Are you thinking of creating a new website or doing a re-design of your existing site? You want your site to be future-proof as much as possible, both in design and technology. Here are some of the latest trends in web design trends you should know to help you stay current.
User experience (UX)
UX or user experience is a term you’ll hear thrown around a lot when talking about website design trends this year. Media consumers are gravitating towards minimalistic and intuitive designs. If the navigation isn’t immediately obvious, it’s already too complicated. Sites are focusing on presenting content in a clean and simple way. Think of the acronym made famous by the online community of Redditors, “TLDR” meaning “too long, didn’t read”; this sentiment is becoming even more relevant now in our world of media hyper-saturation. As a society of on-the-go multitaskers, we simply do not have time to read lengthy web content. The Nielson Norman Group, a user experience research group, did a study concluding that
“On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.”
That means 80% of web content isn’t being read. In fact it’s possible that already there have been a few readers of this very article who have drifted off on the ‘TLDR’ spectrum. A more concise approach to content is the natural answer to how modern society consumes media, so keep your content short and sweet.
It’s all about the image
Our eye is naturally drawn to a striking image, it’s definitely one of the web design trends you should know and keep in mind at all times. A strong HD background image is an excellent tool to grab a user’s attention by creating a focal point on the screen. We are seeing a trend of websites in 2016 that are very image-heavy. It’s important to use an image that is unique to the website and not a canned looking stock image. Avoid anything that feels cheesy or involves too many fake smiles. Using a photo that is obviously stock can take away from your site’s authenticity and lessen your brand’s trust. There are a wide variety of stock image sites available that provide more natural-looking photography. Choose an image that is relevant to your site and your users will be more likely to engage with it.
The long scroll: single page sites
The long scroll is a stylistic element that allows you to take visitors on a journey. Instead of breaking your content down into multiple pages, you can accomplish the same effect by having a user scroll down. Consumers are more and more used to this technique since the advent of smartphones. It’s a natural way to navigate and we’re seeing it more and more in modern web design.
Responsive design
Out of all the web design trends you should know, having a quick and efficient site is more of a necessity than a trend. People browse the internet on their mobile devices now even more than they do from the desktop. With that comes responsive design; making a website that will look impeccable on Smartphone, tablet, laptop and desktop. The mobile app is even more popular in 2016. Data show that mobile users prefer browsing on an app more than on a mobile responsive site. Yahoo Flurry reports that 90% of mobile browsing time is spent on an app. That’s definitely something to consider when deciding if creating an app for your business is a worth it or not.
Animation and video
Animation and video are being seen more and more in popular webs design as internet speeds increase. However, if you chose to add a video or animation background to your site you’ll need to be careful. A video or animation can add dimension and intrigue, but too much is distracting and can annoy your audience. Knowing where that line is and how not to cross it will be key if you choose to go this route with your design. Many sites are opting to darken their video and brighten their typeface to ensure that their moving content isn’t too distracting to the user.
3D graphics can be a great way to show off a new product or design. New tools are available such as WebGL, a JavaScript API that can be used to create interactive graphics. Imagine showing off a new product by rotating it 360 degrees with the hover of a mouse.
Don’t use audio with your videos. Fact – 85% of Facebook videos and 80% of Popsugar’s videos are watched on silent. No one wants to be bombarded with unwanted sound. If it’s really necessary to convey a message, use a caption instead of audio.
Pro Tip
Be a human
Show your face. Be personable. Modern consumers want to know your story. Consumers want that boutique personality no matter how big your company is. Being a relatable human can add a lot of trust value to your site.
One way to implement this is with a funny error 404 page. This could be your opportunity to show that you can have a laugh.
