What is best when it comes to website design is constantly changing. Because of this, online marketers need to make sure that their website reflects current best practices. This is not a one-time exercise; the understanding of what works best and what appeals to site visitors is different every year, website owners and managers need to stay on top of changing web design trends. Here are some of the things to watch for in 2018.
Trends to Watch for in Today’s Best-Performing Website Designs
- Mobile: Consumers will continue to access the internet using mobile devices, and this will keep growing. In 2016, nearly 44% of searches used mobile phones. Don’t miss out on this growing market. The easiest way to convert your desktop site to a mobile-friendly site is to use platforms such as Accelerated Mobile Pages that improve loading time, streamline appearance and reduce the code to make maintenance easier. It’s been said many times, but there is no excuse for limiting your website to desktop only.
- More white space: Make your content pop with more white space and an irregular grid for a modern, fresh look. One of the great benefits of this approach to displaying content is that it is easier on the eyes, encouraging visitors to linger on your site.
- Bold typefaces, bright colors: Along with white space, bolded fonts make your content easier to skim and read. Large buttons and clickable images are becoming less popular because they can affect loading times. Consequently, using font size and color to highlight content is particularly important if you are developing a mobile site—images can slow things down.
- Micro-interactions: Micro-interactions, such as liking a Facebook page, do not require you to reload the site, making the process smoother. If your site is interactive (and it should be), figure out how you can incorporate this type of response into your site rather than relying exclusively on the old-style comment form.
- Responsive design: This has been around for a while, but the growing number of device types makes the principle of responsive design even more important. Put simply, responsive design allows a site to display properly across all types of platforms, not just on mobile phones, but also on tablets, TV, wearables such as watches, and desktops.
- Inclusive design: Incorporating this principle into website design allows website visitors to access the site many ways, with verbal commands, descriptive voice-overs, voice interface, touch screens, and other features that allow anyone to access a site, regardless of ability or disability.
- No homepage: Because content is becoming more interactive, and different versions of sites are targeted to different viewer segments, traditional homepages are slowly disappearing. Site entry points are becoming dynamic rather than static, less like an online brochure and more like a hub for information.
- Decline of the logo and growth of the brand: Rather than emphasizing the look and feel, including a logo, to define the brand, brands will increasingly be defined by micro-interactions, the tone of voice, and style of content that could include error messages and other seemingly unimportant content vehicles.
Contact Us for Website Design Help
For help incorporating design trends like these into your business’s website, contact our web design specialists. You don’t have to do it all by yourself.
