2019 for Cheeky Monkey

We’re gearing up for another year at Cheeky Monkey Media. A new year means new trends which means more research and better results. Recently, we’ve broken up what we do into three simple pillars, design, development, and marketing. After taking a look, there are a few things we’re most excited to pursue in the new year.

Design

Within design, trends are constantly changing. People have ever-changing tastes in what they like to see. What is going to be the most popular in 2019 is clean designs. Rather than complicated and intense designs, people are preferring things that are more simple but detailed. Keep in mind, the detail should still be clean, relevant, and purposeful.

In graphic design, it will also favour a clean look, and this comes hand in hand with symmetry. Web pages that are symmetrical are more visually appealing. Did you know the vast majority of people find their partner attractive because they find their features symmetrical? The same thing applies to your website. If you want them to stick around, symmetry helps. Use simple shapes, simple icons, and easy to digest graphics.

Development

Development will also become more tailored to the device someone is on. People use their mobile more than their computer to search for things. Mobile website development has to be the priority. If a webpage isn’t mobile friendly or isn’t as mobile friendly as it could be, you will have a higher bounce rate. So, in 2019, design mobile first.

Also, chatbots are going to become even bigger. The little robot (usually) at the bottom right corner of your screen asking you if you need help is a chatbot. Accessible information is growingly important. People are impatient, don’t make ‘em wait.

Consistent with the trend of keeping sites minimalistic, a website might only consist of one page but also some video content. People don’t want websites where they have to navigate through 3 screens just to find one thing they need. People want to see something easy to look at, and that is easy to navigate. It’s time to start being minimalistic in development. Keep things easy, and consistent.

Marketing

Marketing is ever changing with new technology at hand but some things remain consistent. Engagement, communication, creative content. Engaging with your audience is always important and this is translated through your content. This leads me to my next point, it is showing that advertisements aren’t proving to be as effective as organic content in 2019. People aren’t trusting ads the way they used to. You’ll save yourself a lot of money by putting more thought into your content. Make sure it’s making the point you need it to make, then promote it like crazy. By promoting I mean word of mouth, through your website, and on all social media platforms.

Video content is on the rise. If you’re savvy with a camera, I highly suggest making some engaging content for your customers. Yes, you can use your smartphone to make video content, but make sure it doesn’t look like it was shot on a smartphone. Lighting, audio, scenery, and all that stuff is still important. Remember not to put out content just to put out content, always make sure it is quality content.

Lastly, incorporate your creative edge. People like companies that are different, companies that stand out. Be authentic in 2019. Even if you have a chatbot, you still have the opportunity to be ‘real’. You chatbot obviously isn’t real, but your interactions with your customers are. Make sure the interactions are memorable and fun. Be creative, don’t be like everyone else.