5 Of The Biggest Web Design Trends

How long has it been since your website really changed? Not just a simple update, but a true re-design? For many businesses, the answer is “never.” Your web design might have served you well when it was new, but odds are good it doesn’t stand up to recent trends and best practices. Resolving to make a change can help you convert more visitors into customers; a site that’s clearly on trend conveys a more dynamic and active image.

Let’s look at five Web design trends everyone can incorporate this year:

Trend #1: Less Photographs, More Drawings

Many websites contain action shots and stock photos of impeccably-dressed, beautiful people – a visual trope that can puncture the sensation of authenticity that effective Web content aims to create. Drawings have the capacity to be both more approachable and more engaging. Plus, they can blend well with high-concept visual content such as the infographic.

Trend #2: Long Scrolls

Long scrolls have overtaken traditional, print-based ideas about “prime real estate” on the screen – mainly, the belief that everything vital has to be above the fold. Thanks to mobile technology, users are acclimated to the long scroll. By breaking down barriers between different content, long scrolling sites can often entice users to linger for longer spans of time.

Trend #3: Videos on Home Pages

Not long ago, video on a home page would have been unthinkable – a huge claim on a user’s time and limited bandwidth. With YouTube providing 70 million hours of watch-time in ten years, both B2B decision-makers and “average consumers” are used to engaging with video. A video intro improves engagement and ignites instant brand awareness.

Trend #4: Bright Colors

Whether your style is cartoony and playful or elegant and minimalist, bright colors are ideal for the mobile-friendly Web. More companies are embracing bold colors, and straying away from expected color schemes in order to stand out from their competitors.

Trend #5: Animations

Custom animations can serve as a powerful differentiator in a world where “flat” design renders many sites into lookalikes. Animation needs to stay subtle to avoid becoming a distraction, but it can still be very powerful. Custom loading animations and small animated buttons are both being adopted to help extend online branding to all-new visual metaphors.

With the proliferation of mobile technology, it’s time to take a fresh approach to web design. A new look will help you present a more inviting, user-centered Web experience in 2016.  Of course, you should always innovate with the end goal in mind: A website that will encourage engagement, drive conversions, and motivate your visitors to share your content.