Thankfully, over the past decade or so, the competition in this sector has pushed service providers to improve their products, infrastructure, and offerings significantly. Needless to say, today’s hosting is more than adequate to what users consider acceptable. But more importantly, this progress is far from stagnant. On the contrary, the hosting market is alive and running at a formidable pace. This can be seen by the wonderful plans and products hosting companies offer for what’s essentially next to nothing. Just look at our magnificent offers. Indeed, HostArmada is not a random name in the hosting service community, as we are at the forefront of innovations in this industry. But even so, you can see the endless list of features we offer for what’s essentially an extremely affordable plan.

The best part is that the fast development pace in this industry is far from slowing down. You needn’t look any further than the trends of 2024 to see that hosting companies are beyond dedicated to bringing the best service possible to their clients.

So, what will be new in 2024? Let’s have a look.

1. Improved Website Security

Security has always been a cornerstone of a good hosting infrastructure. Often, it’s the feature that hosting companies take care of the most. Whether it’s development or updating existing software, hosting companies invest heavily in finding new and more robust methods of protecting their clients’ websites and data. And how could it be otherwise when malicious hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities and weak points?

Moreover, with cyber threats at an all-time high and with our lives and personal information digitized faster than ever, hosting companies will have to put website security at the center of their development efforts. Over 8.2 billion data breaches and cyber attacks were recorded in 2023 alone. This is enough to make you question whether the internet is a safe place. Of course, the answer is “it depends”. It depends on the security infrastructure of the websites you visit.

Well, hosting companies are already introducing various methods to battling this mind-blowing number of threats. All sorts of strategies could be implemented. But generally, the best practice is a mix of various protections, backups, and sophisticated firewalls.

We at HostArmada, for instance, offer over a dozen security features even for our most affordable plan. Among them, you will find a state-of-the-art Advanced Firewall with herd immunity powered by AI. Also, there are the Network and Web Application Firewalls, along with Proactive defenses, Next-gen IDS/IPS, and a hardened PHP. Those are just a few of our security measures, making us one of the most protected hosting providers.

Naturally, most other hosting services will follow suit, as cyber security is the theme of 2024. Whether bullet-proof encryptions, automated threat detection, or more sophisticated protection against DDoS attacks, web hosting companies will implement robust security practices to ensure their clients have nothing to worry about.

2. Multi-cloud hosting

With 92% of enterprises having a multi-cloud strategy ready to enact, it’s hard to argue that Multi-cloud hosting won’t be a thing in 2024. This trend will inevitably become dominant this year, driven predominantly by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive boom in the technology sector, and its countless advantages. With the past few years gone, organizations worldwide recognize the importance of resilience, collaboration, and effective data management. This epiphany is actually one of the few benefits of the lockdowns.

The impact of the pandemic is evident in the strategic decisions of technology executives. A significant 76% plan to increase their spending on multi-cloud and hybrid cloud technologies in the next 12 months.

The advantages of multi-cloud hosting lie in its ability to enhance various aspects of business operations. It improves security, interoperability, data access, and IT operations, offering a comprehensive solution beyond the limitations of a single cloud host. However, challenges such as compliance, access control, and security remain, with many companies identifying these issues as their primary concerns.

The multi-cloud approach is gaining traction due to its capacity to seamlessly integrate services from different platforms. It allows businesses to tailor their cloud systems to meet specific objectives. Additionally, it mitigates risk by providing redundancy – in case one cloud host fails, operations can seamlessly continue with others. This risk mitigation becomes crucial as organizations face new challenges and increased cloud usage due to disruptions. For example, what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The added data protection and robust risk mitigation capabilities make multi-cloud hosting a comprehensive and appealing choice. As you can imagine, this will inevitably lead to it becoming unavoidable for hosting companies in 2024.

3. Cloud VPS hosting

With the steady rise of online purchases and 2.64 billion online customers, many websites are updating their shared hosting plans for a better, yet still affordable, solution. One of the biggest problems with shared hosting is the shared resources. If, at any particular moment, a website you share a server with has a surge in traffic, your performance will suffer. It’s like being at an all-you-can-eat buffet. When everyone is taking a reasonable amount of food, everything is fine. Everyone has access to all sorts of dishes. However, if someone decides to take advantage of the system and takes over the meat buffet, emptying the trays, you will have to wait for him to move along before you can get a piece.

The same is true with your shared resources. If a website has a lot of traffic at some point, it will block your website from having the same. With cloud technology, that rarely happens. That’s why HostArmada offers 99.9% uptime, as we can divert resources immediately from other servers via the cloud network. Still, many companies who can’t afford to go down during rush hour prefer to take an extra step – Cloud VPS hosting. The VPS hosting allows you to have your own dedicated resources and utilize them as you please. Naturally, this enhances the website’s security, speed, and performance. In 2024, these benefits will be determining factors for decision-makers. Unsurprisingly, we expect the demand for these services to rise significantly.

4. Managed web hosting

Managed web hosting has been around for quite some time now but never really got into the spotlight. Mainly because most companies had IT departments that took care of everything regarding the hosting. The rest, used whatever resources and knowledge was available on the internet. Many hosting providers, such as HostArmada, have always been ready to help their customers with server problems. However, since the e-commerce boom after the COVID-19 pandemic, this has not been quite enough. Thus, the Managed web hosting service took the spotlight, and in 2024, it will truly become a rockstar.

Though expensive, this hosting service offers an all-inclusive solution to everyone with limited know-how in dealing with servers. This service offers to take care of your server and improve your website performance to the best of your server’s abilities. Moreover, they handle the server optimizations, updates, and security.

This service is particularly popular among small e-commerce operations and other businesses, who can afford the salty price and don’t want to hire an entire IT department. The rise in popularity is due to the fears of competition in the e-commerce sector, where any advantage over the competition is more than welcomed.

Furthermore, with the rise of cyber threats, managed web hosting services will give people with little to no IT knowledge the peace of mind that their data won’t be breached and their business won’t be ruined because of this.

5. HTTPS as the norm

HTTP is dead. Long live HTTPS. This change has been coming for quite some time. Mostly after Google started marking HTTP websites as “not secure” in 2018. As you can imagine, this changed the entire SEO strategy, and HTTPS became mandatory. Still, in 2024, we expect every active website that’s not a fraud, of course, to become an HTTPS website.

The S in this protocol stands for “secured.” It’s actually a sign that the website has an SSL certificate, encrypting the communication between the browser and the server. It’s the most basic security protocol out there, and not having one in 2024 is equal to chasing users away.

The benefits of an HTTPS protocol are countless. It builds trust with the users, protects sensitive data, and, most importantly, pushes your website higher in Google SERP.

In 2024, hosting providers who refrain from offering a complimentary SSL certificate to their customers will simply fall behind. As we already stated, that’s the basic security protocol, and having a website without one is absolutely pointless.

For example, HostArmada has long since offered four complimentary SSL certificates – a free SSL from Sectigo, a cPanel Auto SSL, a CloudFlare Free SSL, and a free SNI.

Naturally, in 2024, every hosting provider who wants to stay on the market will have to offer at least half of what we already provide.

6. DIY website builders

Website builders are on the rise and won’t stop for the foreseeable future. In fact, economists predict that the website builder market will skyrocket by the end of the decade, reaching 14.4 billion dollars. That’s hardly surprising, considering that more than 18 million websites worldwide were built thanks to a website builder.

The rapid pace of this trend is underlined by WordPress’s shift toward drag-and-drop website building infrastructure. The CMS will provide a significant relief for most hosting companies, who offer seamless integration with the most preferred website builder in the world. Still, some hosting companies prefer to have their own drag-and-drop builders, which can be a benefit if you are able to create your own CMS and all you need is help with the front end. In most cases, however, this is not the case.

So, while we truly believe that DIY website builders are the future, in 2024, hosting providers offering seamless integration with WordPress will still be preferred.

7. Offering additional services

Adding some basic complimentary services to the hosting packages is not something new for hosting companies. For example, an SSL certificate and email account support have been the bare minimum for quite some time now. But with the rise of demand and competition, we expect hosting companies to start offering all sorts of additional features and services for free.

For example, at HostArmada, we are providing our customers with not only unlimited email accounts but also a variety of features regarding email. Autoresponders, filters, outbound email filtering, and email virus scanners are typically additional services for which many hosting companies would ask a pretty penny. We offer them for free with every plan, as we understand that email communication with customers is crucial for any business.

Moreover, we offer website consultations, restoration of hacked websites, and a free website transfer.

So, in 2024, we expect those who want to retain their position in the market or grow to start offering additional services as part of their plans. Added value will always play a crucial role in customer decision-making. So naturally, staying behind your competition in this regard is a recipe for disaster.

