The web is developing very rapidly. Ten years ago, (almost) no one knew what social media was, and now many people cannot do without it. Websites have existed for much longer but are developing just as fast. Just like with a computer, you need a new website every few years to keep up with the times. But what are the most important developments and trends in 2015? Does your site still meet the current state of affairs?
Responsive web design
Responsive websites are nothing new in 2015. The mobile market continues to grow, so this is going to become increasingly important. In fact, since April 21 of this year, Google has introduced the so-called “mobile friendly” certification mark. This means that if you do not meet the certification requirements, it will affect your visibility.
Are you wondering if your website is mobile-friendly? Test it yourself here!
Hidden main menu
A hidden menu, that sounds exciting! Actually, it’s not that big of a deal. This is essentially displaying the hamburger menu (yes, hamburger menu! This is an icon with 3 horizontal lines) on all platforms. The menu will only become visible when clicked. This stems from the development of responsive websites.
Beautiful fonts
What actually constitutes beautiful fonts? Arial? Verdana? Times New Roman? Everyone is familiar with these fonts. After all, they are standard web fonts. Whether you like them or not, they are certainly not distinctive. Increasingly, you see various types of typography appearing on websites, and there are more and more possibilities in this area. We are curious to see which new and surprising fonts we will encounter in 2015!
Scrolling and scrolling again
Scrolling is making a comeback in web design! Do you want a website where no scrolling is required? That is possible, but how does that work on your mobile? Exactly, that gets quite tricky. There is no getting around it anymore; scrolling is mandatory! For the mobile user, it is also much easier to swipe down than to have to navigate through a complex menu.
Animations are beautiful!
Websites are becoming increasingly interactive. Something we already saw frequently last year is parallax scrolling or an animated photo slider. But that is not all! Increasingly, you see website content being loaded with animation. This also works very well in combination with long pages where there is a lot of scrolling (see: scrolling and scrolling again).
Do I have to follow all the trends in web design?
No, they are trends for a reason. Some trends will disappear again, while others will be further developed. But it certainly has added value to keep an eye on this. Sometimes it is a matter of taste, but some developments are simply an improvement.
The web is developing so fast that chances are high that a new trend will have already emerged by the time you read this article.