As we kick off 2019, here are some web design tips to help you stay on the ball and remain relevant.
Bright colours making a comeback?
Deliver compelling web design with more appeal/an increased ability to stand out. This means that bright colours might be coming back in style, following a big explosion of big, bold colour usage in many places online. Bright tones make up the core of many brands and their online presences as websites are incorporated with a vibrant look and feel. Classic font design and bright colours might not be for all though, as this means they should match the values of the brand in order to resonate with target audiences. Keep the consistency between your site’s colours and your brand.
Speed is still king
Research has noted that half of consumers visiting a website leave if it takes more than three seconds to load. Speed appears to have become even more vital when it comes to retaining visitors to your site and, in addition, better ranking for your site in Google’s search results can possibly be achieved if your site loads fast. This shouldn’t be taken as an excuse to have a site with limited content and imagery just for the purpose of speed. If there’s nothing on your site to capture attention, it’s likely that all the speed in the world won’t save you. Besides, increasingly powerful broadband capabilities offer content heavy sites the swift load times they need.
3-dimensional illustrations
It seems that the common flat-design illustrations have taken a back seat online, making way for more 3-D-based illustrations being incorporated into websites. Brands like Pitch and Stripe are breaking the monotony through creative visual 3D insertions as main focal points for their site. Now, designers are looking to add more depth and realism to graphic design, further blurring the boundaries between the realms of physical and digital. Realistic animation and imagery that jumps out at you are starting to gain traction, offering brands a way to set themselves apart from the crowd.
Don’t forget about mobile
The urgency to implement UX design that’s mobile-friendly has intensified in 2019. This all began in 2015 when mobile searches started overtaking desktop to rank as the highest search form worldwide. Google has changed its indexing priorities to choosing mobile sites over those that aren’t mobile friendly. This trend isn’t just for the sake of ranking and SEO, however. Visual style should enhance how your users experience your site as they use the many mobile devices out there (such as phones, tablets and phablets) and access your site.
A more organic approach to web design
When it comes to capturing the attention of audiences online, straight lines and flat designs could be getting pretty old. Designers are starting to experiment more with fluid shapes and lines and this includes designing visually captivating sites that don’t just utilise typical circles or squares. Fluid or organic shapes are quickly catching fire as a way to create more engaging pages that won’t bore visitors.
Inclusive design
You might find an increasing concern for diverse sets of users and how design can be used to accommodate all types. Inclusive design advocates an appealing visual style that is human-oriented and can be accessed by anyone (disabled or fully-abled). By building inclusivity into your design process, you may be meeting business goals that are holistic and progressive while enhancing your user experience for all who visit your site.
Retro design aesthetics
A revival of many retro styles appears to be seeping into modern pop culture and, in turn, experimentation may be moving beyond flat design and finding itself reaching into the past yet again. The use of older design elements with a hint of nostalgia could be a trend that is increasing in prominence. Retro design styles are being taken on by brands in interesting ways, some even reflecting time periods before websites were a thing. This creates a visual feel that’s different, even if it is taking a page out from the past.
*We are a UX-focused team of developers and designers. Our goal is making our products understandable at any level. The result is web and mobile applications that take minutes to learn and are easy to implement in any company, big or small. Find out more about Soda In Mind here
