An optimized website with an attractive design has become a mandatory aspect if a company wants to generate new visitors. The design of a web page largely determines how the user navigates and interacts with the site. Consequently, the number of leads or sales opportunities that the company page can convert is determined by how well it is designed.
A common problem in web design often lies in the difficulty of not knowing where to start designing the web page.
“When carrying out the web design, it is very important to consider the user experience (UX) and the user interface (UI). Web design is not only limited to aesthetic aspects but also reaches the very structure of the web, which determines how the user will interact with each element of the web and will condition their movement through it. Talking about web design talks about a set that covers every aspect of a website, from technical to aesthetic elements. Good web design will allow the user to obtain an attractive experience. It will encourage them to browse the site for longer. Finally, there is a greater chance that they will acquire the product or service”, shares Nigel Quadros, a tech entrepreneur and digital marketing evangelist with an extensive reach in the industry.
Quadros boasts a proven track record of success using his optimized strategies. He made an initial impression having generated up to $320,000 in sales revenue from advertising strategies. Quadros routinely talks about Artificial Intelligence, Digital Marketing, UX/UI design, Programmatic Advertising, and other avenues and their myriad potential in the way for business growth and sales.
Being a keen observer and market player, Nigel Quadros highlights the top 16 trends that have dominated web design this year.
Trends in Web Design in 2020
Once the web’s objectives have been defined, it is important to know the latest trends in web design to choose the ones that most favor their achievement:
- Embed a voice user interface on the web:A voice interface allows people to use voice commands to control computers and devices. This technology is still quite new, but it is growing rapidly as it is the architect behind millions of gadgets like Amazon’s Alexa or Echo.
- User-centered design: Once the objective has been defined, the next step is to determine how it will be achieved. For this, it is necessary to empathize with customers and think about how they would act when browsing the web. Acting as a company’s customers will allow it to find the best design to get products and services to the web.
- User-centric content and functionality: Users want the web or app they are using to be fast and easy to use. As a result, time-saving and faster-loading designs become a must-have due to less and less attention span of web visitors. Web design must seek simplicity and readability if you want to capture users’ attention, avoid unnecessary content, and use visual and interactive elements to create a satisfactory user experience.
- Minimalism and bold typographic designs: Typography on the web is starting to get bigger and thicker, gradually becoming a trend emerging on many current and under construction pages. The typography can be striking for the user. However, using fonts that distract them excessively in their navigation through the site can cause them to decide to leave. The key to web design as far as typography is concerned is maintaining a proper balance between the use of bold typeface and minimalist design.
- Use of augmented reality on the web: Augmented reality is observed mainly in games and mobile applications, but it is also increasingly seen as a trend in web design, especially in sales pages and apps. Allowing the user to interact through augmented reality is becoming increasingly easy as most devices have a camera. Examples of augmented reality on a website can be the inclusion of a 3D navigation bar on the website or the inclusion of a virtual mirror so that users can try on accessories or garments.
- Inclusion of GIFs and animations: In addition to the use of cinemagraphs, GIFs’ relevance has not disappeared. Great designers use GIFs to be more interactive and informative. The use of GIFs allows content or sites that, at first glance, seem boring to read or see are not so boring, making your browsing experience more enjoyable and encouraging your interaction with it. A good place to put a GIF is on the page dedicated to the company’s team.
- Use of cinemagraphs: Many times, cinemagraphs are mistaken for the usual animation of GIFs. However, there are tangible differences between the two effects. The use of the same allows giving a feeling of minimalism to the web and attracting the visitor’s attention. Cinemagraphs are still images that contain a single dynamic element. Another increasingly frequent trend is the use of 3D photos, which generate the same effects on the user.
- Use of sticky elements: Sticky navigation is becoming more and more common in web design. The tendency is to have elements attached to the beginning, the end, or the web’s sides, allowing the user to access more information without interrupting their navigation through the site. They can highlight a promotion, links to social networks, a chatbot, and a call to action (CTA). Also, in the case that a website has a lot of content, an arrow can be used as an attached element, which allows users to have the option to click on it and instantly take them to the beginning of the website, improving their experience.
- Chatbot Installation: Chatbots allow visitors the option of asking any question without human interaction. It means that you can save time and money by not needing a person while increasing efficiency and sales for the business owner. A well-developed chatbot allows such as having a repository of frequently asked questions, hosting a meeting, making a product purchase, resolving a complaint, or making a reservation. Also, having a properly designed chatbot allows you to have advantages such as providing 24-hour availability, instant response, language recognition to adapt to the clients’ language, or learning from their feedback.
- Use of progress bars: Progress bars are a perfect way to measure progress on a website and break the monotony when performing linear processes. This type of design tool guides the visitor in each step they take in these processes, helping them understand how much of it has been completed. This type of tool is very common in ecommerce sites during the purchase process and in restaurants during the order process. For B2B websites, the progress bar will help visitors have a more enjoyable experience with the site when filling out a long-form.
- Implementation of cell design: Using cell displays of web elements in the same way as Pinterest is becoming an increasingly frequent trend in many web designs. Using these displays allows giving a minimalist touch to the web design and exposing the elements of the web aligned and displayed in a clear and orderly way.
- Use of bright colors: The use of bright colors has not lost popularity over the years. Their combination with a flat design can give a feeling of prestige in the design of the web. On the other hand, the use of gradients in web design is a great idea in terms of web design since its use in the background can generate the impression on the user of exclusivity and freshness.
- Alternatives to the hamburger menu: One of the most used drop-down menus so far, the so-called hamburger menu, represented by a 3-striped drawing. This menu will no longer be used as much as of next year due to the increasing proliferation of more attractive and professional alternatives such as the tabs menu with or without the option of “more” that can be seen in the mobile version of the British newspaper The Guardian or scrolling navigation.
- Responsive design: The growing mobile-first trend in which mobile prevails over other devices has also affected web design. Using websites with responsive designs that allow content to be viewed from any device improves the user experience and avoids an increase in the bounce rate.
- Use of videos: One of the trends to consider for 2020 is that video will prevail over other components of the page. The videos are informative and convenient. The user does not have to move around the page to see the information of interest since they can see it in the video. Previously, videos were very popular, but this declined because mobile devices were not as well adapted to displaying web pages, and loading time was reduced by video, and web conversion was affected.
- Geometric shapes and originality in web design: The use of geometric shapes in web design is not a new trend. This began to appear around 2016, and since then, it began to gain popularity and continues to do so in 2020. As practice shows, users are more likely to spend more time on websites designed in this way. Although more modern effects are gaining popularity, this simple and inexpensive decision may be the best option. The skillful design of geometric shapes can satisfactorily surprise users.