8. Serverless Hosting

In 2024, Serverless Hosting is set to dominate the hosting landscape, driven by many advantages that cater to the evolving needs of businesses. The serverless architecture offers unparalleled benefits such as instant scalability, faster deployment, cost-effectiveness, and lower latency. Developers experience heightened efficiency and productivity as serverless hosting optimally allocates resources, allowing them to focus solely on coding without the burden of managing servers.

A key advantage of serverless computing lies in its ‘pay-as-you-go’ model, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Users are charged based on actual computation usage, eliminating the need to reserve and pay for fixed bandwidth or server quantities. Despite the term “serverless,” physical servers are still utilized, but the intricacies of infrastructure management are abstracted away, allowing developers to focus solely on their code.

This pay-as-you-go model will become a hit in 2024, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if many more hosting companies implement it in their portfolios.

9. AI at the forefront

Just like with every other aspect of business and life in general, AI will play a significant role. First and foremost, it will be a great allay in customer support. However, infused with different features, it will make the customer’s website faster, more resilient, and much more secure.

AI will be behind personalized server optimization, which will help users utilize the resources they buy optimally.

Moreover, artificial intelligence will find implementations in security features. For example, at HostArmada, we use AI to enhance our customers’ security by implementing it in an Advanced firewall with herd immunity. There, artificial intelligence can detect new forms of attacks based on analytics and data. Naturally, this protects the websites not only from known threats but also from the unknown.

AI’s applications are truly endless. Thus, in 2024, we expect to see many new hosting features utilizing this security and functionality goldmine.

10. Going green

Finally, we have the one thing that will be a trend in almost any industry – sustainability. Regardless of whether you agree with sustainability practices or not, as long as customers find eco-friendly practices important, the industry will follow. Currently, green living is on everyone’s agenda.

So, in 2024, hosting will be going green and sustainable. With 3.7% of all global carbon footprint coming from internet use and supporting systems, this trend is a bit late indeed. Still, it’s better late than never.

This year, an increasing number of hosting companies will participate in eco-friendly initiatives and will try to gain a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) or a Carbon Offset Certificate (VER). With customers becoming ever more environmentally aware, hosting companies have no choice but to follow the sustainability trend. So yes, REC and VER will be a must in 2024 if hosting companies have growth in their plans.

Some final words

As a business owner, it’s important to know the trends so you can find a hosting company that’s at the forefront of the industry changes. Usually, a plan ties you up for at least 2 years. This means researching how forward-thinking the hosting provider is will help you significantly in the long run.

HostArmada is an excellent choice. We implement the latest technologies and make sure to equip our clients with the latest software that could help their websites be the fastest, most reliable, and secure platforms on the internet. Check out our plans, and don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the vast array of additional features and services we are offering for free. Don’t forget that a great website (that’s you) starts with the choice of a great hosting provider (that’s us).

The post 10 Web Hosting Trends to look for in 2024 appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

But does it really matter which browser you will use? The short answer is a resounding yes. The long one is a bit… well, longer. So, if you want to learn why it matters, what the differences between the browsers are, what other people are using, and what you should use, buckle up, and let’s find out.

What do web browsers do?

If you are reading this, you are on a web browser. Whether it is Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, or something else, you are utilizing a browser to be on our website. Thank you for being here, by the way. In fact, each website you’ve ever visited uses a web browser. We are strictly talking about websites, though, as you can listen to music via Spotify and watch movies via Netflix by using their platforms. This means you are still using the internet, but you are not entering a website but instead using an app.

Of course, the primary function of each web browser is to fetch the website from the hosting server and display it on your monitor. You can check how that happens in our dedicated article on DNS and the eight steps of opening a website. In a nutshell, the browser communicates with the Recursive Nameserver to locate the IP address of the domain you requested. Thus, you don’t have to memorize complicated number sequences, but easily memorable names, like HostArmada.com, for example. The translation of the address is actually done by the DNS, however, not the browser. The browser only sends the domain name to the DNS.

Then there is opening the website

Still, retrieving the website is only part of what the browser does. Don’t imagine the website being received as you see it on the browser. What the browser gets is a package of different files, among which are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. So, the browser has to interpret the HTML code and lay out the structure of the page on your screen. Then, it implements the CSS code. This will add the different elements’ styles, fonts, and colors. Finally, the browser will read the JavaScript. This will add the interactive elements and dynamics of the content. Imagine a carousel rotating with different images.

All of this should be a sign that the shorter, cleaner, and better arranged your website code is, the faster the browser will load it. So, make sure to keep your code as clean as possible so that no matter what browser your audience is using, they won’t have any problem loading it as fast as your hosting provider allows it.

Other functions

In addition to those core functions, web browsers have a plethora of other useful functions that aim to improve your experience. Saving websites as bookmarks, using multiple tabs, and adding various extensions with all sorts of functionalities, and, of course, security features are the bare minimum today. However, there are some differences in the usability of these functions.

Are there differences in how web browsers operate?

Yes. Though the primary and secondary functions are predominantly the same, they differ in how they operate. This is predominantly due to the different rendering engines they use. For example, Chrome, Edge, and Opera use Blink, while Firefox utilizes Gecko. Apple, who is trying to keep its environment clean from third-party software developers, as this often leads to security issues, developed WebKit. Naturally, Safari uses it.

A rendering engine is a web browser’s core component responsible for interpreting HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code and displaying web pages on the screen. In essence, this is the heart and soul of the browser.

Each of these rendering engines has its pros and cons. For example, Gecko is an open-source product of Mozilla, and thus, it has some incredible compatibility features. It’s often at the forefront of user experience development, and the support is predominantly outstanding. However, due to its open-source nature, security is lagging behind its competitors.

WebKit is, without a doubt, the big dog in this group regarding security. Just like every other Apple product, WebKit is like Fort Knox. However, due to Apple’s insistence on having a close environment, its compatibility is lagging behind, as is its stability with some websites.

Blink, on the other hand, has astonishing speed, especially since Google developed it. The compatibility, stability, and other measurables are off the charts. However, Blink needs a moderately powerful machine to operate, using more CPU, memory, and disk space to render web pages. This makes it particularly heavy for older machines, and thus, in some cases, when you open too many tabs simultaneously, your browser may freeze.

So, choosing your browser depends entirely on what you are ready to sacrifice.

What do other people use?

While you are wondering what your priorities are, let’s have a look at what other people decide for themselves. Well, just like with their choice of search engine, people worldwide prefer Google’s product. About 65% of all internet users have Chrome as their web browser of choice. Unsurprisingly, next is Safari, with 18.5%, which roughly corresponds with MAC and IOS users. Edge takes the third position, just short of 5% of users, followed by Firefox and Opera with 3.4 and 2.9%.

Credit: statcounter.com

However, the results are a bit more balanced in the United States alone. Still, Chrome takes the lion’s share of the market, as about 49.8% of users prefer this browser. Safari is once again second, and it attracts 31.15% of internet users; Edge almost doubles its share with 8.35% of the market, as does Firefox with 4.78. Opera loses the US internet user’s confidence and attracts only 2.8% of all users.

It’s evident that Google’s product is dominating all over the world. There isn’t a single country where Chrome is not the most preferred browser. But why do people prefer it over the more secure Safari or the more lightweight Firefox? Why isn’t Microsoft’s default Edge disregarded in favor of Chrome? Let’s have a more in-depth look at the best browsers one by one.

Chrome

Chrome is by far the most widely used browser in the world. Owning roughly two-thirds of the entire market is formidable indeed. But Chrome is not the most preferred simply because Google recommends it. True, that has its weight, but the fact is that Chrome has an exceptional design that focuses on user experience. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Pros

1. High-speed browser – As we’ve often discussed, today’s internet user doesn’t have 30 minutes to open a single picture as we did in the 1990s. No, today, speed is everything. And when it comes to speed, no one is better than Chrome. This is essential when streaming or watching videos. Google’s browser reduces lag and loads websites faster due to its programming.
2. Gorgeous design – Yes, having a good-looking design is not everything, but come on. No one wants to surf in something that’s a flash from the dawn of the internet. Chrome’s design is predominantly driven by user experience. Most users find it quite effortless to navigate. All menu tabs are tucked away in the settings, which unobtrusively lay at the top right corner. And best of all, there is only one search bar, which doubles as an address bar and a search bar. This helps immensely if you make a mistake in typing the address, as Chrome won’t show you the dreaded 404 page or something of the sort but will redirect you to Google, where you will find precisely what you are looking for.
3. Safety – Chrome has an array of safety features that ensure your browsing won’t lead to unnecessary risks for your computer. The browser will show you if the website has an SSL certificate. Furthermore, it will protect you from downloading malware on your computer or cleaning up suspected malicious files.
4. Sync across devices – If you work on multiple devices, you can sync up your Chrome and work from every device you want without interruptions or need to open the same bulk of tabs.
5. Extensions – The extensions are probably the best part of Chrome. This browser has an entire library of cool features you can add if you want to. Blocking ads, checking grammar, anything really. The library has hundreds, if not thousands, of extensions at your disposal to make your user experience even greater.

