(1) Mobile-First
As mobile usage has overtaken desktop usage, developers and designers have started work on many sites with a mobile-first perspective. Since in many cases mobile is driving the majority of revenue, making sure the mobile version of a site has a good user experience (UX) is very important. Search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo! Search rank sites by the quality and speed of mobile sites. Mobile sites that encourage interaction through gestures will increase the amount of time users spend exploring a website.
(2) More Oblique/Organic Shapes
Rounded corners have recently become more popular as apps use more rounded corners on design elements such as form input and profile avatars. Backgrounds for websites as well are transitioning out of using just 90° angles and more to interesting perspectives to gain interest. A wider range of more vibrant colors has also come into style. Making sure your website is in line with current design trends encourages trust and increased sales for your business.
(3) More Interactions and Animations
Similar to what was previously mentioned about mobile, there has been an increasing popularity for desktop versions of websites to use more animations and interactions. Because of advancing web technologies such as jQuery, websites can be much more than mediums for the printed word. Sliding information, subtle animations, and user interactivity are advancing the capability of websites forward without the ugliness of similarly designed website in the 1990s. The increased interactivity from techniques such as page transitions helps drive traffic to revenue-generating activity and can increase the revenue per visitor (RPV) of your website.
(4) HTML 5 <video> Tag
The HTML 5 <video> tag has been increasing in popularity recently as companies want to maintain the traffic to the website on their website instead of possibly sending them to another video such as YouTube. The increasing availability of platforms to host video content (including streaming) has made more companies decide to manage their video content. Using the <video> tag allows for companies to more seamlessly put video content into their websites than would be possible using the technology of video sharing sites. Using the <video> tag also allows for your business to control playback and looping more accurately in line with the design of your business’ website.
(5) Video Backgrounds
Video backgrounds are on an upswing in popularity as video backgrounds have been shown to increase engagement, time on page, and conversions. Many platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are prioritizing video content and that is because of the positive effects on the metrics mentioned above. Video backgrounds can quickly communicate what your business is about. Video backgrounds can also help tremendously with branding and increase the number of visitors that return to your website. Video in general and particularly video backgrounds have been shown to increase the time that visitors stay on your site and increase the average order value for your website.
These 5 website design trends that can help your business should be considered for your website.
