Beyond Aesthetics: Exploring the Evolution of Website Design

If you could fire up your time machine and travel back to the beginnings of the internet and the first web pages, you’d be sadly disappointed. Web design has come a long, long way since the early 1990’s and the pioneer websites of the internet are barely recognizable as the ones that dominate our screen today. In over 30 years, the worldwide web has taken over our lives and continues to evolve today. But, let’s take a look back and see how website and their designs have grown through the years and how these changes impact website design today.

Websites - The Beginning Of A New Era

Imagine this: August 6th, 1991. Tim Berners-Lee, the genius at CERN, drops the first-ever web page bombshell. It's a virtual handbook on the World Wide Web, complete with how-to guides for crafting your own cyber-space wonders. Back then, the internet crawled at a snail's pace, but Tim didn't let that stop him. Sure, those early web pages were as plain as oatmeal, mostly just a mishmash of text floating in the digital ether. But even in those humble beginnings, the seeds of HTML greatness were sown. Headers, paragraphs, and links – they were the OGs of the web page scene, laying down the foundation for the cyber wonders yet to come.?

Baby Steps - Web Design Evolves With Tables and Colours

Fast forward to the mid-90s, where the digital landscape had a big transformation. In swooped JavaScript, ushering in an era of vibrant colours, table-based layouts, flashy GIFs, and the legendary website counters that kept track of every click and tick.

As the internet continued to evolve, websites shed their table-based look, but the concept of structure persisted. Enter the era of search engines and landing pages and, let's not forget, the birth of the first ads – those pixelated pioneers that started it all.?

Web Design Finally Gets Moving With Animation Based Graphics

In the late 1990’s, the web gets animated with Flash, the innovative new kid on the block, courtesy of Macromedia. Fed up with the web's lack of pizzazz, they swooped in to revolutionize everything with their flashy technology. Sure, Flash wasn't exactly web-friendly – it couldn't be searched, and it made web pages slower than a snail on a hot day. But hey, it brought splash pages, 3D buttons, and navigation that changed colours.?

The late '90s witnessed the emergence of yet another game-changer with the arrival of Google, a humble search engine that would redefine the digital landscape. Right from the start, Google's approach was anything but ordinary – from its quirky choice of initial server (crafted from Lego bricks) to its inaugural "Doodle" in 1998: a playful stick figure in the logo, telling visitors that the team was at the Burning Man Festival (NO JOKE!) Google's genius lay in its ability to seamlessly connect the scattered pieces of the internet, a feat unmatched by any other search engine, solidifying its position as the leader.

CSS Makes Web Design Manageable

Right on the heels of Flash, came CSS, ready to shake up Y2K and the web world. (Remember Y2K? Where we all turned our computers off and thought the world was going to end…)? As people flocked online in droves, speed became the name of the game but CSS had a brilliant plan: let's keep things neat and tidy by separating content from presentation. HTML handled the site's juicy content, while CSS stepped in to sprinkle it with style. CSS didn't have it easy in the beginning – browsers weren't exactly rolling out the red carpet waiting for it’s arrival. But it got past the early problems of poor support and became a cornerstone of modern web design.?

But, Then Multimedia Took Over Web Design

The term "web 2.0" may sound a bit fuzzy, but it's basically a marker for a major shift in the digital landscape. Around 2005, we saw a surge in multimedia applications, interactive content, and the rise of social media platforms – all waving goodbye to Flash as these new shiny platforms stormed the web.

With "web 2.0," JavaScript stepped up its game, joined by Ajax technology that breathed new life into web browsing. Suddenly, the once-static HTML pages started to take on a new dimension, embracing the more dynamic, interactive vibe that's familiar today. Typography got a makeover, whitespace became sacred, colours popped like never before, and user experience and SEO took center stage.

Next, Websites Broke Free With The Birth Of The Mobile Era

Back in 2007, smartphones weren't the sleek, supercharged gadgets we know today. They were clunky, and browsing the web on them? It was frustrating and downright messy. But then, along came the iPhone, and suddenly, everything changed. People were browsing the web on their phones like never before. Yet, most websites weren't ready for this mobile revolution, leading to a whole lot of eye-rolling and finger-tapping in frustration.

Fast forward to 2010, when Ethan Marcotte, a web design guru had a bold idea: responsive design. Instead of building separate mobile sites, so you had one view of a website from your computer and another on your phone, he wanted to make one site that magically adjusted to fit any screen size. Responsive design changed the game forever, saving users from the headache of pinching and zooming, and making browsing on the go a breeze.

Today Website Design Continues To Evolve And Your Website Should, Too

It’s hard to believe how far websites have come in the last 30 years. It's like going from dial-up to lightning-fast fibre optic in the blink of an eye! And the ride's not over yet – who knows what amazing tweaks and tricks the next 30 years will bring to website design?

Have you taken a good look at your website lately? Does it look the same as it did 10 years ago? With so many innovations in the website design world and so many changes to your business since COVID, it’s important to refresh your website often. And, a whole new look could be just the ticket you need to give your company’s brand a new life online.

Take a serious look at your current site. Does it still rock your socks, or is it feeling a bit outdated? Maybe it's time for a facelift to keep it in step with today’s optimized and automated world. Or did you find that the information was outdated and the photos featured fashion from the last decade? Give 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions a call or set up a consultation with us online today. We’ll audit your website and tell you where it needs a bandaid or two or if a full-scale redesign is needed. After you decide which approach you want to take, our team of skilled website design and developers will make it happen!