2019 was a year for many upgraded techniques in the industry of web design. New breakthroughs in search engine optimisation, new tools for important metrics like conversion rates and creative new website design techniques all came to the forefront. Savvy companies used all of these advantages to create some of the best looking and performing websites on the market in a generation.
So what can we expect moving forward into the rest of the year and beyond? Here are some of the top trends that web designers should be on the look out for in 2019.
Microanimations
Parallax scrolling and gif animations are two of the best examples of microanimations. You can add a huge amount of depth and perception to your site through the creative use of this tool. What’s more, you won’t add a huge amount of weight to your site that will reduce the site speed.
Microanimations are a great way to accentuate user actions. For instance, you can use a microanimation after a mouseover movement to highlight a follow up action for a user to take without creating an annoying pop up screen that could scare your prospect completely away.
Video Headers
Video is now the most utilised form of communication on the Internet, not text. What better way to introduce your website than with a video? People are beginning to use video headers so much that it is becoming a standard, and any web designer that you pick should be able to give this standard to you.
Although most devices have enough power to display your video without latency, do your best to reduce the file sizes. Site speed is one of the most important metrics for your clickthrough rates and conversion stats. Get this right, and your user experience and opportunities for promo go through the roof.
Split Screens
Split screen websites used to be quite uncommon – now every web developer worth his salt knows how to create them. Not only are they a great way to get more SEO out of a site, but they also have other applications that users love. Split screens allow users to skim over multiple ideas without having to switch tabs. It also helps avoid a great deal of clutter in web design that would otherwise show up if too much information is present.
If you are having trouble letting your website breathe, then you may want to consider split screens as a way to widen up your perspective. You can merge the sections at any point, but you also have the freedom to showcase competing or complementary ideas alongside each other.
New Colours
Website designers are learning more about how to play around with colours. The basics have all been used to death, but computer visuals now have more potential than ever. The right colour scheme can quickly draw the eye to a particular point in your page without you having to shout it out.
Complementary colours help things stay in the background, while competing or contrasting colours bring something to the forefront. Experiment with this if you haven’t – it may be an easy way to get your point across without adding needless elements.
New Fonts
Classic fonts are timeless in certain situations, but new websites demand new ways to express text content. In the near future, expect to see much less of the cookie cutter fonts such as Calibri, Times New Roman and Arial. In their places, you can expect to see custom fonts and new layouts for those fonts.
Many websites are combining fonts and commissioning entirely new ones in order to stand out with as few screen elements as possible. Creating a font that is immediately visible keeps sites from having to use too many, a practice that is quickly falling out of favour in the tight mobile era of websites.
Back to Basics
Minimalist websites have always been some of the best around (think the Google homepage), but only in the latter part of the 2010s have people really begun to understand how less is more. In 2019, you can expect to see more minimalism as consumers demand quicker and more streamlined solutions.
The simpler your site, the better your user experience usually is. Customers who can find answers without breaking a sweat will come back for more. Your bounce rate will improve, and search engine algorithms will get positive messages about your website.
Responsive Design
It is no secret that having a mobile friendly website is one of the most important aspects of having a website. Commerce continues to move into the mobile space at an accelerated rate. This will only increase as mobile devices make their way into Asia and Africa. However, you may not know that Google also punishes sites that are not mobile friendly.
The process of making your site mobile friendly should also improve other aspects of your site as well. For instance, ensuring that your site runs with no latency on the less powerful mobile platforms will make you get rid of every piece of content that is not serving a purpose.
Rounding Off
Sharp corners, once the hallmark of “serious business,” are falling by the wayside. Why? Today’s business leaders realise that they need to approach prospects from their level, not from above as if they are gods. Millennials especially don’t like rigidity. They may actually pigeonhole your website as dated if you use too many sharp edges.
A great man once said, “In matters of principle, stand like the oak. In matters of style, flow like the wind.” If the only difference between more business is rounding off your sharp corners, then do it!
Asymmetry
Speaking of rigid structures, the exact symmetry of yesteryear is also becoming outdated. Websites today are using asymmetric designs in very creative ways to humanise the look of the business. This has always been a founding principle of fine art, so why not with websites as well?
The best way to include asymmetry is to do it subtly. If you add too much, it becomes obvious that you are trying to be off balance. This comes across as needy and out of touch. Sometimes a simple touch like overlapping an object is enough to get the point across.
If you are in need of a new web design, keep in mind that you can also use the trends above as best practices. Although your needs may differ from your neighbour’s based on your business, the underlying concepts that connect all efficient, beautiful websites are basically the same. Keep your ear to the street for even more new techniques, because they are coming into the marketplace faster than ever!
