Have you noticed how websites have started to look alike? You know the web design trends: the same fonts, the same muted colors, the same grid layout. The only thing that changes is the company name. If you want to stand out, there are six web design trends that your business should care about.
The World Wide Web has grown exponentially over the past decade. You have already jumped on the mobile-friendly trend to stay relevant (if you haven’t, you need to). But you could still get left behind if you don’t pay attention to these other emerging trends.
More than Good Looks
Don’t dismiss some of the new trends as mere window dressing. Web design and your business should work together to promote growth. And just as the façade of your business conveys whether you’ve seen better days or you’re thriving, your web presence has an impact, too.
1. Asymmetric layout
Are you tired of the grid? So are your clients! We’re not advocating for clutter. We are suggesting that a rigidly symmetric design isn’t your only option. Artists have known this for centuries.
This web design trend emphasizes a dynamic and fluid layout to reflect what’s unique about your business. The layout should grow out of your business needs, not demand that your business fit a pre-conceived grid.
Every element of your business doesn’t deserve equal weight. An asymmetric layout can highlight—or give extra weight to—what’s most important. The visual layout should emphasize what’s most important.
Asymmetry for its own sake can go awry, so make sure your designer’s experimental layout reflects well on your business. Asymmetrical layouts still need to make sense to your website visitors.
Asymmetry can provide an opportunity to make your website memorable. You didn’t build your business by following a simple template. Don’t settle for a cookie-cutter web design. Your web design and your business deserve to be one-of-a-kind.
2. Typography
Some fonts work well on the web. They make content easier to read. And some fonts are simply beautiful. Certain fonts also pair well: one is used for the body of the text and the other for headlines.
Unfortunately, some fonts and combinations have become so popular that they’re almost the only ones you ever see. What was once a new web design trend has become the default design choice. With all the font options available, it’s time to rethink your go-to font favorites.
Technology has improved over the early years of the Internet. Higher resolutions across all devices allow custom fonts to translate well to any screen. It’s time to take advantage of those technological advances and make your website stand out from the rest.
When you play it safe and only use fonts that blend in with every other website, you simply won’t get noticed. Find a font that’s as distinctive as you and your business are.
3. Color palette
Another technological advance allows designers to use more saturated colors. Soft pastels have a place, but it’s good to have a choice. Bold colors will convey the vibrancy of your business better than a pale palette.
Other web design trends related to color involve a move away from flat designs. Shadows create an illusion of depth. A skillful designer uses shadow and depth to draw the viewer into the image.
Another technique that is part of this web design trend is the use of gradients. They make bland, flat images more appealing. You can use gradients subtly to add interest to a background color. Increasingly, designers are using bolder gradients, and using them in novel ways, such as over photos.
4. Custom illustrations
There’s a time and place to use stock images. It’s quick and easy to browse through them and then simply cut and paste. The only problem is that everyone else is browsing through the same collection of stock images. You end up using the same images your competitors are using.
Illustrations are a handmade element that adds a touch of authenticity that’s refreshing to see in a digital world. Illustrations can be whimsical or scientifically exacting. Either way, they are unique to your website.
Custom illustrations aren’t free, but they can be worth every penny. You get exactly the image you want, and it’s yours alone. It sets your business apart from your competitors. It says you don’t cut corners. It says quality.
Isn’t that the message you want to send to potential customers? This is a web design trend you can’t afford to ignore.
5. Video/Animation
The web is increasingly dominated by video. The rise of YouTube should have tipped you off about this web design trend. If your website is limited to text and static images, you aren’t taking advantage of the web’s ability to be a fully multimedia experience.
If you aren’t sure where to start, consider changing your customer testimonials from a written to video format. People do read the testimonials, but seeing and hearing customers add authenticity.
Animation also enlivens an otherwise ordinary webpage. The right animation of your business logo draws attention to it. Just make sure it’s the good kind of attention!
Why does movement work? It’s built into human vision. We automatically turn our eyes to see what’s moving. Using video and animation strategically catches the attention of viewers and draws them to the content you want them to see.
If you aren’t engaging this web design trend, you’re losing out on controlling your customers’ website experiences.
6. Content Hubs/Storytelling
How do you address the need to provide detailed information and yet avoid annoying clients who are trying to find information quickly? Web design trends offer you two related strategies: telling a compelling story and developing content hubs.
Content hubs set up a fresh way to conceptualize your site map. Rather than the traditional linear tree model, content hubs look like interlocking wheels with hubs and spokes. The hub provides the focus of content. The spokes offer depth or breadth to the content.
Storytelling enriches your content. Website visitors only become engaged when your content is compelling. Yes, they’re looking for information. But when is the last time you enjoyed reading content that resembled a periodic chart?
It’s no small task to coordinate form and content. When your web designer gets it right, you’ll see a pay-off in an improved SEO. And that means more traffic on your website. This web design trend is too significant to not take into account.
Update Your Look Now
Ignore these web design trends at your own peril. Typography, color, and animation can be discounted as simply “icing on the cake.” But let’s face it; most people eat cake with icing, not plain cake!
To get the whole package you need expertise in content writing, graphic design, and videography. And you need a creative director who can assemble it all into one cohesive web design. Solutio has that team already assembled for you.
We’re ready to upgrade your look. Our team can create content hubs with compelling storytelling. We’ll support your content with an original color palette and typography choices to make your business stand out.
Call us today at (989) 486-9283 to schedule a free consultation or Contact Us. See how web design and your business can go from plain and ordinary to outstanding.
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