Website design trends come and go. But some have lasting impacts on the online success of your business.
Knowing the latest trends determines how you should invest your web design efforts to meet business objectives and improve how users experience your brand.
As mobile takes a greater share of user activity, designers must adapt to meet the needs of those users and the devices and channels being used.
Having a responsive website isn’t enough to keep your business at the top of your industry, search engine results, or the minds of your customers.
Put Mobile First
With the advent of smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology, web designers now work within many different contexts. Each has its own unique way of accessing and sharing information about your products and services.
Some businesses prioritize desktop design over mobile. This compromises the user experience and can make your website clunky and difficult to navigate on a smartphone or tablet.
Emphasizing mobile design first is the ideal way to develop a successful business website.
More Speed For Less Friction
The growth of mobile also influences how users navigate through your site. Designers are implementing larger buttons that are easier to click on small devices.
Users who are more familiar with touchscreen technology understand sites that use gestures in place of traditional link. This has led to a reduction in the use of links and other elements on a site’s page.
Longer pages that users can scroll through are better suited for mobile users and are becoming the standard in modern web design.
The use of scrolling and other gestures reduces user friction and is the best way to help users engage with your site.
With the introduction of the Apple watch and other wearable technology, a faster interface is critical in designing websites for the future.
Information Security
Recent hacking incidents compromised the information of businesses, their employees, and their customers. This has led to an increased need for security when customers engage with your business.
Future web design will emphasize greater security alongside the payment process, forms, and customer communications of businesses.
The information customers provide is vital to meeting long-term objectives and improving retention.
Minimal Design
A simple and functional web design lets users understand the layout, content, and features of your site.
Websites that are scannable help users determine your value proposition quickly and easily. This reduces bounce rates and improves conversion.
Technology is getting faster, and users have less patience with sites that are difficult to understand in a short amount of time.
Designs with unnecessary clutter are just as detrimental to performance as those with a slow loading rate or other issues.
Users land on your content from a variety of channels, each with its own unique implications on the design of your site.
Put yourself in the mind of your customers to determine how to make your site simple to understand and respond to your call to action.
The growth of mobile and its influence on web design will continue to evolve. By implementing the most effective design strategies, businesses leverage their sites for greater returns.
Let us know if you’ve used any of these strategies in your own business strategy. If you’re still struggling to understand how to keep your website current using the latest design trends, leave a comment below.