Of course, despite Chrome’s superiority in many fields, it still has some work to do regarding some aspects.

Cons

1. Questionable user privacy – This is the big one that deters many from joining the rest of the world in using Chrome. Actually, Google has been sanctioned multiple times in Europe for collecting and using user’s data without their consent. How else do you think Google gathers enough information on what people like or dislike, how long they stay on your website, or what pathways they take to get there? Yes, if you value your privacy above all, Chrome is probably not the best choice.
2. Heavy resource user – The other downside is that Chrome is an extremely heavy user of CPU and RAM. This matters little if you only use Chrome. But if multiple applications are opened, and your machine is not that powerful, Chrome will occupy the entire memory, and all your other applications will either lag or freeze.

Safari

Next on everyone’s list, including ours, is Safari. Safari is a great browser if you are an Apple lover, and not so much if you have any other device that you want to use. Still, this browser confidently takes about a fifth of all internet users, so let’s have a look at why.

Pros

1. Extremely efficient – This is hands down the most efficient web browser out there, with lower resource consumption than any other on our list. The developers at Apple have created this browser with their hardware in mind, so it operates as part of the ever-growing Apple digital ecosystem.
2. Top-level security – Being part of the Apple digital environment, it’s safe to say that this browser’s security is unmatched. Apple prides itself on personal data protection and its tough security. No wonder even the US president uses their products. Now, whether he uses Safari per se is hard to tell, but it’s clear that Apple products and security go hand in hand.
3. Secured privacy when browsing – When it comes to security, that includes the privacy protection of each user. Safari uses a built-in privacy tool that prevents web trackers. Moreover, the browser utilizes a Privacy Report tool, which prevents cross-website tracking without influencing the website’s functionalities. This allows you to surf without wondering who’s watching your every move.
4. Supreme usability – As part of the Apple universe, Safari is seamless to use if you are used to Apple’s OSs. It is familiar, easily navigable, and beautifully minimalistic.

Let’s not forget, however, that Apple products don’t play particularly well with others.

Cons

1. Not working with other OSs – As usual, integration with other OS was not at the top of Apple’s mind when they created Safari. Thus, Android or Windows users can’t use the browser, which is a shame.
2. Limited extension availability – That’s the other thing. As Apple rarely trusts third-party developers, Safari’s extension library is more like a small bookcase. In this regard, it can’t compare with the rest of our entries.

Edge

Edge is the default web browser for all Microsoft OS users, which are most of them. Still, Edge is mainly used as a tool to download Chrome and be done with it. However, especially in the US, there is a massive number of users who actually prefer Edge over any other browser. That’s not surprising, seeing how long this browser has come since its inception.

Pros

1. Highly customizable – Edge is probably the most customizable browser of them all, as it offers a lot of options to make the browser your own. The home page allows you to receive news, get quick access to products, or see the current stock market or weather. It also gives you quick access to games, music, video, traffic information, and anything in between.
2. Tracking prevention – Edge lets you decide how much you’d want to be followed online. It offers you three levels of tracking prevention, each restricting a different group of trackers that follow your every move.
3. Massive library of extensions – As Edge uses Chromium as a base, it can implement all Chromium-based extensions, making its library just as big as Chrome’s. However, Microsoft has developed some additional add-ons that can be used only with Edge. These include some great software like 360 View, OneNote, Web Clipper, and others.
4. Extremely lightweight – Though Edge requires at least 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows and 2 GB for 64-bit Windows, its usage is significantly lower. In fact, Edge is the best performer in this regard.

Cons

1. Speed is not its thing – Unfortunately, the lower consumption translates into much lower speed. Chrome, Firefox, and Safari have much better performance, which probably pushes most users to disregard this otherwise great browser.
2. Extremely poor reputation (for now) – The other big problem is Edge’s reputation. As the successor of Internet Explorer, it bears a lot of negatives in the eyes of the users. And although Microsoft is investing heavily in changing this reputation, there is a long way to go until people stop making fun of Edge.

Firefox

Firefox is often the choice of those who refuse to bow down to Google and regard their privacy extremely high. Plus, Firefox does have some pretty sweet advantages over its competitors.

Pros

1. Privacy on a new level – Privacy is Mozilla’s unique sales proposition. While other browsers would want you to confirm that you don’t want your data stolen, Firefox takes privacy to a new level. The browser will block any spyware or malware that tries to download in the background while searching at an unsafe website. Furthermore, it will automatically limit third-party tracking abilities.
2. Outstanding speed – When it comes to speed, Firefox is on par with Chrome. It is considered even better when it comes to download speed.
3. Great extension library – Firefox is the master of extensions. Arguably, it has the most extensive library of extensions among all the browsers. Thus, you can literally find anything you need in their library. Naturally, user experience and customization are also top-notch.
4. Minimalistic interface – The design is beautiful, especially with the stylish logo front and center. The homepage is extremely minimalistic, which allows you to concentrate on where you’re going rather than the browser itself.

Naturally, there are some downsides to Mozilla Firefox. Otherwise, why would it be the fourth most preferred browser?

Cons

1. Compatibility issues – That’s actually the biggest problem with Firefox. Some web developers disregard Firefox’s unique needs, and some websites do not show as intended on this browser. This leads to loss of functionality and overall user dissatisfaction. Some website owners even suggest to their users to use a different browser so they can experience the website as intended. This is a hard blow against Firefox, indeed.
2. Huge RAM consumer – Just like Chrome, Mozilla is a heavy RAM user, and you need a sturdy machine if you want to use the limitless tab options that Firefox offers.

Opera

Opera is the most popular alternative to the mainstream browsers. Furthermore, it is one of the oldest, as the first version of Opera dates back to 1994. Though it has used the Chromium codebase since 2013, Opera is still a unique choice when it comes to internet browsing.

Pros

1. Usability on a new level – Opera is truly unique regarding usability. While most browsers try their best to be as minimalist as possible, Opera stands as a beacon of an all-in-one usability paradise. For example, they offer a built-in messenger application, which allows you to receive messages from FB, IG, WhatsApp, Telegram, and VKontakte directly on the sidebar.
2. Turbo and Battery saver mode – Opera offers two unique modes to improve the user’s experience. Turbo Mode allows users with slower internet to have their connection speed increased. Unfortunately, they don’t work with encrypted websites, which makes it a bit useless nowadays. On the other hand, the Battery saver mode is a goldmine for those who have time to spare and want to keep their battery alive longer.
3. Build-in privacy feature – Opera is a great choice for those users who prefer to stay anonymous. The browser offers an array of built-in privacy features like tracker blocker, ad blocker, cookies blocker, and others.
4. Integrated VPN – To top it all off, Opera offers a free built-in VPN, which offers additional privacy protection to its users. See why PrivacyJournal recommends these best VPN services.

Cons:

1. Slower than its main competitors – The biggest problem with Opera is its speed. It simply can’t compare to other browsers on this list. Still, that doesn’t mean a website takes ages to load, but the time difference is notable.
2. Bugs and breakdowns – Furthermore, users often experience bugs and breakdowns, which can be pretty frustrating. Despite the excellent support, this problem is a considerable drawback.
3. Not a high priority among web developers – Another significant downside is that developers often forget to test their websites on Opera. Thus, some websites appear broken when opened on this browser.

Which one should you use?

So, now that you have the pros and cons of the most popular web browsers, you can choose your priorities. Chrome is, without a doubt, the best choice if you have various devices, not all of which use IOS or Mac. However, with Chrome, you compromise on your privacy. On the other hand, if you are an Apple fan, Safari is the safest bet, as it is built precisely for you.

Firefox is an excellent choice for those who seek the Chrome experience, yet with far fewer privacy intrusions. At the same time, Edge is for those who prefer a highly customized home page where they can access the most important information without ever clicking.

Finally, Opera is the odd choice for those who want to be outside the mainstream and experience a new kind of user experience.

What you will choose when browsing the internet depends entirely on you.

On the other hand, as a website owner, you must optimize your website for every browser. Even though Opera has only 2.9% of the market, they still represent several million people who may be interested in your products. So make sure to accommodate all of them. And yes, these browsers may be a bit sluggish, but if you have top-of-the-line hosting with lightning-fast loading speed guaranteed, having the micro delays on Opera and Edge will not hinder your success.

HostArmada offers precisely this – fast, secure, and reliable hosting for your website. On top of the lightning-fast speed, we have robust security features and offer 99.9% guaranteed uptime.

