Because everyone is so intent on outdoing one another, some companies have the tendency to think that being the first at something simply means you’re ahead. I hate to break it to you, but it doesn’t.
Sometimes, the best you can do you for your brand is going against the current. Sometimes, the best you can do is being different. And, sometimes, the best you can do is to identify the trends that suit your voice and brand the best. Luckily for you, our senior designer has compiled a list of web design trends that are going to gain some traction in 2019. Are you ready to identify the right trends for you?
1. Mobile first
Everyone and their grandma are using their phones daily now. This year, American adults were even expected to average over three hours every day on their mobiles. That’s a lot, guys.
In response to this, companies have been prioritizing the optimization of their mobile sites, and this will continue in 2019 – as it’s expected that over 70% of all digital ad spending in the US is to come from mobile advertising. Is this a trend you’re prepared for?
2. Depth and Drop Shadows
Much like the Caped Crusader himself, shadows have been leveraged by some companies for a while now. There are some different variations that are expected to come up in 2019, though, as parallax layouts and grids have been growing more popular, giving web designers more room to play around with shadows in their designs.
Playing with shadows has shown to give out a powerful effect that not only increases overall aesthetics, but also contributes to the user experience.
3. Flat Design
Again, this is something that has been leveraged by many designers for the past few years. Despite this though, it’s still going strong, which is why it is still one of the anticipated web design trends for next year.
Minimalistic, clean designs have been a trend since 2017, and there’s no sign of them going out of style. Aside from quick loading times, these designs have beauty in simplicity, and a lot of companies will still make use of them despite browser advancements.
4. Integrating Animations
Speaking about browsers getting more advanced, other designers are also using this to their advantage and are now forgoing the static—and sometimes boring—images, moving on to ways that website visitors can interact more with the page.
Loading times may be a bit of a concern, but again, with today’s modern technology, it is expected that these won’t be that much of an issue—to a degree. This is discussed again below
5. Asymmetrically Aesthetic
In a lot of websites, newspapers, and even print ads, many designers make use of a grid as a guide to add content on the page they’re working on. One trend we should watch out for next year is designers scrapping that guide, making their design more asymmetrical than what we usually see.
Thinking outside the grid will become the norm, which will provide designers more freedom to think up of new layouts to surprise and retain viewers.
6. Particle Backgrounds
One design tactic that was showing signs of becoming a trend was incorporating videos as part of the page background. Some companies got into a pickle, however, when they experienced some performance issues where the video was choppy, or didn’t play altogether.
Particle backgrounds are simple, JavaScript animations that can easily play without giving visitors the impression of a badly-timed, stop-motion animated short. They aren’t hard to make, and as long as it’s well executed, can be the difference between a conversion and a bounce.
7. Bold Typography
Typography is a tool which, in the hands of a skilled designer, can exude a large gamut of emotions to whomever is reading. Beyond what is actually written, knowing which visual style to use is crucial in order for the viewer to feel the personality the designer is trying to imply.
Many browsers are able to handle personal typefaces, which allow the designer to improve the overall user experience, resulting in the visitors staying in the website.
8. Large Images
Similar to how your large fries are best paired with a large milkshake, big letters should be placed on or beside big images. It creates a great impact on a landing page’s visitor, and when paired with parallax scrolling, creates a unique user experience that visitors won’t soon forget.
Of course, you need to ensure your images are up to snuff, as showcasing substandard stills isn’t really a good way to endear yourselves to the target audience.
9. Speed
In the end, what’s most important to the target audience when visiting an interesting page is loading speed. Your gaudy and over-the-top designs won’t catch anyone’s attention if it takes 10 seconds to fully load. In fact, if it takes longer than three, studies show visitors won’t even give it the time of day.
Although flashy landing pages and eye-catching designs still have a place in 2019, designers will have to find a way to incorporate them without slowing down the page.