This API enables users to access remote content by using JSON to exchange data. It is expected that this year developers will be able to get the admin panel on the API. This will let them use the CMS as a framework to handle content for any web app. They will be able to leverage the power of the REST API to build mobile apps on WordPress.

8. Emergence Of Personalized Chatbots:

Chatbots have revolutionized customer service and every website seems to have one. As technologies get refined, this year will see the emergence of personalized chatbots. These tools will help in getting more insight into website visitors than earlier. When integrated with a CRM solution, they will provide in-depth details on visitor behavior. This will improve the engagement between the website and the visitors. At the same time, it will help businesses get a better understanding of their audiences. Be prepared to see more and more chatbot plugins being released by developers this year.

Conclusion:

WordPress website development has evolved into a vibrant and competitive field. Knowing the trends that are going to be popular in the near future will give professionals an edge over their competitors. This will also have a positive impact on their productivity and improve the quality of their work.