So, if you are a web developer, check out our offers and make your business twice as reliable.

The post Does it matter which web browser you use? appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Personalization will be the theme of 2024

The era of a one-size-fits-all approach in eCommerce is drawing its last breath. Soon, a new era will dawn. An era of personalization. Each customer is special, and they expect a personal approach. AI will catalyze this process as first-party and zero-party data start flowing in. With the help of artificial intelligence, you can personalize each experience based on the user’s behavior.

For example, depending on the entry point, you can provide the potential customer with a specific customer journey that will accommodate their needs and interests. For instance, if a customer comes to your website through your blog, it means they are trying to satisfy a query. Naturally, they need a bigger push, as they are still unsure whether your products will fulfill their needs. Thus, providing them with benefits, added value, testimonials, pros and cons, and a FAQ section will increase your chances of finishing the sale. On the other hand, if the entry point is directly on the product page, the user is ready to buy. They are past the research point, so you must provide them with a comprehensive and lucrative deal, convince them your website is secure, and allow them to use their preferred payment method. 

Once the purchase has been completed, you can work on retainment by personalizing your messaging even more. Still, personalization won’t be enough to beat the competition in 2024. It is, however, the bare minimum. To increase your chances and be better than average, you need an additional push. One that will help you not only bring in new customers but also make sure old ones return for more. 

Loyalty programs are a must

Loyalty programs are not something new, especially when it comes to big brands. However, in 2024, there will be no business small enough that won’t offer at least some rewards to loyal customers. We live in an age where bargains can be found with a click of a button. Some apps and extensions even show you where the best deals are and even offer coupons. So, the question is no longer if you should have a loyalty problem but how to structure it. 

No surprises here, as a recent study shows that the prospect of earning rewards influences the customer’s spending behavior. Moreover, 64% of loyalty program members spend more money to maximize the points they will make. This comes to show that a loyalty program can increase your profits, of course, depending on your rewards. Keep in mind that, on average, each American customer is part of 16.7 customer loyalty programs, so your incentives must be better than those of your competitors. 

So, in 2024, you must add a loyalty program to your website if you want customers to return. There can be all sorts of rewards. Giving free products in exchange for gathered points is the fastest and most common practice. However, that does tend to qualify in the one-size-fits-all stigma, so we’d suggest going a step further and just offering a gift card or a coupon worth some money in exchange for the points. This way, each customer can get the product they like with a significant discount. 

If you want to go even further, you can utilize AI, analyze the user’s behavior, and offer them a specific product they will be interested in at a massive discount. 

Use your imagination and build your loyalty program based on what fits your business model. 

Gen Z on the focus

Catering to Gen Z will be at the forefront of eCommerce in 2024. This young generation is joining the economically active and will sculpt the retail business in the foreseeable future. This goes double for eCommerce stores targeting more youthful people with tighter budgets. Luxurious items are still in the domain of Millenials and Gen X, though. So, be mindful of what you’re selling.

In 2024, this new player on the market will have a huge impact on the retailer’s behavior. One thing is sure – you will have to implement some additional value to your products. The retailer’s values greatly affect the newest generation, which will only grow as the dominant customer demographic. They emphasize the need to purchase from sustainable, eco-friendly, diverse, and ethical retailers. 

Thus, to be successful in 2024, an eCommerce business must be transparent, open to innovations, sustainable, and know how to communicate with the Gen Z crowd. So, try to build your messaging based on what this new dominant demographic wants to know. Don’t focus on superficial exaggerations on how your product will improve their lives. Just be straightforward and give them all the information. This will make you a trustworthy partner in solving their problem. Otherwise, Gen Z is the most tech-savvy and well-versed generation when it comes to advertising. This means they can spot an exaggerated and dishonest ad from a mile away. Once deemed untrustworthy, your business is as good as gone. 

Video over image

With the rise of Gen Z as the dominant customer, retailers will start catering to their needs. The good news is that this demographic is way more responsive to ads. Actually, 56% can recall an ad they watched for just 2 seconds. That’s the main thing, though: Gen Z prefers videos over images. They predominantly consume information through short videos. We can blame TikTok and Instagram for this. 

Another thing to consider is their attention span. Though, on average, their attention span is about 2.7 minutes, if you don’t grab their attention in the first 8 seconds, consider your ad skipped. Thus, you need a skillfully made, entertaining, short video to capture this audience’s attention. 

Aggressive advertising is a bad idea. It’s far better to be truthful to what you offer but make it enjoyable and colorful. Start with a hook. Remember, you have 8 seconds before they scroll down. Also, make sure to emphasize your brand’s mission, especially if it’s related to sustainability. Seriously, sustainability will sell in 2024, so if you want to succeed, just start thinking of Mother Earth. 

This will be a great starting point, but you should also consider enlisting micro-influencers to discuss your business and endorse your retailing practices. Just be sure to do your research so you don’t waste your money on someone who doesn’t engage your target audience. 

AR and VR are trending as well

Influencers are not the only thing up the successful eCommerce website’s sleeve. Utilizing the power of AR and VR will also make a huge difference in 2024. Though they are still predominantly used by big brands, smaller retailers who manage to implement AR or VR tools in their platforms will be front and center in 2024. 

An excellent example of a brilliant AR is Saatchi Art’s app. It allows you to place any painting, photo, or print in their collection on your wall and see what it would look like. So, if you offer home decoration, you can take a page out of their book and create an application to let your customers place your products on their furniture and see how they will lighten up the place. 

On the other hand, we have Virtual Reality. Now, VR is a bit more complicated and a lot more expensive to produce. Still, if you can afford it, you might want to be one step ahead of your competitors. VR is becoming more popular and still predominantly untapped in eCommerce, so being a pioneer will significantly boost your growth. 

Livestream Shopping

If the financial burden of creating a VR world is too much for you, just go with the much less complicated Livestream Shopping. We predict that 2024 this trend, started by Amazon in 2019, will start gaining traction. TikTok has already begun testing live shopping functionalities in the US. YouTube and Shopify are also preparing their own versions, giving retailers and micro-influencers one more channel to interact and introduce their products.

In a nutshell, livestream shopping is a form of e-commerce that combines live video streaming with online shopping. It involves a live broadcast, usually hosted by a presenter or influencer, showcasing products or services in real time to an audience of online viewers. Viewers can interact with the host, ask questions about the featured items, and make purchases directly within the livestream.

Often, livestream shopping includes limited-time offers so they can engage the FOMO in the customers. 

Best of all, livestream shopping can build social proof by showing viewers that other people are interested in the product and that it is of good value. This can be a powerful motivator for purchasing, especially for products that are unfamiliar to the viewer.

The best part is that you don’t have to be Amazon to make your own livestream shopping show. You can do it on your YouTube channel or your Social Media page. 

Still, before you get in front of the camera, ensure you have at least some experience in lifestreaming. You must be able to entertain your customers and viewers for the entire duration of the lifestream, regardless of whether they ask questions. So, make sure to prepare a scenario and practice talking for as long as it’s needed. 

Direct communication will be more important than ever

The best part of livestream shopping is the direct communication with your customers. Direct communication will be vital for any retailer in 2024. With 68% of customers ready to pay more for better customer service, it’s no wonder why so many retailers are implementing direct communication channels. Whether it’s by phone, direct messages, or a customer service platform, it’s important for the customer to receive answers when they need them. So, if you can make your customer service 24/7, this will greatly boost your success.

Actually, in 86% of cases, a customer satisfied with the direct interaction with the brand will become a long-term brand champion. Furthermore, 89% of customers will make a second purchase after a positive interaction with a brand representative.

Naturally, not everyone can build a 24/7 customer service center. Still, it’s a good idea to implement AI as the first touchpoint for your customer support. Most times, customers want to ask questions that you’ve already answered in an FAQ or elsewhere. So, having a robot answering the easy questions will allow you to reduce the cost and time needed to interact with all your customers. Still, you must be ready to answer all previously non-specified questions. And if you can’t afford to make it 24/7, be sure to be available when your target audience is most active. For example, if you are operating overseas, make sure to be online when they are most likely to seek your help. 

A good direct communication ethics can lead to incredible results. A positive interaction with a brand representative can lead to up to 1400% higher ROI in the long run. So, investing in better direct communication with your customers is definitely worth it. 

Faster delivery, better results

Nearly half of US citizens expect their delivery in two to three days. So, if you are within that norm, you will most probably be OK in 2024. However, with Amazon Prime and the next-day delivery options many retailers offer, these expectations will inevitably go down. With the rise of services that offer extremely fast deliveries and loyalty programs that provide them for free, staying relevant in the eCommerce market is a challenge. So, if you have the budget for it, we’d suggest putting some groundwork into shortening your delivery time. 

