You would expect that the biggest selling point for today’s customers, whether they are looking to purchase a product or a service, would be the quality, as well as the price. And while they certainly play a huge role, another factor which is arguably even more important is the overall user experience.

Shoppers, and especially millennials, are looking for companies and brands which can delight them and provide them with a personalized experience. This, as well as the emergence of mobile devices, is why it’s mandatory for all businesses to keep an eye on UX trends.

We are all familiar with Google’s mobile-first indexing, which means that both the desktop and mobile version of your website or blog needs to feature responsive design if you don’t want your ranking to suffer. However it’s not just Google. According to research, 88% of online consumers are less likely to come back to the website after a poor experience. This can mean anything from a poor layout, lack of responsive design, slow loading times, or check out process which is too lengthy and complicated.

On top of that, you would be hard pressed to find a field which is more dynamic than UX, which means that you need to keep an eye on trends at all times. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the most important UX trends you’ll need to implement in 2019.

1. Use Video to Showcase Your Product

Video is hugely popular with any kind of audience, and that trend isn’t going to stop any time soon, because producing video is cheaper than ever. On top of that, consumers maintain that it’s their favorite type of content on social media coming from a brand or company. On top of that, as much as 72% of consumers claim that the brand’s social media presence has influenced their purchasing decision, whether they were looking to order assignment online or buy some sneakers.

Now, while we know that video is great for showcasing your product, it can also be incorporated into your website’s design in order to provide a more thrilling user experience, which is exactly what Bondix Intelligence has done. Bondix Intelligence is a company which enables its clients to have an uninterrupted internet connection, 100% of the time. Their website features a short video which plays out as you start scrolling down the home page, while the most crucial information about the company is shown simultaneously, as can be seen in the image below:

For more information, you can click on the “Menu” option in the right-hand corner of the page and find out more about the company itself, as well as access contact information and case studies.

2. Large and Bold Typography

Although text is primarily there to provide information, it has long ago been established that it can work as a design element itself, provided that you are brave enough with your choice of typography. In 2019, if you are thinking about going with typography that is subtle and understated, you will probably have to scratch that idea. Why? Because bold, brash, and eye-catching typography will be all the rage this year. In fact, according to Jim Spencer, who works as a UX designer for Assignment Holic UK, this sort of typography can replace some of the slower loading design elements, such as background images, while creating a similar visual impact.

On top of that, it goes well together with outline typography, which is yet another trend which has emerged as of last year. Hix Snedeker, which is a real estate development business, is one such example. While their choice of Proxima-Nova sans serif type for the headline is nothing too shocking, the design has an ace up its sleeve. The large block letters of the headline are filled in with a background image which moves together with your mouse cursor, providing a unique sense of depth.

3. Material Design Will Replace Flat Design

Although flat design has been hanging it there for quite a while, material design has finally won, and there are several reasons for it. First of all, Google has been its champion since 2015, because they have released the Material design language. Second, mobile interactions got more complex and difficult, and because material design gives an illusion of depth, which conveyes hierarchy, it became an ideal solution. Also, because it was released by Google, it was tested by billions of people, which meant that the final product worked perfectly.

You will be seeing this design approach everywhere, whether you are looking to find a new host for your website or pay for papers. One of the most beautiful examples of material design in UX is RumChata’s official website. They combine the layered approach of material design with real life photos of the product to create a mouth-watering showcase for their Carribean rum. Although the images are very eye-catching, the interface is still incredibly intuitive, which makes for a visually pleasing and streamlined user experience.

4. Voice Will Continue to Rise

According to research by Deloitte Global, the smart speaker industry will experience growth of 63% from 2018, which will make it worth over $97 billion dollars in 2019. And while for the time being we are using Alexa, Echo, and Google Home to play music, check the weather, or order pizza, that is set to change in the future. These devices are going to continue to develop, and they will allow for more complex interactions, which will require new applications and interfaces which provide good UX. But, it goes way beyond creating a compelling voice interface design.

