Trends. When you think of trends, you most likely think of clothing, music or maybe technology – right? But what about website design trends? Does the world of web design have its own trends that are worth following? The answer is a resounding yes!
The web is constantly changing, and so are the needs of users, but there are some trends happening in 2023 that are important to note as you plan and design your website this year.
In order to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, it’s important to understand what they mean and how they can help your business. In this post, we’ll be discussing 8 specific website design trends that will be popular in 2023.
1. Making your content for your users, not you
First thing’s first: Who is the content for?
Websites are becoming easier and easier for people to make, which means you have greater control over what’s being posted. It’s tempting to use your own preferences as the barometer for what is “good” when it comes to content and color choices for your website, but that strategy won’t help you build a large audience.
A website, as a reflection of your business, is all about the user – not you.
This means that the user’s needs are the most important thing to consider when deciding on the content, layout and design. By considering your audience and their needs, you can create a more useful website that better serves them.
It is important to create content that appeals to your audience and makes them want to engage with it, rather than repelling them by using jarring colors or an unattractive layout.
2. Using mixed elements
Overlapping graphics are trending right now, they are simple but eye catching. This is a great way to create an interesting layout that your visitors will love. Try adding some text over a graphic or even just have one small graphic in the corner of your site. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it can make all the difference.
You can even take it a step further by mixing photography with graphics can reinforce your company branding and keep website visitors engaged with your content. This mixing technique brings a level of creativity and fun to a typical image.
3. Frosted glass effect
This looks pretty cool, right? Many people seem to feel that way too, and it’s easy to see why.
The frosted glass effect is a design technique that creates the feeling of depth and dimension. This effect creates an illusion of depth on flat surfaces (e.g., websites) and offers a more visual impact without being distracting or confusing for users. It gives your website a more professional look, and it can also make your website or business seem modern.
Frosted glass effects not only enhance the visual appeal of your website, they also help create a clean and modern experience that can make your product seem more appealing to your audience.
4. Parallax scrolling
Parallax scrolling… sounds like something from a Sci-Fi movie, right? Actually, it’s just one of many ways that you can take your website to the next level.
Parallax scrolling allows your audience to scroll through your site while the background image moves at a different speed. This creates a sense of depth, making it feel like you’re moving in three-dimensional space instead of just left-to-right.
Parallax scrolling is used most often on blogs or magazine websites, but it can also be used for all types of websites as well. It makes your content stand out and makes your site seem more interactive and engaging for visitors who are looking for something different from other sites on the web.
5. Page Speed is Important
Users expect pages to load quickly, and this is something Google takes into account when ranking sites in their search results. The faster your page loads, the higher it will appear on Google’s SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages), and the more traffic you will get.
Google has made it clear that they want user experience at the forefront of their algorithm, and website speed is one way they measure this. Sites with slower load times are penalized by having their rankings lowered.
A fast loading website is a must these days. The importance of page speed has been increasing year after year, and it’s not going to stop anytime soon.
To keep your website running at faster speeds, we recommend using Lazy Load.
Lazy Load ensures the web browser (like Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox) will download only the content you see on the screen without wasting valuable server resources and TIME to load off-screen content that might never be seen.
Many website visitors never reach the bottom of a webpage. So, why load that content and increase site load times? A better approach is loading the content as they begin scrolling down the page and getting closer to it.
6. Micro-animations
Micro-animations are small and subtle, but they can make a huge difference. They are used to make the user interface more interactive, helping users navigate a website better. They can also help websites feel more alive and lively.
Micro-animations play an important role in web design because they help you communicate with your users more effectively. If a user is looking at something on your site, and they see some kind of animation, it tells them that what they’re looking at is important — otherwise, why would there be something moving around? It’s like saying: “Hey! Look at this!”
For websites that sell products, these micro-animations are a great way to show off the product in a way that helps users understand it better. They can also help you communicate with your users more effectively by making the website feel more active and lively.
7. Don’t cram content, keep it simple and direct
One of the biggest mistakes that website designers make is cramming all of their content into one page. This is a HUGE mistake, because it makes it difficult for users to find what they’re looking for and takes them too long to digest everything on your website.
It’s better to keep things simple and direct, using clear and concise language, in order to make sure that visitors can quickly understand what you have to offer. If they don’t understand something right away, tell them how they can learn more about it, or let them contact you if necessary!
The best way to avoid making this mistake is by focusing on what’s most important: the core message of your brand or business. You should use your design to support your messaging in a clear, simple way that your audience will digest well.
8. Thumb-Friendly Users
No matter what you do, which tips you want to try on your website, remember that the best websites are the ones that are “thumb-friendly”.
What does thumb-friendly mean? It means that you have to design your site in a way that it’s easy to use with one hand. Think about the most common ways people hold their phones. They usually hold them in one hand and use their thumb to navigate through their apps and websites.
Always have a thumb-friendly mindset when designing your website, it’ll allow you to create a better experience for your users.
Although, no one knows exactly what will be trending next year or even next month, if you’re looking to stay on top of the game and keep your site looking fresh, these are some good tips to start with.
Have questions about your website? Let us help! Our team is here to help you build a website that not only looks good, but also performs well. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you grow your business!
