Trends in searching for "Website Design"
Google search terms associated with the phrase "website design" are both high in volume and wide in word variance. In this article we take a look at the most used phrases in 2009 as well as the rapid risers throughout the year.
The sheer volume of searches centred on this term are impressive to say the least. Web designers and businesses alike continue to maintain a high volume of searches and the widening of the terms they use. Nonetheless, the popular key phrases remain in place albeit for a significant rise in the number of people looking for freely available resources that indicate a desire to source inspiration and tools.
The Top 10 Searches for 2009 Overall
1: - website design
2: - free web design
3: - web site design
4: - web site
5: - web page design
6: - web page
7: - web design software
8: - web templates
9: - web design templates
10: - best web design
In the generic sense of website design both the Czech Republic and Romania are responsible for large volumes of searches in comparison to the number of web users.
The interesting note on the top 10 list is the entry of web templates in two places. Are more and more designers (or people wishing to enter the field) reliant on templates rather than creative inspiration?
This can broken into regions and that is when a few things become clearer. The demand for templates is most evident in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India. Significantly so.
South Africa and India dominate the list of countries searching for web design software. Indeed the rise in South Africa as a searching nation in all web design terms is very apparent in 2009.
Free web design has always been a popular phrase, but never more than in 2009. Recession related?
It's in the area of rising searches that the biggest changes come though.
The Top 10 Fastest Risers
1: - web design inspiration - UP 80%
2: - website design software - UP 60%
3: - free website templates - UP 60%
4: - website templates - UP 50%
5: - website software - UP 50%
6: - website builder - UP 50%
7: - web design trends - UP 40%
8: - joomla web design - UP 40%
9: - free css templates - UP 40%
10: - best website design - UP 40%
Web design inspiration is a huge riser over previous years and for a term outside of the top 10 overall it makes an interesting entry. The vast number of sites that now offer the profession inspiration through the championing of the best designs is a possible factor in the increase as such sources of inspiration have never been easier to find or more numerous in appearance.
Free website templates being in the fastest risers certainly backs up its inclusion of the overall top ten though and would perhaps again support our theory that there is a growing trend towards template based design.
Joomla shows a large rise too though and is cementing its position as the most popular of CMS systems for many. Interesingly it is the United Kingdom that is the country leading this rise in searches. That's unusual as the USA nearly always tops such lists because of its larger user base - but Joomla is clearly making a big impact in the UK this year (another interest footnote is that Joomla tutorials are sought after).
Free CSS templates is something of particular interest. There is little doubt that CSS has been making considerable ground in recent years and its link to free templates is again further evidence of those that become familiar with it wanting to source as many freely available instant build structures as possible. We find that a little disconcerting to be honest. Whilst there is no doubt that such resources have their place we didn't anticipate seeing the percentage rise that the trends demonstrate.
It is also interesting to note that within the generic term of website design inspiration that 'css inspiration' makes up the vast amount of volume.
Our opinion is that this isn't volume eminating from those that have worked in the trade for any length of time. It is much more likely to be from a growing number of people entering the industry on the back of wishing to make a quick buck on templates sold on in quick time at quick profit. There is a market for such providers, no doubt, but the number of people seeking to provide services in this way is perhaps more than we'd envisaged.
Historic trends
Whilst the main article demonstrates the areas in which website design is most searched, it doesn't give a huge insight into the overall direction of the term - because for the last 5 years the trend has been downwards.
The boom of the internet saw a stratospheric level of interest in website design up to 2004 - but levels have been tailing off ever since. Demand is still incredibly high, but anyone entering the field nowadays would be well advised to take note of history. The 'pick your client' days have most certainly gone (comparably).
Over that same period there have been some developments that saw very rapid search increases. Web 2.0 became the buzzword and was the most researched sub-topic of all - by a very long way.
Unsurprisingly the magic 'SEO' term became extremely popular - and that remains as popular as ever today and is one of the terms that bucks the overall trend of decline. Perhaps those that were searching for website design years ago are now searching for the source of expertise that will bring the visitors to the site they've now had for a considerable period of time?
