Top 17 Web Design Trends That Need Your Attention

1. Personal Branding

Whether you like it or not, personal branding is among the top new web design trends that warrant your attention. How people perceive you and your identity are two different things. The reason why personal branding is important is to ensure that you align your mission and vision in a way that people perceive you as you want to be perceived rather than letting them speculate.

Without personal branding, your audience will have different opinions about you, and not everyone will think of you as you want. By paying attention to this aspect, you get the control you need to tell people who you are through your website.

2. Mobile-First Approach

If you want to succeed in your industry, you need to pay close attention to statistics, especially when it comes to accessing the internet. The world has gone digital and this means that more people are finding businesses online. Besides, they use different devices to find products and services. According to numbers released by Statista, more than 50% of the world’s web users use mobile devices to get online.

A website that’s not mobile-friendly is a great hindrance to people using mobile devices. Experience is everything when it comes to users and the internet. If users don’t like how a website works on their small screens, they will find one that functions well. It might not be of the same quality as the one they have left but it works well for them and that is all that matters.

Since mobile phones come with smaller screens than computers and tablets, this trend in web design requires that the designing process should focus on these small devices. As a result, websites might have to get rid of unnecessary content. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to prioritize smaller screens instead of viewing them as secondary elements.

3. Improved Responsive Design Implementation

If you have no idea about responsive web design, here’s putting it simply. It refers to a process that creates websites with the aim of providing a good user experience no matter what device someone might use. It involves using flexible grids or layouts and CSS media queries.

Responsive web design results in a dynamic website that will adjust the content automatically based on the device in question. It works closely with the mobile-first approach because both aim at improving the experience of users regardless of which device they use. Another reason most brands want to adopt responsive design trends is that Google and other search engines favor responsive websites over non-responsive ones.

4. Modular Design at the Forefront

Modular design, also referred to as grid-based design, might not be new but it has made it to the list of the best web design trends with good reason. This trend started gaining popularity because of its reusable nature and the fact that it is responsive with tiles stacking well on different screens. Layouts are flexible and look clean and presentable on any screen size. Some of the best examples of websites that successfully use modular design include Instagram and Pinterest.

5. Use of Asymmetric Layouts

Until not so long ago, designers looked at symmetry as the most suitable way of designing websites. They used grid systems that focused primarily on preset alignments. Different elements usually followed a particular hierarchy. The evolution of grid systems brought to the fore an inclination toward asymmetry.

While the idea of a scattered layout is not new, not many designers have given it a go yet. The reason it finds a place in the current web design trends is it offers designers the creative freedom to play around with their vision, content distribution, and typography integration. With designers getting increasingly proficient, you can expect more websites with asymmetric layouts to arrive soon.

6. Single Page Web Design

Web browsing patterns are changing and it seems like scrolling is winning over clicking. The use of mobile devices is on the rise and this is significantly changing the design of websites. With smaller screens and scrolling being an easier option, most users prefer not to click and wait for a link to open. They’d rather scroll around using their fingers on the touch screens.

One-page websites present a lot of information on a single page. They started getting popular a while ago. Now, some of the most trending web designs follow this concept.

7. Focus on Imagery

Including imagery in the form of photos or graphics is a crucial aspect of modern-day website design. The latest web design trends indicate that designers need to pay special attention to using unique imagery. Images become especially important for eCommerce sites. According to data collated by BusinessDasher, around 75% of consumers make purchase decisions based on product photos.

The use of stock photography is on its way out, and designers are now striving to create authentic experiences through custom photography and graphics that may also include sketch art. Line art icons are finding their way into a several websites, mainly because they score over stock alternatives in creating complex images.

Use of Authentic and Fresh Imagery

The use of images aims to engage users and make it easy for them to understand what a website is trying to communicate. Websites have been using the same old stock photos with smiling people, rivers, mountains, and whatnot. Now, thanks to innovative web design, designers use more realistic and relatable images.

It’s important to understand that users are always looking for authenticity and stock images no longer make the cut. Brands will need to portray visuals and content that explain who they are to create a difference between them and their competitors.

Brands also need to adopt bespoke illustrations, attractive typography, and original photography. Users are tired of seeing the same businessmen smiling on every website they come across, and brands need to find different ways to make sure their websites look unique.

Websites like Picjumbo and Unsplash have contributed a great deal to the use of appealing photos that do not look like the same old stock images which web users find all too familiar.

Scalable Vector Graphics

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs) are set to overtake traditional file formats such as JPEG, GIF, and PNG. Unlike the traditional formats that rely on pixels, SVGs are essentially a combination of lines. SVGs are scalable, which makes them perfect for responsive websites that are accessed using devices with different screen sizes.

There is no distortion when users zoom in on vector images. Designers who want images to remain resolution-independent will move toward SVGs, no doubt. Besides, SVGs are required for newer experiences such as 3D images, cinemagraphs, and 360 degree-views, which is why several experts have added them to their lists of the best web design trends.

Cinemagraphs

The use of cinemagraphs is among the leading modern web design trends. If you’re wondering, “What are cinemagraphs?” know that they are basically a combination of static images and full-blown videos. However, they take considerably less time to load than conventional videos.

You may think of a cinemagraph as a snippet that creates dynamic images without affecting how quickly a website loads. You’ll probably be surprised to learn that several animated movies you’ve seen are nothing more than pictures in motion.

8. Use of Video Background

A website is a form of storytelling tool and telling a story is more effective with motion and visuals. A visitor will understand the content better when there are emotions and ideas transferred through motion. Scores of businesses use videos on their websites, and this web designing trend is growing bigger by the day.

