Over the last decade, the internet has grown and expanded with new ideas and technologies. Website design has followed suit, with new trends and styles emerging almost daily. Now, at the onset of a new decade, your business should be looking forward.
User experience (UX) should guide your website design. Within 0.05 seconds, users will form an opinion on a website. Within 10 seconds, users will leave if they’re unimpressed. A strong website will incorporate smart features that meet the needs of the user and hold their attention. To create a successful interface, your website should be forward-thinking. It should include features based on growing trends, thereby meeting the needs of a modern audience. Below are several trends to include in a modern website.
Modern Website Toolbox:
- Mobile-First Responsive Design
- Scroll Animations
- Minimalism
- Video Content
Mobile-First Responsive Design
Source: Medium
In 2018, Google initiated mobile-first indexing. According to Google, the majority of users access their search engine via mobile devices. Google’s index previously prioritized the desktop version of a page when returning links for a user’s query. But now, Google prioritizes mobile content and links for indexing and ranking. The reign of mobile devices has prompted many businesses to rely on this mobile-first concept and prioritize mobile responsive website designs.
What does “mobile-first” mean for your business?
Instead of beginning with the desktop version of a website, brands are now designing the mobile version first and expanding the design to accommodate devices with larger screens. As mobile devices continue to increase in popularity, this strategy will soon become customary for businesses.
Scroll Animations
Many companies are now integrating scroll effects into their website design. Scroll effects, or scroll animations, occur when elements on a website shift or appear as the user scrolls down the page. Scroll animations create an interactive and fun design for users. They both enhance the user experience and offer website designers more room for creativity. Here are 3 reasons why you should incorporate scroll animations into your website design:
- Enhance user engagement. As previously mentioned, scroll effects create an engaging user experience. Like video content, scroll animations catch the viewer’s eye and hold their interest longer than static text.
- Guide calls-to-action. Website designers can use animations to guide or direct users towards a specific message, drawing their attention down the website towards a call-to-action.
- Improve page speed. Scroll animations only load individual elements of the website as users scroll down through each section. This feature occupies users with one aspect of the website at a time, rather than making them wait for the entire page to load in one sitting.
Minimalism
In recent years, minimalism has dominated the digital marketing landscape. More brands are opting for the “less is more” principle, which is ideal for a modern, fast-paced lifestyle. Fewer design elements allow users to absorb information quickly and efficiently. The best minimal UX designs will incorporate easy navigation with concise content.
Black and White Colour Scheme
Many websites opt for minimal colour, creating a stripped-down, powerful look. Adding an accent colour to a black-and-white layout creates contrast and makes CTAs or important text and imagery stand out.
Video Content
Did you know viewers retain 95% of a message when watching it in a video? Comparatively, they retain 10% of a message when reading it in a text. Videos are a fast and effective method of delivering information, which is why video content is becoming increasingly popular on websites. Compared to a text or image, videos allow users to quickly understand concepts in a short space of time.
According to HubSpot, 87% of businesses currently use video content as a marketing tool, as it’s proven to have the most engagement with users. Even Google has moved towards mixed-page search results, offering both video and web page content. To increase both visibility and engagement in the future, your website should incorporate video content.
Video Backgrounds
Many brands are embracing video content by adding video backgrounds to their website, either under a navigation or where the backdrop is a video. The underlying movement attracts viewers and draws their attention towards certain features of the page. This design is not for every business and should depend on the aesthetic of both your brand and website.
Click here for different video background examples:
To achieve the greatest online success, businesses should implement current design trends in the development of their website. Moreover, businesses should follow growing trends to ensure their website will attract modern users. Our specialists at Worldsites Toronto stay up-to-date with these trends, ensuring our clients get the most out of their website. For more information on website design, contact Worldsites Toronto for a consultation.
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