User experience (UX) has well-defined guidelines that include ways to help users navigate a website and ultimately have a good experience throughout the website. UX principles are based on psychology to help users interact with a product and impact how they feel about the product.
However, user interface (UI) refers to the screens, buttons, icons, and complete visual elements that a user interacts with. While these two principles are different, they both aim to help users enjoy a website and contribute to overall good website design. Knowing web design trends can help you take your company website to the next level to improve user experience and promote leads and sales. Of course, if you’re not a web designer, it’s always best to hire a professional to improve your website by considering the user experience and changing design elements that impact usability. Here are the top web design trends that will continue to grow.
Brand Messaging
Brand messaging and storytelling are the responsibilities of a copywriter. However, content leads the design, and design supports copy. Humans react to great stories, and your brand needs one to succeed. Improving UX through storytelling can help build stronger relationships between your business and its customers.
The more a consumer knows about a brand and its mission and values, the more likely they are to trust it and start shopping with them. Ultimately, your value proposition should be front and center to help your potential customers learn what you're all about. Check out Shareable for Hires' homepage.
Not only is their value proposition front and center in regards to copy, but they also have a graphic that illustrates and supports the fact that they offer fast background checks.
Weaving your message through the user experience, from page to page, and through scrolling, you can help tell your brand story. Of course, you should use visual elements as well. People like to be shown instead of told, so it's ideal to balance your website copy with visual elements that support the story, such as infographics, videos, and illustrations.
Navigation
Navigation is the menu visitors use to navigate throughout the website and find what they're looking for. The placement of the navigation on the screen and how users find the navigation are important to consider for any website. As more people scroll websites on their mobile devices, designers will have to figure out how to allow users to find the navigation. Primarily, navigation remains at the top of the website, whether on mobile or desktop, but moving the menu or other key buttons closer to the bottom might help mobile users easily navigate with just their thumbs instead of holding their devices with two hands.
Customer Journey
User experience must be seamless and flow from one part of the process to another. A seamless experience involves focusing on continuity, especially in digital processes like payments. Additionally, designers can improve continuity throughout the entire buyer's journey, from the first landing page to browsing the entire site. A smoother experience can result in a positive experience for the user, making them more likely to make a purchase.
Scrolling Experiences
Scrolling is fun already, but you can keep users focused on your website by experimenting with different types of scrolling experiences. For example, as a user scrolls your homepage, you can have different elements change and move throughout the page. Making scrolling more active can keep users engaged on your website to improve the user experience without distracting them.
Dark Mode
More people are working remotely now than ever before, which means staring at screens for long periods instead of having in-person interactions. After staring at a screen for a full eight-hour workday or more, your eyes can get fatigued. Using color schemes that are easier on the eyes, such as something you'd see in dark mode, can make for a more enjoyable website experience.
Ultimately, bright colors can make website visitors feel tired, especially after a long day staring at their computer screens. Instead, you can try soft color pallets to make users feel more relaxed.
3D
Web designers have always used graphics to enhance the user experience. However, 3D graphics are a great way to help your company's website stand out from the crowd and delight your visitors. 3D graphics help users better engage with your products, making for a more interactive experience. Having 3D representations of products can help customers learn more about the product based on how it looks so they can imagine what it would look like in their homes or while wearing them.
Bold Fonts
Bold fonts can help attract customers' attention and help them quickly uncover the message you're trying to convey. Bold typography makes website messaging more direct, and many websites are making their fonts bolder to help people navigate pages and find what they're looking for faster.
Homepage Hero Height
Web designers can include anything from animations to 3D renderings and everything in between to web pages to help users understand what the brand is all about. Experimenting with the homepage hero height may help you uncover the right way to convey your primary messages to customers. For example, extending the height of your hero may allow you to reinforce different selling points and features in less time than if they were in the middle of the page.
One Page Sites
Not all websites have to have multiple pages. Of course, the number of pages your website has depends on the type of business and the industry norms. If right for your business, one-page websites can remove traditional menus and instead use scrolling navigation to help visitors understand all the information they need to make a decision.
Final Thoughts
Experimenting is the best way to determine if these web design trends will work for your website. If you're unsure how to start experimenting with the different design elements that impact your user experience, consider talking to a professional web designer who can implement changes and track their success.