How people consume the web directly drives how experts design websites. The proliferation of mobile devices and the importance of responsiveness force designers to find new ways to improve the web experience for everyone, regardless of the device they are using.
These seven web design trends are expected to shape the web design space in 2017.
- Micro-interactions
From muting your phone to liking a photo, you perform numerous single-action tasks every day. These single moments of engagement are called micro-interactions.
Micro-interactions don’t get the attention they deserve. But, ignoring them is a mistake that can impact the success of your business. After all, the difference between a product you love and one you tolerate is often connected to the micro-interactions you have with it. Facebook’s Like is a great example of a successful micro-interaction.
A well-designed micro-interaction can increase customer loyalty by taking something dull and difficult and turning it into something fun.
- Failure Mapping
Most designers create websites with the ideal user in mind. But what happens when those websites are used by digital novices? According to recent reports, more than half of the world’s population will be online by 2017, bringing an influx of digital newbies. Similar to journey-mapping, failure-mapping will help designers understand and imagine non-ideal scenarios that will make navigation easy for novices.
- Long Scroll
Not too long ago, long scrolling was considered bad design. However, its great functionality on mobile has made the UX community change its mind about it. Long scrolling makes navigation easy and intuitive, eradicating the need for multiple clicks to reveal content.
- Bold Colors and Typography
Bold colors are becoming more and more popular. And, it’s easy to see why. Vibrant hues are making it easier for designers to highlight elements like buttons and navigation.
Likewise, classic fonts are being repurposed and used in more creative ways. Be careful, though. Don’t fill every page with flourish-rich typography or else you risk overkill.
- Full-Screen Sign-Up
Traditional popups are dead, replaced instead by the full-screen sign-up. Instead of interrupting your users’ experience with annoying popups, it’s time to move to full-screen takeovers. This design pushes the content down, taking over the entire screen gradually. You don’t have to close them manually – just scroll down to get back to the content.
The days of opt-in pop ups are dwindling. Browsers are still willing to connect with brands they trust though, as long as those brands are strategic and “polite” with how they gather information.
- Age-Responsive Design
A 7-year-old doesn’t read the same books or watch the same TV shows as a 70-year-old. So, why should they have the same online experience? By 2017, age-responsive design – where the layout is adapted to a wide range of ages – will become the norm. Font size will increase automatically to accustom the eyesight of the elderly. Likewise, navigation and colors will change based on the perceived proficiency of users.
- Storytelling
People don’t want to connect with faceless brands; they want to interact with real people. Businesses that want to connect with customers must use storytelling to win them over. They need to make a smart use of videos, images, and text to create an engaging journey for the consumer.
These web design trends are a direct response to the changing ways people move through the web. By late 2017, web designers will start to see more innovative approaches and creative designs.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to contact us if you think we might be able to help with your web design project. We have extensive experience as a WordPress web design Portland-based company, but can easily handle a large variety of web design needs!