Web Design: An Evolving Medium

Every year we adopt new design trends and leave some behind in order to keep our website updated and relevant. We’ve gone from simple HTML websites to dynamic pages that are accessible on desktops, tablets and mobile phones. A website is a reflection of your organization and needs to have great design and structure to look professional while containing useful information for readers. Keeping your website updated strengthens your site’s SEO and Google rankings, encouraging continued traffic growth. Heading into a new year, let’s discuss some emerging trends that we can start implementing ahead of the curve.

Mobile Responsiveness

This isn’t exactly a new trend, but it is increasingly critical that your site be easily viewable on a desktop, tablet and mobile phone. As of 2018, 52.2% of internet users browse on a mobile device rather than on a desktop. This was a 222% increase from 2013. For many businesses, designing and building the website with mobile-first mentality is key to a successful site. Ignoring the mobile market is a big mistake many companies make that can drive away potential customers. 

Custom Illustrations

Unique, hand-drawn illustrations are having a moment right now. This personal touch has the potential to turn your average website into something powerful and unique that communicates your brand’s message. Custom icons and images give the site a more personable feeling, allowing you to connect with people, including potential customers.

Inclusive Design

Like mobile responsiveness, this isn’t necessarily new, but it has become increasingly important in recent  years. You should caption and transcribe any video content, add alternative text to photos, choose legible fonts and color schemes. Treating these modifications as mandatory will help make your website more accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities.

Minimalism

We’re moving away from the sometimes-busy appearance of banners and carousels and opting for minimal “above the fold” look, where information is delivered simply and directly. Apple™ is a prime example of minimalist design with their utilization of balanced whitespace, engaging fonts and animation.

Keeping these trends in mind and following the changing styles of web design will help maintain the relevance of your brand and content. First impressions are just as important on the web as they are in the real world, make sure yours is the best it can be.

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