Now, there are possibilities for 3D graphics and high-definition videos. This helps build a real-life impression that improves a user’s experience. Statistics indicate that people love videos, which explains why web designers are leaning on their side. Stats collated by Oberlo indicate that people watch over one billion hours of video on YouTube every day, making this number hard to ignore.

YouTube is continuously growing popular and overtaking conventional TV. This is because it gives people the freedom to choose what they want to watch and when. It makes sense to include this popular trend in web design to maximize your website’s potential. However, a possible drawback comes in the form of a longer page loading time.

9. Relying on Animation

As languages and browsers advance, one can see that trending website designs favor using animation over traditional static images. Personality and a story-telling approach are what brands are going for to capture the attention of users. Web animation, courtesy of jQuery, CSS, and HTML5, plays a major role in this process.

Animation comes in different sizes and styles, and its flexibility makes it a popular method of communication. These can range from small animations used to entertain users as a web page loads to more interesting features that come to life when users hover over links or images.

It is possible to employ animation on a large scale to create videos that function as the center of attention on a website. Several brands are already looking at different ways they can use animation to their advantage and attract users to their sites.

Websites of the future will see an increased use of animation, be it in logos, applications, icons, or transitions. A website becomes more attractive and dramatic with the right use of animation. Besides, its use may help attract more customers and increase the time they spend on a website.

10. Use of Rapid Prototyping Tools

While not a part of web design, per se, these tools are, without a doubt, some of the most useful ones to enter the world of web design in recent times. Besides, they include some very important tools that user interface (UI), user experience (UX), and web designers should have in their arsenal.

Services such as Marvel, Invision, Webflow, and UXpin that provide rapid prototyping allow designers to create high and low site and service prototypes to check aesthetics and usability. This is without the need to write any code. These tools can allow a designer to create a site on the browser and launch it from the tool.

These changes might help get rid of static mock-ups and wireframes designers use to explain the process. Clients will have a chance to see exactly how the system looks and how it works without the need for a long conversation that will end up confusing them. In times to come, more businesses might turn to using these tools for improved efficiency and streamlined workflows.

11. Shifting to UI Patterns and Frameworks

The responsive and mobile-first approach in the web design world and the popularity of WordPress have had a significant impact on how modern-day desktop websites look and function. You can see an increased use of the UX and UI patterns emerging across the web with many sites working and looking alike. They are simply learning from each other to improve the user experience.

Now, websites are becoming increasingly user-friendly. There is a lot of competition and brands in different industries cannot afford to take a risk that will see them fall behind. It is fair to predict that the current UX and UI patterns will evolve and develop further. Going forward, more businesses will wake up to UI website design trends and implement them with the aim of providing great user experiences.

12. Going for Courageous Colors

One of the top new website design trends is the use of rich colors. Over the past few years, web designers have been using what one may refer to as safe colors. More and more brands are diving into braver colors that are out of the conventional list.

You may expect many new websites on the block to come in vibrant hues and colors that would normally not find their way on traditional sites. The use of bold colors is not without reason, though. After all, if you look at the art and science of choosing the best colors for websites, you will find that such colors can greatly help in attracting a user’s attention.

A good example is Spotify which moved from a mellow green color to a more vivid and noticeable hue. Back in 2015, this transition had many users complaining. Now, more brands will shift toward using braver colors within their brand and identity with the hope of getting increased attention from their target audience.

13. Use of Creative Scrolling

Scrolling has helped people move from the top to the bottom of web pages for a long time. Today, it can happen in more innovative ways to augment the delivery of content. Since users view a website’s content on different screens, its delivery is very important. For example, if a video is playing, scrolling down should ideally pause it. In addition, previously static content that’s animated now needs to adapt to this trend in web design.

14. Using Negative Space to Better Effect

White space within websites is as old as the internet itself. However, website and mobile app design trends indicate that designers are working around this aspect and finding better use of negative space than before.

Quick-to-load lightweight pages are particularly important given the widespread use of smartphones. Designers no longer focus on flashy designs and the primary focus is now on increasing conversion. Visuals that make their way into existing negative space are not there just to improve aesthetics; they provide valuable insight into products and services on offer.

15. Using Customized Typography

Asymmetric layouts have had an effect in the realm of typography too. Commonly used sans serif fonts have made way for unusual typefaces that include big, bold, and even hand-crafted lettering. While large fonts are effective in conveying information, they may also serve as visual cues.

One can expect trending web designs of the future to use contrasting typefaces and different font families, which has become possible mainly because of compatibility between web-based fonts.

16. Thinking Minimalism

Minimalism makes it to the list of top website design trends because it deals with an important aspect; users’ patience. Ideally, a website should take no more than two seconds to load. If it takes longer, prepare to lose a fair share of customers. In the coming years, designers need to make a conscious effort to reduce the number of HTTP requests and on-page elements.

17. Making Use of UX Writing

The main UX factors previously considered were limited to elements surrounding visual interface and graphics, and textual content typically took a back seat. Fortunately, new web design trends take into account that while visual elements aid in comprehension on the surface level, getting an in-depth understanding requires a paradigm shift.

Word design, or UX writing, will be an important factor in the coming times, and it will not be long before chatbots start doing the needful. Besides, most web design experts expect content marketing to go a notch higher and brands will need to find creative ways that will help get their content to users in the most effective manner.

Conclusion

Web designers and website owners need to start gearing up for the road ahead, given that adapting to the latest web design trends will require some learning. However, you mustn’t follow trends blindly, because not all websites come with the same requirements. If you’re unsure about how to proceed or would like to get professional advice, getting in touch with an experienced web design agency might be the best way forward.