Designers will have their work cut out for them, because voice design comes with a whole suite of issues which haven’t yet been tackled, such security and privacy. Also, designers will have to think about the ethics of voice design, as well. It seems like the biggest challenge will be just that: making sure that they end users have their privacy and safety, while having applications and interfaces that are as usable as possible. And it has to cover a wide range of businesses, which means anything from an online coursework-writing service to your local retail shop.

5. UX Writers Are Here

Each new development in technology creates a whole multitude of new jobs and professions. With user experience becoming more important, we have seen the emergence of UI and UX designers. However, great UX in 2019 doesn’t require just UX designers, but UX writers as well, If you are unfamiliar with the term, don’t worry, because it’s a relatively new concept, but one which will become more important as of this year.

Google, Amazon, YouTube, and other IT giants have already started to add UX writers to their staff, and if you were to look at job adds in the industry, you will be able to see more than a handful of other companies looking for UX writers as well. Because the market is competitive, regardless of the niche, brands are working hard to edge out their competitors. This means it’s no longer enough to have outstanding UI. They are realizing that copy is an integral part of user experience, just like typography and colors.

Even the smaller microcopy, such as the tone with which you address your audience inside pop-ups or your CTA can make a difference. And since voice and written copy are inextricably connected, the sounds of your message and the tone you are trying to convey will also become an important consideration.

6. Gradients, Vibrant Colors, and Dark Backgrounds

Screens on today’s devices have an amazing ability to show bright, clear, and vibrant colors, and UX designers should make the most of that, because those fantastic colors aren’t going anywhere in 2019. The same goes for gradients. While their role in the past was to grab the viewer’s attention, thanks to material design, gradients are used to simulate depth. They are another elements which UI and UX designers need to use in order to explore the boundaries of what can be done, given current design limitation.

Dark themes are going to stick around as well, because vibrant colors and gradients look even better against a dark background. The start contrast between those elements is also great for creating a dramatic effects or provoking an emotive response from the viewer. A great example of gradient use is Stripe’s website. It features gradient all over the place, but still manages to look clean and elegant. And despite the fact that there aren’t many layers, it still has some depth to it, thanks to the gradient.

Helpful Resources and Tools

Now, in order to get a better idea on how you should implement all of the above, let’s take a look at some useful resources and tools you might need for creating a better UX in 2019:

• DesignBetter.co Conversations: here you can find transcriptions of talks and conversations with experienced designers and other creatives. Each transcription has one of them sharing their experience, as well as challenges and solution they had to come up with in order to overcome them.
• Google Design (medium.com/google-design): run by a group of Google designers, writers, developers, and other professional at Google. Features both content from design, google, as well as original content which doesn’t appear anywhere else.
• UX Myths (uxmyths.com): just like any other niche, UX is full of myths and misconceptions which can undermine your best efforts, This place, however, takes a closer look at the most common myths and dispells them through in-depth research.
• UX Collective (uxdesign.cc): learning new things from blogs, tutorials, courses, and other online resources is not uncommon for UX designers. However, it can take ages before you stumble upon a useful resource. UX Collective is here to help, with its curated selection of the best UX materials out there.
• Dribbble (dribbble.com): if your company is looking for experienced UX professionals, Dribbble is one of the best places to them. If you are a UX designer yourself, you can connect with other similar-minded professional and establish a collaboration. Companies such as Apple, Airbnb, Facebook, Google, Slack, Lyft, and Dropbox are relying on Dribbble, both for hiring new talent and getting exposure for their current staff.
• Uplabs (uplabs.com): if you are looking for a place where you can share and exchange resources with other designers and developers, Uplabs is one of your best bets. Here you will find curated resources such as user interfaces, libraries, open-source apps, and even finished products. Plenty of resources on material design available as well.

Final Word

As you can see, there are plenty of UX trends you will need to keep an eye on in 2019. Granted, you are probably already on top of some of them. We hope that this article will help you implement all the remaining ones. Good luck!