Designing a website isn’t a one-and-done activity. Lots of factors can point to the need for a website redesign. Ultimately, you want to keep enhancing your website. That includes improving the user experience (UX) and following best practices that make it more search engine friendly (i.e., responsiveness, mobile-first design). Website design trends also impact what businesses do with their digital assets.
If you’re considering a redesign or just launching a business, here are some website design trends that can help you achieve all your goals.
Parallax Effects
Incorporating a parallax effect into your website is a way to use animation in a new way. The way it works is by separating page elements into foregrounds and backgrounds to create an optical illusion. We actually experience this in real life when looking out at landscapes. This juxtaposition produces an immersive experience, drawing visitors in and keeping them on your website. It can be a very fun and unique website design for any brand.
Scrolling as Interacting vs. Only Navigating
Scrolling through a page is more than navigating. It’s an interaction between the user and the digital asset. Scrolling is a subtle type of interaction, so why not make it a little more deliberate. Some ways to use this website trend include color scheme changes during the scroll or font animations. It’s just one more small thing you can do to engage visitors and help your brand stand out online.
Calming Colors
The world of color and the feelings they cause matter in website design. They always have. Bold colors still work for many brands, but it’s time to revisit what appeals to users. There’s no doubt that stress levels are higher in the world right now than ever before, and color can subconsciously comfort us. Using calming colors like pastel blues and warm greens is known to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Comfortable colors are also easier on the eyes. We spend more and more time online, and calming colors reduce the strain on the eyes.
Micro-Animations
This trend started on Instagram, and now website designers are testing it out. It’s very effective for eCommerce because it can capture a buyer’s attention with subtle movement. It applies to any brand that wants to add more visual interest but not in a way that slows load speed, which can make users bounce.
You can test it out on a small scale with popping images or moving text elements. You can even track its impact by looking at time-on-page metrics and seeing if they increase. If you use them on product pages and if sales go up, this could be why.
Bigger Buttons
Buttons are an indicator to click. Most internet users know that, and website design continues to try to make them more prominent, usually with color and text. As more people view the web just from their mobile devices, making buttons bigger improves UX. You have to think about how people tap on mobile versus clicking on the desktop.
Ready to Apply These Website Design Trends?
It’s a great time to redesign or add some new elements to your website. These website design trends are more than trendy; they can boost your website’s appeal and show off your brand’s personality.
If you’d like to learn more about trends or ideas for your website, talk to our design experts today.