The first step is finding a partner who can process your packages faster and even over the weekend. Naturally, this will cost you a bit extra, but it will be worth it long term. Or, if you have your own fulfillment center, make sure to double down on faster deliveries by motivating your employees, hiring new teams, and even opening new fulfillment centers closer to your customers. While in 2024, one-day deliveries are still only a recommendation, we won’t be surprised if, a year from now, this becomes mandatory. 

Social commerce

Social media is still the most visited platform on the internet. This is where people spend their time, which won’t change in the foreseeable future. At least not until something better comes along. Regardless of how you feel about Social media marketing and sharing your profits with the likes of Meta, X, or Linked In, with more than 4.9 billion users, Social Media is a must if you are a retailer. 

By now, you should already have a robust social media presence. This includes a brand page where people can engage and interact with you. However, 2024 will demand even more. If you already haven’t, using the social media marketplace is now a must. In 2023 alone, the various social commerce marketplaces generated close to 1.3 trillion dollars in revenue. This number will rapidly grow and is expected to reach 3 trillion as early as 2026. With users spending 2+ hours daily on average browsing social media, that’s hardly a surprise.

Focusing on the US in 2022, 36% of US internet users bought at least one product directly from a social media platform. Today, nearly half (47%) of social media users would buy directly from a social media platform, as 42% would trust them with their primary payment method (debit or credit card)

So, there is no need to attract customers to your landing pages anymore. Just make your social media presence about selling products and utilize the power of social commerce. This will inevitably boost your profits and ultimately lower overall costs even if you pay a small fraction of the winnings to the social media channel. 

Headless websites on the rise

Finally, we have a trend that will make your web designers extremely furious. Headless website architecture has been getting significant attention in the last several months, and in 2024, we predict it will become the norm. In a nutshell, a headless website is a website that separates its presentation layer (frontend) from its content management system (CMS) or data storage (backend). This decoupling allows for greater flexibility and scalability, as developers can choose the best technology for each website layer.

There are a lot of benefits if you go for a headless website. For one, they are much better at creating consistent branding across channels. Because the presentation layer and backend are decoupled, headless websites can load faster and be more responsive. This is because the backend can focus on serving content. In contrast, the presentation layer can focus on rendering the content in a way that is optimized for the specific device or platform. Naturally, this makes the architecture much more inclusive to different devices. 

Furthermore, headless websites are easier to scale than traditional websites, as changes can be made to the backend without affecting the presentation layer. This is because the presentation layer is independent of the data it displays.

In other words, headless architecture is perfect for eCommerce, especially during personalization. Having your front end detached from the back end will give you the agility to offer your customers the experience they expect. Naturally, this will enhance your overall stats and give you the boost you need. 

2024 will be even better for eCommerce 

In 2024, more than a fifth (21.2%) of all retail deals will happen online. This will lead to a 2 trillion dollar increase in 2024 alone, leading to a total of 8.1 trillion dollars. This is a trend that will only grow. So, if you want to get the lion’s share in this highly competitive industry, all you need to do is stay one step ahead of your competitors. Knowing the trends of the online retail business is the first step. The main pillars behind your success are implementing a robust strategy and ensuring your website is always at its best performance.

The strategy is entirely up to you, though we do have some pretty good advice in our blog. However, we can help you with building one lightning-fast, reliable, and secure website. HostArmada offers top-shelf hosting services, allowing you to create a reliable online store without fearing security breaches and downtime. Check out our plans and choose the one that fits your needs perfectly. After all, every successful eCommerce operation starts with a reliable hosting provider.

The post 10 eCommerce Trends To Look For in 2024 appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Naturally, the heads at Google have committed to nurturing their healthy relationship with the users. Thus, in 2024, we expect them to implement significant changes reflecting the ever-changing user behavior. As you can imagine, to stay on top of the SERP, you must meet these changes and make your website a much more welcoming place. 

So, what will be the trends in 2024, and how should you tweak your SEO to accommodate them? Let’s find out. 

AI at the forefront

The rise of AI is simply remarkable. Since its inception, AI has grown by 20% each year. Moreover, experts suggest that its influence will only grow, expecting the industry to reach 15.7 trillion dollars by the end of the decade. Also, with 97% of smart device users interacting with AI on a daily basis, it’s no wonder that AI will take the spotlight in almost every aspect of online communication.

Google itself is increasingly relying on AI to understand and utilize users’ intent and create an algorithm that will sort the results based on genuine first-hand data. 

Bard and Gemini are the first steps toward building an AI empire and tapping into that market as well, showing their dedication to this industry. 

So, to stay ahead of the competition, you might want to enhance your website UX by implementing AI tools. You can also help yourself by utilizing AI SEO tools such as keyword research tools and link-building assistants. 

When it comes to content, AI can be of great help. Still, despite the significant advancement in all AI generators, one thing they can’t fake is personal experience. For Google, personal experience has always been a cornerstone of high-quality content, as it gives value to the user. 

So, next year, AI will be a hot topic. Thus, getting some AI tools ASAP would be wise and help you stay ahead of the competition.

SGE will be the new standard

Speaking of AI, Bard and Gemini are not even the best AI products that Google will introduce in 2024. Google’s Search Generative Experience is, without a doubt, the revolution in search engines we’ve been looking for. This cutting-edge technology uses AI to provide more natural, conversational, and personalized search results. So, instead of listing some links, SGE will try to understand the user’s query and provide a more comprehensive and interactive response.

Unfortunately, not everyone had access to the beta version, so we can’t talk from first-hand experience here. Still, if SGE is half of what it’s advertised as, this will be an entirely new chapter in Search engines and SEO as a whole. 

Unfortunately, this means new SEO guidelines for all website owners and SEO experts. First and foremost, we might be looking at the twilight of keywords. Website owners must shift to understanding the intent behind the user’s query. For example, if someone asks how much baking soda you need for a loaf of bread, advertising bakeries will be pointless, as, obviously, this user will make their own bread. On the other hand, retailers selling various cutleries, utensils, and electric appliances needed to bake the perfect bread can easily target them. 

Furthermore, SGE will focus on informational searches rather than transactional ones. This means Google will push back landing pages that aim for direct sales in favor of informative blog posts and other useful content that answers queries, not offer a product or service. True, this will make the sales department’s work much harder, but it will underline the need for high-quality infotainment.

Finally, SGE will focus on prioritizing user experience, so websites will have to be easily navigable, mobile-friendly, voice and image search optimized (more on that later), and, of course, have high-quality content. 

High quality is now a must

Yes, quality content will remain king. In February of 2023, Google made it clear that they won’t care if the content is AI-generated as long as it abides by their quality standards. Unfortunately, AI is not quite able to cover those entirely, as this includes personal experiences and added value that Chat GPT and other AI generators can’t produce. So, content writers can sleep soundly for now. AI is not taking your job anytime soon.

So, while an AI generator can create mediocre content by the ton, it can’t compete with genuine human-written texts, at least for now. However, what AI did was drive the quality standards higher than ever. Only ten years ago, keywords were enough to skyrocket you to the top of SERP. Today, you need to add high-quality images and videos, have perfect readability, and, of course, understand the material you are introducing.

So, how do you make sure you will retain your rankings in Google? Well, all you need to do is produce some genuinely high-quality content. To do that, you will have to either spend at least half a day writing your own blog or hire an SEO content writer to do it for you. Either way, you will have to make some new investments if you already haven’t. You will either spend money or time. The choice is yours. 

Expertise, Trust, and Authority are no longer enough 

Speaking of high-quality content, Google is no longer satisfied with showing your experience, trust, and authority on the topic at hand. The search engine is now fixated on experience as well. This means you need to showcase your personal expertise in solving the issues and queries of the users. In other words, the authority factor has transferred from industry to a specific topic. This push will become even more noticeable in 2024 as the focus shifts towards personalization.

Thus, to remain relevant, you need to follow the hub and spoke strategy. This strategy dictates creating dozens, if not hundreds, of smaller blog pieces, explaining specific aspects of a broader topic. Then, write a general topic and link all these smaller pieces inside to create a circle of knowledge. For example, writing on “Creating a digital marketing strategy” can be considered the hub. In this case, the spokes will be “how to build a winning landing page,” “how to create a compelling CTA,” and others.

Creating such cluster topics will be extremely time-consuming, but it will build an internal content ecosystem to keep users on your website longer, resulting in better ranking scores. 

Most importantly, however, learn how to write authoritatively, use proper data, and don’t mislead your audience. For example, citing unexisting research or quoting out of context to serve your own needs will be punished harshly by Google.

Finally, take your time to create your author’s bios. This will automatically give you some extra points and enhance your credibility in the community. 

