Improve First Impressions and Your Business This Year
In as little as 50 milliseconds, a visitor to your company’s website makes a judgment about your business and nearly 95 percent of that first impression is based strictly on website design. In the age of COVID, people spend much more time online and their expectations have increased; they’ll quickly move on when they don’t like what they see.
If your website screams 2012 instead of 2021, it’s time to blow the cobwebs off your design and invest in something that best serves your customers. Let these website design trends inspire you on ways to modernize this important component of your marketing strategy:
1. Accessibility
2. Video
3. Audio
4. Augmented reality (AR)
5. Subdued colors
6. Color-less design
7. Cartoon illustrations and animation
8. Serif fonts
9. Asymmetric layouts
10. Bold and oversized typography
Accessibility
Making your website accessible for as many people as possible is more than just a trend, it’s a sign of good customer service. Having an accessible website definitely provides a better user experience for the nearly 1 billion people in the world with a disability. It also helps your business rank better on search engines, improves conversion rates, and may keep you from being sued.
Video
If you haven’t yet incorporated video into your website design, this is the year you should make it happen. While video has been an important part of marketing strategies for years, customers have come to expect it on websites today. For businesses, it’s a fantastic way to deliver information very quickly. A good video not only engages your audience, but also makes for a better overall user experience.
Audio
Just like a good song can set the right mood for an event, audio can evoke the right emotions for your user and influence their decision making on the website. Using audio elements can also help set the scene, create a connection, or help those who are visually impaired.
Augmented reality (AR)
With stay-at-home orders continuing to be the norm to get us through the pandemic, fewer people are taking time in stores to browse and examine products in detail. New technologies allow ecommerce websites to utilize AR to allow for a more immersive online buying experience. Customers can look at all sides of a product, turn it over, or open it up.
Subdued colors
After the wild ride of 2020, consumers are looking for calm. Because everyone is spending a lot of time looking at computer screens, colors that are more natural, use a light color palette, and are easier on the eyes provide a calming view.
Color-less design
In the same vein, a minimalist plain and clean design is also getting attention this year. Simple black and white designs, much like a little black dress or a black business suit, never really go out of style. When well-designed with interactive elements, animation, or other effects, a monochromatic look can be attractive and offer an engaging user experience.
Cartoon illustrations and animation
Visual content such as animations, GIFs, and motion graphics have been growing in popularity over the last few years. There is great flexibility in the ways they can be used. Depending on the brand, they can tell a story, explain instructions, or drive attention to specific elements. Getting just the right illustration or animation for your website not only engages the customer, but also can set you apart from the competition.
Serif fonts
In the same way colors are being used to convey calm, serif fonts help to invoke a sense of understanding and positivity in what is an otherwise a chaotic world. Often referred to as the epitome of streamlined efficiency, serif fonts are a classic style. Because they are one of the oldest font styles in use and date back to the 15th century, they convey a feeling of nostalgia, respectability and tradition (think Time magazine, Tiffany & Co, and Giorgio Armani). That’s something people seem to be longing for after a year that’s gone topsy-turvy with so many unknowns.
Asymmetric layouts
While it’s been the norm for many years to design websites on a grid, many businesses are grabbing the attention of their visitors with unique asymmetric layouts. It’s still possible to balance out pages so no part is “heavier” than other sections. A good asymmetric design can streamline the structure while putting the focus on the key elements to engage users and get their eyes on places they should take action.
Bold and oversized typography
It’s been said that you can go big or go home. Having bold and oversized type helps grab attention and, if used correctly within a web design, can be a powerful tool for engaging users. Want to point out what’s most important? Big and bold delivers that message.
Ready for a redesign?
Redesigning your website to be most effective doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Need further assistance? Contact us for a free consultation. Share your goals with the T.E. Digital team and we’ll help you get to where you want to be.
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