The crème de la crème of web design, Best4u Media BV, has outlined the current trends. What is happening in the world of web design? We see trends everywhere regarding ease of use, effectiveness, and minimalism. But how can this be best realized?
Ease of use takes center stage
What is striking is that more attention is being paid to user-friendliness and effectiveness. Not only in terms of content, but also in terms of graphic design. Everything on the website must be quick and easy to find and read, with minimal effort. As if we aren't already lazy enough with current technologies. With these trends, ease of use is placed at the center. Thought is primarily focused on things like screen filling and the way of navigating.
Most current trends go hand in hand. We keep it calm yet clear and bold, using, for example, large photos and typography. Minimalist, less is more. Think, for instance, of using a single color and little fuss. This makes everything much clearer, and the emphasis is placed primarily on the product or service. Another advantage of this is that pages load faster.
To ensure you do it right – without it becoming boring – we have the following trends for you to get inspired. To avoid an overload of inspiration, we have described only the best trends for you.
1 Scrolling without scrolling
For the lazier among us who prefer not to scroll, you can now simply click anywhere in the menu and the website does it for you. The advantage of this is that everything fits better within a 1024 x 768 frame, and it is also nice and easy to navigate the website.
2 Fixed navigation
Fixed navigation also adds to the usability of a website. This is because the navigation always stays in one place and does not scroll along. So, when you are at the very bottom of a page, you don't have to scroll all the way to the top looking for the menu. However, you must be careful that the menu is not too large, as it is always visible and can cause a lot of frustration.
In combination with the first trend, this is the perfect solution for people who don't want to scroll and search all the time.
3 Vertical navigation / menu
Back to the early days of web design. In the past, navigation was often on the left; then we had horizontal navigation for a while, and now right or left navigation is making a complete comeback. In combination with trend 2, this is perfectly feasible. The advantage of this is that it might actually be more user-friendly, and you have more space to fill the rest of the screen.
4 A website for every screen resolution
With a website for every screen resolution, the photos and text adapt automatically.
This is how a website like Aston Martin's (see example) comes into its own.
One advantage of this is that you always have optimal screen filling, but with incorrect coding, the website might also look less attractive on, for example, the world's largest LED screen ;)
5 One color shade
Using a single color can be anything but boring. A website quickly gains a strong presence through the use of fewer colors. It becomes calmer and therefore clearer. However, you must be careful that it does not become too dull. This trend combines perfectly with the following one.
6 Diagonal lines
For those who think they are more original with circles than with squares, there are now diagonal lines. It is unique, and therefore striking. It offers no added value in terms of usability, but it can be a distinctive sight.
7 Illustrations
Instead of the common photos on a website, we are now seeing more and more illustrations. It creates a playful effect and is anything but boring. This can be particularly effective for certain industries, organizations, or services.
8 full-screen photos
In contrast to trend 7 and going hand in hand with trend 1, photos as a website background look very nice. Full-screen, preferably as large as possible. Great for conveying the atmosphere of an event, for example. The only downside is often that the website takes a bit longer to load.
By utilizing these trends, the usability and effectiveness of a website suddenly improve significantly. Navigating the website becomes faster, and you will reach your goal more quickly. And isn't that what we are ultimately looking for? After all, it is all about the organization, product, or service.