Voice and image searches will be the focus

We’ve already mentioned it several times, but when it comes to SEO, it bears repeating. Voice and image searches are on the rise and soon will become the norm. Well, not in 2024, but still, there is a significant influx of people using those two methods to satisfy their queries.

 In 2024, voice searches are expected to reach 8 billion monthly. Another 12 billion will utilize Google Lens and image search as well. This trend is even more noticeable in the US, as about 85.4 million users utilize voice search on Google Assistant. 81.1 billion use Siri and about 73.7 billion use Alexa. 

Naturally, you must tweak your metadata to facilitate these changes in user behavior. People often speak differently than they type, so you need to account for that during SEO optimization and keyword research. 

Moreover, users most often use the voice-activated search mode to make a rapid search for a product or service.

The same goes for image searches. Google Lens is most often used to recognize a brand or an item and find out where the user can buy it. Naturally, high-quality pictures with properly optimized file names, tags, and alt tags are no longer recommended. It’s a must if you want to keep your top spot on Google and make sure that image searches will land precisely on your page. 

Still, when it comes to voice searches, people will use them to find a local solution to their problem.

Local SEO will become even more important

Local SEO efforts have been on such lists ever since 2018. Still, after the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive restrictions on traveling and moving freely, people finally realized how important it is to know your local market. So, today, around 46% of all Google searches have local intent. This means that half of all your organic traffic comes from people looking for a local solution to their problem. Furthermore, as already explained, most voice searches also seek a local solution.

Thus, in 2024, it’s a good idea to improve your local SEO so you can enjoy an influx of new customers. This includes optimizing your Google My Business profile. If you already haven’t, give as much information about your business as possible. Add a FAQ section and list your biggest benefits. In 2024, Google My Business should be on focus, and you must add posts regularly if you want to remain relevant.

Zero-click searches should be in the mix

2024 will be the year when zero-click searches will finally reach their potential. The zero-click search is practically a straight-away answer to a query that doesn’t need the user to click to receive. This information is above all results and often is the only thing that users will ever see. Unfortunately, zero-click searches, as the name suggests, won’t lead to traffic. 

However, it will do wonders for your branding. Users will see your brand as an authoritative website, leading to better credibility. Naturally, this will lead to increased sales in the long run, which is far more effective than just “cheating” the user to get on your website. 

Naturally, you need to answer Google’s call and make sure you can accommodate the user’s interest. As yourself, what’s the first question anyone would ask about your product? Give a straight answer within a blog post, preferably in the intro, and go for the lengthy explanations afterward. Naturally, some topics can’t be explained in 2-3 sentences. Still, if the question is which is the best hosting company, the answer HostArmada should be front and center, while the explanation of why can come later. And if the user is interested in your reasoning, they can go in and check it out.

Naturally, to qualify, you need nothing short of exceptional content. Research, quotes, and references are a must. But there’s more. You will have to make your content entertaining and easily scannable. This way, Google will be able to take snippets much easier, giving your website a better chance to be featured at the zeroed position.

Being fast will be more important than ever 

Finally, we have website speed. Now, website speed has always been an integral part of your SEO. Still, today, users are far more impatient, and even a one-second delay will tarnish your results significantly. It has been well-documented that site speed has a direct correlation with conversion rates, so naturally, the faster your website, the better your results will be.

The core web vitals you should always be on top of are the Largest Content Paint (LCP), the First Input Delay (FID), and the Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). LCP is the time it takes for the main content to appear on the screen. This can be an image, a text, or a video. FID refers to the time it takes for your website to respond to a user’s first Interaction. Finally, CLS are the unexpected movements on your page, which often leave the user frustrated and unable to complete an action. 

In 2024, the FID will be replaced by Interaction to Next Paint (INP). It measures the speed with which your website reacts to users’ actions. The faster your website responds, the better your ranking will be. 

So, you need to analyze these core vitals and tweak your website to meet and exceed the current standards. 

However, if nothing works, the problem might be in your hosting. In this case, all you can do is switch to HostArmada. Our cloud-based hosting offers lightning-fast website speed, robust security features, and 99.9% guaranteed uptime. This will significantly boost your SEO efforts, as speed, security, and reliability are among the cornerstones of user satisfaction. So, check out our plans and choose the one that suits your needs perfectly. Don’t waste time in taking this first and crucial step in upgrading your SEO in 2024.

The post 8 SEO Trends that will boost your Website Ranking in 2024 appeared first on HostArmada Blog.

Furthermore, about 36% of all top 1 million websites are powered by WordPress. That’s anything but surprising, considering how easy this platform makes creating a website. Anyone, regardless of their designer or IT knowledge, can build a small but efficient website. Moreover, WordPress boosted the retail industry. Today, anyone can start abusiness within a day, spending next to nothing.

As it seems, WordPress is a cornerstone for success for millions of small businesses worldwide, and 2024 won’t be any different. So, let’s have a glimpse at the future and discuss the major trends and changes that will happen with WordPress over the next 12 months. 

Three Major releases

First and foremost, we need to address the roadmap for all changes that will happen in WordPress. In 2024, the platform will issue three core releases. First, we will see WordPress 6.5 around March. Next, 6.6 will appear around the middle of the year, most likely in July, and finally, 6.7 will arrive in early November. These dates are not set in stone, and 6.7 may come a bit early or a bit later, especially as WordPress would likely want to avoid any speculations of security issues regarding the US presidential elections. Moreover, as many renowned businesses will have to implement those changes, the releases will likely avoid major holidays, especially in the US.

The main focus for those releases will be Phase 3 of the Gutenberg project. While 6.4 laid the groundwork by extending existing features and exploring the collaborative aspects, the upcoming releases are expected to fully immerse users in collaborative web development experiences.

Designers are anticipating the introduction of the much-awaited typography management features, including a Font Library and server-side @font-face CSS generation with WordPress 6.5. This functionality will enable users to explore and manage fonts within the admin interface, offering an extensive library that is not theme-dependent but extendable for plugin developers.

V.6.6 will most probably focus on polishing outstanding features from previous releases. 

One of the main focuses of the long-awaited Phase 3 will be real-time collaboration within WordPress. Users can expect features such as real-time editing, comments, and feedback functionality, enhancing teamwork for content creation and website development. The roadmap also includes:

• Improved publishing workflows.
• Enhanced post revisions.
• An updated media and asset library.
• A search and command prompt functionality.

The best part is that these changes are primarily inspired by community feedback. WordPress will address SEO and digital marketing trends as well.

Voice Search Optimization

With more than 20% of searches in Google done vocally, unsurprisingly, WordPress will answer the call and optimize this aspect of organic traffic acquisition. Moreover, for 2024, experts are adamant that the voice search volume will increase to more than 8 billion individual searches monthly. That’s a good enough reason to consider refurbishing your SEO organization to follow the trend.

Indeed, voice-activated assistants have become part of our everyday life. The most popular in the US is Google Search, which has 85.4 million users. Next is Apple’s Siri has 81.1. million users. Alexa is third, with 73.7 million users. These numbers will only grow, as will the voice activation technology.

To answer the call and keep up with the trend, WordPress will become compatible with voice-activated search queries. By incorporating voice recognition technology, websites enable users to search for information effortlessly using voice commands. This approach aligns with the growing reliance on voice-activated devices for everyday tasks, including internet searches.

Even now, WordPress is collaborating with some of the best companies in the voice recognition industry. Over the next 12 months, however, voice search will become big. We expect many websites to integrate this type of user-friendly search. In other words, voice search is no longer a luxury. It’s a downright necessity if you want to be relevant. 

Thus, next year, developers will work tirelessly to create and perfect plugins that allow users to navigate the website through voice commands. This will enhance not only the UX of your website but also your SEO efforts. However, that is not the only SEO-friendly change in WordPress we expect in 2024.

Multilingual plugins

Multilingual plugins are not something unseen in WordPress. However, powered by AI, these handy tools will finally help your local SEO.

If you want to operate in Mexico, you must rank in the Mexican Google with Spanish keywords. So, until now, you had to work with plugins of questionable quality. Especially when the language was far less spoken – like Hungarian or Finnish, for example. Along with the plugin, you had to hire a local translator to fix the mistakes and make the language more natural. 

In 2024, with the help of AI, developers are set to finally make a multilingual plugin that will not only translate texts but will transcreate them instead. Naturally, this will increase customer trust and satisfaction, reflected in your sales. Moreover, it will open a line of communication with locals in their language, expanding your outreach.

Such an AI-powered multilingual plugin will significantly boost your SEO efforts in foreign markets. 

Dark Mode

In 2024, WordPress will finally accommodate designers, users, and programmers who predominantly work and surf during the dark hours. Dark mode is a designer solution that puts less strain on the user’s eyes in a dim environment. With most users surfing the internet after working hours and at night, most of them prefer the dark mode. Still, by now, one could add this option only through plugins. 

