Web design, since it is driven a lot by aesthetics and usability, is subject to change at a rate that can rival, if not overtake, other disciplines, not least of which is mobile app development. Indeed, the influx of web design trends only goes to show that website development is still very relevant and vital for most enterprises and, of course, webmasters at large.

What makes these web design trends “fascinating” to be exact? Well, most of it really hinges on why they became trends in the first place. For one, the modern website is expected to be able to deliver its message and purpose with as much immediacy, clarity, style, and convenience as possible. They earn that label with how they are able to deliver those factors superbly.

As a whole, what is apparent is that there is a shift towards relaying the information the user needs or allowing him to perform the exact actions he needs to do without delay while avoiding the usual distractions such as push notifications and pop-ups. At best, that is only just a rough sketch of the nature of these trends. To really immerse yourself in how they may very well dictate the look of future web design, you have to get to know each one in greater detail.

Plenty of Attention-Grabbing Elements

Since brands want to immediately be able to grasp the visitor’s attention, expect websites to adopt larger fonts and bold, eye-catching hues. As far as font sizes are concerned, “larger” could prove to be an understatement, as most websites are now clearly using relatively massive fonts that can seize the attention of any newcomer.

Of course, having larger fonts only ever gives the ready benefit of improved readability. But for websites to start using huge font sizes is a testament to the need of most website owners and brands to raise user retention and increase brand awareness. The latter is only proven by the fact that most websites nowadays use gigantic fonts to spell out their brand names. Titles, in particular, are being given the brunt of the attention when it comes to using larger fonts.

The use of remarkably bright colors is another pattern that falls under this particular trend. Vivid colors can dazzle and promptly grab anyone’s attention, and websites are certainly no exception to this.

Animations Will Take Center-Stage

The various ways in which different kinds of animations can now be integrated into websites only affirm their efficacy in web design. For one, more and more websites now use rotating animations to provide visitors a completely different look and experience each time they refresh a single page.

Another equally popular trend is the use of scroll-triggered animations. Users like to scroll through a website’s content as much as possible, but the addition of animations, which are triggered at certain points of the website as you scroll, has been found to greatly increase user engagement. That, of course, serves as a very important gauge of a website’s quality. That being said, utilizing scroll animations does take a fair amount of talent and front-end development know-how, especially if the developer is able to create a very responsive design overall.

Other ways in which developers are adding animations include GIFs and even doing their own hand drawings and illustrations, which they will then proceed to animate. Some even manage to tell a story, which is an entirely different trend by itself.

Simplicity Will Continue to Flourish

There has been a general preference for minimalism in website development for a while now, and this trend is evidently still continuing. You will see thin websites that only include the needed elements; a picture of the product, for example, accompanied by a snippet of descriptive copy that does not exceed 5 or 10 words with background colors that fit the product’s own hues. The user would then be able to go directly to the product’s description page by clicking on a single button.

Another proof of this trend is the rise of text-only heroes. These essentially forgo background images to only use text for the hero area. The use of text-only heroes relies heavily on using a unique font type; it also unlocks many opportunities for the integration of animations.

Black and White Colors

It is not only through overly saturated colors that web designers are capturing the attention of visitors. Though it is considered as entering the highly experimental territory, more websites are beginning to adopt a black and white color motif. This trend arguably has a direct relation to the minimalistic trend that most websites are adopting. The lack of color, indeed, readily conjures simplicity and has its own aesthetic appeal, which does not look out-of-place in the way most modern sites look at the present.

Innovations in Scrolling

While vertical scrolling may not completely take the backseat any time soon, web designers are now actually beginning to use horizontal scrolling due to the completely novel and intuitive experience it provides. Anything that manages to introduce a winning twist is bound to catch the attention of a lot of people and horizontal scrolling definitely fits that description. This specific trend also makes itself amenable to the addition of animation, so it is bound to enjoy such a rise in popularity because of it. It also calls to mind mobile swiping navigation, which can arguably be accounted for people’s growing fondness for it.

