If you want your website to stay current, you need to follow the newest web design trends. One of the quickest ways to seem irrelevant is through an old design because unlike old content, old design is obvious immediately.
Many new developments in website design stem from new technologies. The increasing popularity of mobile devices has had a huge impact on the way we design websites. How people navigate the web is changing, so the design of your website needs change as well. These new approaches to creating websites engage users in different ways.
Flat Design
Flat design gives the appearance of dimension with the use of minimal elements. If you need an example of flat design, look at your phone. Many mobile app icons use a flat design. This is because this design is easy to read and recognize even if it is very small. This approach emphasizes simplicity and usability over flash. The result creates simple, easy to understand websites.
Card-style Design
Card-style design gets its name because of its boxy or card-like design. The card-style design approach is pleasing on a variety of screens because the information is contained within a determined space. This brings us to the next trend.
Material Design
Material design is a design language developed by Google. It’s similar to card-style design because of its simplicity. This approach uses grid layouts and the use of light and shadow to create depth effects. Like most Google products, this design is responsive, clear, and clean. Material design is most commonly used in apps, but Google has versions that can be used for websites, too. To give the design a little more life, this approach also features transitions and animations.
Animations
Animations engage users in a different way. Movement attracts eyes in different locations. This provides a small piece of entertainment on a website and makes it stand out. With all the different options on the web, animations are especially hard to ignore.
Typography
Alternatively, creative text and typography attract without motion. The contrast between colors increases readability and impact. Not all fonts need to be a bold, single color. Text can also use patterns and textures to attract the eye.
Scrolling
Movement and scrolling make up the final trend. Think back to your phone. How do you navigate a page? Typically, this involves a lot of scrolling. Because phone screens are smaller than laptop screens, mobile devices require a lot of vertical movement. More and more people own more and more mobile devices. Moreover, reliance on these devices increases every year. Laptops are oriented horizontally whereas phones and tablets are primarily viewed vertically.
Navigation
You should also consider navigation when creating a website. If users have to move to different pages to finish an article or read a list, they might leave your page out of frustration.
These are some of the latest web design trends you should follow. Understanding how websites are changing with evolving technology will help your business stay competitive. Even the best content needs to be presented in a pleasing manner. Leverage a great design to highlight what you have to offer.
Monika Beck
Monika Beck is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of Success Harbor a website for entrepreneurs. Success Harbor is dedicated to documenting the entrepreneurial journey through interviews, original research, and unique content. Monika Beck is also co-founder of a website designer and online marketing company.
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