In 2024, WordPress will finally implement a dark mode option out of the box. This will lighten your website, increase the loading speed, and cut the need for additional plugins. More importantly, it will offer one less security breach possibility. At the same time, your users will have a much better experience translating into better Search engine rankings. 

One can wonder why WordPress took so long to add this otherwise small but highly convenient change. But it’s probably because WordPress finally decided to listen to and act upon the feedback. 

Better security with blockchains

Security has always been one of the pillars of a robust and growing business. Naturally, with every new release, WordPress enhances its security. In 2024, however, this will be a focal point in WP’s development. 

Firstly, WordPress will strongly encourage administrators to fortify their accounts with stronger passwords and Two-factor authentication (2FA). The method with a unique code is the most likely solution here. 

Automatic updates will also play a pivotal role in the security landscape of WordPress in 2024. Recognizing that an up-to-date platform is crucial for fending off potential vulnerabilities, developers will emphasize the importance of keeping WordPress installations current. Automatic updates will promptly apply all security patches needed to fortify the platform against emerging threats.

Enhanced monitoring capabilities will be another cornerstone of WordPress security in 2024. Website owners will be equipped with tools to actively monitor and detect potential security breaches, allowing for swift responses to mitigate risks. This proactive approach to security aligns with the WordPress community’s commitment to continuous improvement and staying ahead of evolving threats.

Furthermore, the integration of blockchain technology is poised to revolutionize WordPress security in 2024. Recognizing blockchain’s decentralized and tamper-resistant nature, developers will explore ways to incorporate this technology into the platform. Blockchain’s inherent characteristics protect against hacking attempts and unauthorized access, reinforcing WordPress as a secure choice for website owners.

This reaction from WordPress comes as no surprise in the age where cyber threats are at an all-time high. So, seeing the developers at the world’s foremost CMS platform taking it that seriously is quite a relief. 

Headless WordPress will rise

Another feature that’s bound to get more attention in 2024 is the Headless WordPress. Headless WordPress represents a decoupled version of the popular content management system, where the backend or management aspect is detached from the front end, allowing developers to create and manage the frontend independently using their preferred frontend framework as a standalone application.

This approach has already gained some traction due to its deconstruction of the traditional WordPress frontend experience. Instead of relying on conventional WordPress themes and PHP, a headless setup employs JavaScript and APIs to access the WordPress backend, retrieving content to display on the frontend. This not only provides increased flexibility for developers but also can enhance performance. 

The improved performance is a result of offloading processing to the frontend, reducing the server load and delivering content faster and more efficiently. Frontend developers benefit from increased freedom to use tools and technologies that best suit their needs, leading to better user experiences optimized for speed and usability.

We expect this feature to gain even more attention in 2024 and to see some plugins and themes designed explicitly for Headless WordPress setup.

AI integration will be at the forefront

Still, if there is something that will certainly get the spotlight next year, it’s without a doubt the AI. With 97% of smartphone users interacting with an AI daily, it would be a genuine surprise if WordPress did not put effort into integrating it into their systems. 

There were such notions back in 2023 as well, but WordPress is adamant that they will introduce their AI only when it’s ready. So, 2024 seems like a good year. After all, Google, Microsoft, and all other tech giants are scheduling releases of AI products for 2024, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if WordPress follows suit. 

One of the AI features we expect to see first in WP’s system is some sort of content enhancement tool. Using such tools, you might be able to generate blog posts or other content based on first-hand data from your website. Naturally, there are still some questions on whether Google will stop punishing AI content in its ranking. Furthermore, as seen by Chat GPT, AI has a long way to go before it can autonomously create an appealing and interesting text.

One thing, however, that will most probably be at the forefront of WP development is AI-powered chatbots, which will enhance the e-commerce experience infinitely. Naturally, such implementation into the core WordPress system will significantly boost any website’s appeal. Especially since it will reduce the need for additional plugins, thus improving the website’s speed and security. 

So, it will be a genuine surprise if WordPress does not introduce at least an AI-powered chatbot to its core abilities. 

Sustainability at the heart

Finally, WordPress, just like most giant tech companies in the West, has pledged to fight climate change. Thus, all WordPress changes will have sustainability at their core. Moreover, the CMS leader will double down their work in providing environmentally conscious solutions to all WP users, regardless of their needs. 

Optimizing code, reducing resource consumption, and improving site speed will be focal points in WordPress development. These efforts aim not only to create more efficient websites but also to align with the global shift towards eco-friendly practices. As the digital world becomes increasingly environmentally conscious, WordPress is poised to adapt, meeting the demand for sustainable web solutions.

One significant trend that will contribute to WordPress’s sustainability initiatives is Green Web Design. This approach considers a website’s environmental footprint and energy efficiency throughout its development process. By reducing energy consumption and harmful carbon emissions, Green Web Design aligns with sustainability goals and enhances the website’s UX and performance.

Streamlined design, featuring clean and minimalistic layouts with efficient navigation, will be emphasized to reduce site load times and power consumption. Light colors and themes, known for consuming less power on displays, will be pushed forward. Additionally, reducing data consumption through minimal data usage designs will contribute to sustainability efforts by lowering energy usage on servers and user devices.

This may sound like a small effort, but in fact, such a reduction will reduce a lot of carbon emissions in the long run. This corresponds with the ever-growing demand for sustainable solutions and lowering users’ carbon footprint in any way possible. 

WordPress will remain the best

2024, WordPress will remain a global website building and CMS leader. As such, they will stay at the forefront of developing new features and changing the entire digital landscape. So, if you want to be part of their evolution, all you need is robust hosting, which will seamlessly integrate WordPress into your website. HostArmada is just that. We offer lightning-fast website loading speed, robust security, and 99.9% uptime. Check out our plans and choose the one that best suits your needs. After that, you can experience WordPress on your own with a few mouse clicks. 

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Building a marketing strategy is not an easy task, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the digitalization of everyday shopping has skyrocketed, and naturally, new trends in digital marketing appear every single month. Some of them work, others fall into oblivion. So, today, we are here to make sure you implement the right trends in your 2024 digital marketing strategy. We’ve followed the market and pinpointed at least 8 highly promising trends that will dictate user behavior and your digital marketing efforts throughout the following year.

Sustainability Reigns Supreme 

With the extreme weather in the past decade, it’s becoming harder to ignore climate change and the need to take some action as a society. Even if you disagree with this statement, the majority of users would agree, and when it comes to marketing, that’s all that matters. Becoming sustainable has become more than just a trend in Western societies. It’s become a way of life. Actually, about 78% of consumers in America declare that sustainability is essential to them. So, each brand that wants to appeal to this colossal majority must identify with their understanding.

Furthermore, most leading brands have already hopped on the bandwagon and, following Google’s lead, created their own versions of net-zero goals. While the idea of advertising your brand as sustainable is not something new, in 2024, users will expect some results. Brands will no longer be able to just put a sticker on or talk the talk. In 2024, brands will have to walk the walk. This will be even enforced for those of you who do business in the EU. The European governing body has issued The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive mandating new reporting standards for European businesses, which will catalyze the sustainability commitment on the continent and amplify the significance of sustainability in marketing practices.  

The modern consumer, increasingly conscientious and discerning, seeks more than just products and services. Environmental and social responsibility have become paramount considerations, urging brands to align their values with those of their audience. 

So, to tackle this trend, you need to focus your messaging on your sustainability goals and the results of your efforts so far. Showcase your new eco-friendly pack, highlight your environmentally cautious delivery methods, and underline your preservationist initiatives, like planting trees, using local materials, etc. 

Value is no longer what it was

As you can see, there is more to price and quality when it comes to successfully advertising your product. With younger generations becoming economically active, changes are bound to happen. In 2024, the value will become less and less about the actual product and more about what it represents. Millennials are now in the prime of their economic life, so even luxury brands were bound to change their stagnant and conservative marketing practices. Thus, you can now see car brands like BMW, Rolls Royce, and Bentley producing highly-expensive and luxurious electric cars. Such a notion was entirely impossible if the market was left to Gen X or the Boomers. So, as Millennials become richer and Gen Z starts entering into the workforce and start taking their first steps on the market, marketing trends will inevitably change.

Actually, they have already changed, and in 2024, you need to be aware that about 82% of consumers are adamant that the brand’s values should align with theirs. What’s more, if there is a value mismatch in their values, 39% of shoppers will boycott their favorite brand regardless of product satisfaction. Some call this “cancel culture,” but it’s nothing more than basic marketing. If you want to sell something to someone, you must persuade them you are the same. 

So, be creative and give your products and services additional value. Quality and price are no longer enough to grow your brand. You need to add value. 

