To say that a lot of work goes into making a website is an understatement. There’s the technical side of things, such as site speed and SEO tactics, but if a technically-sound website doesn’t look good, you’re missing the mark. Trends change over the years, so let’s take a look at some website design trends for 2023.
Scrolling Effects
Static scrolling is out, and parallax scrolling is in. This popular design trend is used to make parts of a page more dynamic and gives it some depth. The background content, like a photo or video, moves slower than the foreground content, giving it a 3D-type feel.
Asymmetric Style
Previously, the grid layout has been favored because it’s easy to understand and scales seamlessly down to mobile devices. However, web design is transitioning towards an asymmetric layout, which means the design layout doesn’t mirror each other left to right. An asymmetric layout allows for more breathing room with strategic white space.
White Space
Continuing off of that idea, white space has become popular amongst web designers due to the fact that it allows information to be spread out. This creates a more relaxed feel for users) and also allows your content to stand out more. Without much white space, your content can look overwhelming and can hurt readability.
Micro Animations
Although small, micro animations can make a big difference. Mico animations allow you to have movement on your site, making it come to life. These animations can be simple, like text that moves when you hover over it, or you can get elaborate. It all comes down to your industry and what makes the most sense for your brand.
Organic Shapes
Geometric shapes were popular with the grid layout, but with the asymmetric style, you can utilize organic shapes instead. These are anything that don’t involve straight lines—they can be fluid or circular, and they’re great to break up sections of your page in a fun way.
Text-Only Hero Images
Rather than using an image for the hero section, web designers are using a powerful statement with well-designed typography as an attention grabber. The emptiness of the hero without an image ends up looking very eye-catching in the top fold.
Custom Illustrations
Unless your business has high-quality photos of your product or service, you’ve likely had to rely on stock photography. Custom illustrations give your brand a more personal feel and helps it to stand out from the crowd. These aren’t a complete replacement for imagery, but it’s a fun way to switch things up.
“Dark Mode”
This trend is in quotations because you can’t really create a dark mode version of a website. What you’re really doing is skipping the go-to white backgrounds and replacing them with a dark color. This helps to reduce eye strain when looking at a screen for too long. Dark mode is easier on the eyes and is also great if you’re going for a modern look.
However, it’s important to note that white backgrounds with black text are traditionally easier to read, especially for older adults. If you want to explore a dark mode but have an older audience, try incorporating warmer tones in your website design to combat the blue light strain.
Data Visualization
Rather than having users read text to learn about your company’s statistics and data, take advantage of visual representations. This helps to break up some of the text on your site, and it’s also more enjoyable to read. Website design is all about creating a positive user experience, and often times that means less telling and more showing.
Full-Height Homepage Hero
Our last new design trend tip is to use the hero image like a billboard and fill the screen with a distraction-free message. Use this opportunity to tell a story to your users and catch their attention. However, keep in mind how that visual will scale between different browsers and devices, and plan accordingly.
Our web designer at TMIM has had so much fun playing with these new trends. We asked her to give her two cents:
“In our recent site builds, I have been having so much fun playing with scrolling effects and asymmetric design, and I love that web is taking more value in white space. I also love how the hero image or top fold of website designs are really starting to branch out from what previously felt like a template, because that is such a crucial part of a website. Whether it is the scale or shape of images, emphasis on text, or introducing mini animations, I can’t wait to let my creativity go wild with these new ideas!”
Get in touch with us today to start planning your website design. We’re your digital marketing department for hire!