Interactive Elements That Tell a Story

UX design trends at present prioritize user interactivity, so much so that more web designers are stretching the limits of their imagination and creativity when adding interactive elements in their creations. One efficient way that they do so is through telling stories. It goes without saying that people are naturally attracted to stories so its integration only boosts overall engagement.

The key lies in its execution, though, and the incorporation of user interactivity definitely remains at the top of strategies available to web designers. It normally comes with a steep price, though, but the availability of automation options can mitigate its cost. Of course, this also takes into account the amount of originality and creativity that the designer puts into the entire setup.

Sophistication and Responsiveness Will Gain Traction

Sophistication in design execution stands out as a rising trend as well. The use of drop shadows and variety in hues can easily add depth that conjures a more complex and stylish appearance that is practically unprecedented in web design. The same rings true for the growing utilization of more dynamic illustrations that can be achieved with the use of AI and other data-driven technologies.

Of course, responsiveness has to be maintained as much as the improvement of design aesthetics. For this, designers are beginning to rely on smart CSS grids that automatically create versions of the site that will be able to smoothly adjust to the user’s screen size. As mobile continues to gain the upper hand over desktop in terms of total traffic, do not be surprised if designers continue to figure out such solutions to ensure continuous responsiveness to various mobile devices.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

No other fact can attest to the pervasiveness of AI and other data-based technologies than its adoption into web design. While this may arguably still be in its infancy, there is already an apparent shift towards the use of AI when building websites.

Landing pages that provide a more personalized feel are inevitably favored above everything, as in any kind of platform that involves user experience one way or another. Of course, since AI performs superbly in that regard, plenty of developers will certainly begin to use it more, besides other applicable technologies like machine learning and even virtuality.

Experts predict forgoing the traditional homepage altogether. Machine learning, on the other hand, makes it possible for UI designers to immediately acquire pertinent data regarding the visitor based on his browsing history and present location.

Infusion of Voice Technology

Studies show that users’ attention spans continue to decline over time, necessitating the implementation of technology that will make up for it and provide better convenience. Voice technology is just one of the few effective means for which designers are bringing about these advantages.

Adding voice-assisted features when visiting pages lessens the need to do actual browsing, making information accessible to the user in literally seconds. By the same token, actions can be performed in as short a time as possible as well.

The use of voice technology coincides with, or probably arose from, the trend of smaller and smaller devices being manufactured nowadays. If it continues, developers need to adapt and the addition of voice technology serves as a step in the right direction.

Experimentations in Typography and Layout

The way designers depict the written word and images on-screen is undergoing plenty of changes as well. Web designers are becoming more daring with their use, for example, of asymmetric layouts that evoke non-conformity to order, brutalism, and individuality. This is usually characterized by a seemingly random arrangement of letters that still manage to form coherent words with the use of uniform color as well as the lack of a pattern in the way background images are places.

This barely touches on how these experimentations are applied, though. Other websites also capitalize on typography, using, for instance, outlines to highlight each word. This readily gives distinction that could not be achieved through any other means. Along with this trend came an increase in the number of fonts designers can now choose from. Since the primary aim is to be as distinctive and attention-grabbing as possible, this trend is only bound to continue and give birth to other ways for developers to make their creations become unique.

Conclusion

Some of the web design trends mentioned above have been around for a few years now while others simply stem from other trends that came before. This serves to outline the nature of the evolution of web design, and how it dictated not only by user demands but also by the desire to stand out from designs that have been executed before. These trends’ interrelation is very much evident as well.

What can be readily construed is that web designers are beginning to lean more towards breaking the norm and focusing on personalization. Ultimately, their efforts are rooted in the primary goal of improving user experience and engagement. A few, like the gradual utilization of voice technology and artificial intelligence, will be nothing short of revolutionary once fully implemented. This is a good sign that website development is headed towards a future that is just as bright as app development – if not more.