Twilight of the search box

The search box has been your trusted friend for almost 25 years now. With Google celebrating its quarter-century on the market, one thing is clear: Search engines are here to stay, at least for now. Moreover, they will retain the basis of your organic traffic. What is currently changing, though, is the way people search. In 2024, we will enter the Twilight of the search box era. Still, don’t be too hasty to change your entire direction. The search boxes will be here to stay for at least another five years. However, their use is rapidly declining. Today, more than half of approximately 26 billion monthly searches on Google are done with alternative methods. More than 20% of searches in the Google app are done using voice search. Experts predict that users will make at least 8 billion monthly voice searches in 2024.

Moreover, Google Lens is rapidly growing in popularity, and in 2024, predictions suggest that nearly 12 billion people will use this handy functionality. 

So, where is the problem if everyone is still using Google? Well, mostly in the keywords and how you optimize your SEO. Generally, people speak a bit differently than they write. For example, when searching for car tires, you will write a much more direct question with specifics in the search box. For instance, “Winter tires, 195/65 R15” is much easier to type than to pronounce. So, the same search will sound more like “Winter Tires for Toyota Auris 2012” in voice search. Thus, you must optimize your SEO for both if you offer winter tires. 

Furthermore, adding your items as visuals so Google Lens can recognize them will open the door for another 12 billion potential searches. 

The Rise of the Machines is now

The rise of AI is inevitable. Chat GPT was a game changer, and despite its many flaws, it became a new beacon in digital marketing. It also sparked the AI revolution, and countless other AI generators, like Google’s Bard, Dall-E, Alli Al, Paradox, and others, appeared shortly after. Google Gemini is now also on the market, but it’s expected to boom in spring after the program has been perfected. This shows that the biggest IT brands are working tirelessly on developing AI tools to improve user experience. 

Moreover, the AI market has grown by 20% each year since its inception. Furthermore, projections show that by 2030, this relatively young industry will be worth 15.7 trillion dollars. But perhaps the most important factor you must consider is the usage. About 97% of smartphone users interact with an AI on a daily basis. It’s evident that AI is the future, and if you haven’t utilized it in your marketing strategy in 2024, it will be a must.

The good news is that AI will make your work much easier. For starters, utilized the right way, AI will streamline your work and increase your productivity exponentially. It can help you with every aspect of your marketing campaign. However, it’s way too early to trust machines completely. Make sure you check their work and implement a personal touch. For example, if you want ChatGPT to create a blog post, you must revise and include some personal experiences and examples. Otherwise, Google will sanction your content and drop you from the search results front page. 

Optimizing your SMM campaigns is still not a grand idea either. Though users predominantly use AI daily, they still feel conflicted and doubtful when faced with an AI-generated or enhanced ad. So, using AI is a must, but be cautious. 

Conversation becomes key

With AI and the new generations of consumers flooding the market, we will witness a rise in conversational marketing success. Conversational marketing is a dialogue-driven, customer-centric marketing strategy. Its main goal is to drive up customer engagement and enhance customer experiences. Usually, conversational marketing is based on one-on-one interaction with customers in real-time. It’s much like a consultant in a techno store, but online. In the past, customer support or sales took over this job, where an army of employees was ready to answer every question. This strategy had tremendous success, as customers could communicate all their concerns with the brand. This builds trust and gives them peace of mind that they are getting the right product for their needs. 

Unfortunately, this marketing practice was reserved only for big brands that could afford it. Small and micro businesses rarely were able to afford 24/7 communication with customers. Even so, communication delays were common, building frustration and hindering the trust-building process.

Today, with AI, small and micro businesses are no longer bound by these limitations. A well-trained AI can answer all FAQs flawlessly and at a moment’s notice. This way, the majority of clients will satisfy their queries directly from the robot, while the rest could be redirected to a live customer support agent. Naturally, this makes conversational marketing much more affordable, opening the door to this highly successful strategy even for freelancers. 

So, in 2024, we expect conversational marketing to hit an all-time high, and if you want to be competitive in the market, we suggest you join in the trend.  

Hyper-personalization will make you big

AI will open other doors as well. The one that will boost your growth significantly, however, is the opportunity to tailor personal experiences to all your customers. Hyper-personalization is a relatively new concept, previously used exclusively by luxurious brands. With mass products, it was entirely impossible to create a personalized journey for every one of your users. However, with the help of AI and the vast collection of tools that gather your user’s data, you can now tailor your audience’s experience precisely as they will like it. 

This corresponds with the current trend of luxury becoming more mainstream. While luxuries were reserved for the wealthiest in the world in the past, with the rise of social media, people got a taste of the ultra-luxurious life. Thus, today, everyone prefers to spend more but receive special treatment.

A great example of a mass hyper-personalization strategy is Amazon’s dynamic product recommendations. In a nutshell, Amazon would suggest products based on what you searched for, what you bought, and what can complement your purchase. 

Another great example is using location-based marketing. This way, whenever you enter a particular area, you can receive a push notification about a product or service you previously searched. Restaurants and local shops often use this hyper-personalized strategy.

AI can help you go beyond these examples. It can enhance your efforts and help you target your audience based on dozens of their preferences. For example, if users spend significant time on a traveling YouTube channel, you send them an email showcasing how your product will complement their passion. 

In 2024, this will become the norm. So, to remain relevant, it’s best to start adopting. 

Short Videos for the win

With Gen Z entering the market with full force, it’s time to start tending to their specific tastes. One thing that’s vastly different from all previous generations is the attention span. Thanks to TikTok, Instagram stories, and YouTube Shorts, the attention span of Gen Z users is 8 seconds on average. Moreover, unlike its predecessors, this generation prefers to consume information in short, entertaining videos rather than reading. 

So, in 2024, you must allocate a sufficient budget to create high-quality short-form videos. Furthermore, if you haven’t already, you must start TikTok and YouTube channels and produce regular content. This way, you will guarantee that your messaging will bombard the Gen Z user.

Another specific of this generation is the focus on What rather than How. In other words, Gen Z users expect direct and quick answers without too much digging into the How and Why. So, your 5-8-second video should be straightforward, without explanation and additional fluff. Still, it must capture attention and act on the user’s emotions. The only way to do that is through the visuals. Using high-quality, strategically gathered visuals can help you relay the additional value we already discussed in a previous point. 

So, in 2024, if you want to tap into this new generation that’s becoming increasingly active consumers, you must invest in short-form, high-quality videos, and profiles on popular platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and others. 

First-Party Data Is the New Standard

The diminishing reliance on third-party cookies, attributed to the phase-out by major web browsers and the global implementation of stricter privacy regulations, has paved the way for marketers to turn their attention to first-party and zero-party data. This shift is not merely dictated by compliance with consumer privacy regulations but is driven by a commitment to more reliable and ethical sources of customer insights.

In a nutshell, first-party data is the information you gather directly from your customers and audience. Thus, most brands have already switched to using it in building their marketing strategies, as it’s the most reliable. Still, that’s not the only reason why first-party cookies will become the new standard in 2024. Privacy regulations worldwide and the push for more ethical use of personal data will be at the forefront of this major change in digital marketing next year.

As privacy regulations multiply, the marketing landscape will witness a cascade of enforcement actions. Governments, led by the European Union, are expanding their focus on consumer privacy, with more states in the U.S. adopting legislation akin to the California Consumer Privacy Act. 2024 is likely to see an escalation of fines and an increased investment by companies in privacy compliance tools, adding complexity to marketing measurement and reinforcing the significance of first-party data.

So, to address this changing dynamic, we’d advise you not to build your marketing campaign around third-party cookies, as they will most probably disappear entirely within several months. 

Time to build your strategy

Now you know what to expect from the digital marketing landscape in 2024. It’s time to build your strategy around the ever changing customer behavior and the brand-new players who only recently joined the consumer audience. With the growing economic input by Gen Z, digital marketing is bound to follow their behavior closely. Still, as they are still young, their behavior is not yet cemented, as they will evolve both in preferences and taste. 

Regardless, as fluid as digital marketing is, talking about predictions for more than 12 months at a time is pointless. So, for now, stick to these eight trends, and you are bound to grow your business. 

Naturally, regardless of how good your digital marketing strategy is, if your website’s infrastructure is poor, nothing can help you. Imagine having the perfect campaign that attracts hundreds of thousands of potential customers only to lose about 70% because your website takes ages to load. Then, you lose another 10-15% due to a server breakdown and another 10% because you lack the proper security. Speed, reliability, and security are the three pillars of your website that can make or break your success. 

HostArmada offers you a cost-efficient solution for all three main pillars. Each one of our plans offers lightning-fast website load speed, top-of-the-line security features, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Remember, your digital marketing strategy is only as good as your hosting company allows it to be. So, check out our plans and choose the one that will fit your needs perfectly.

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