Top Web Design Trends for 2020
A good design is vital regardless of the purpose or goal of a website. It is one of the things that visitors first notice. Its effect is powerful. Visitors can already draw up an impression about the business or product after only a few seconds of viewing its site. As such, the
design is one of the most vital elements of creating a website that delivers.
However, good website design is not just about putting in cool visuals. It is also about offering an easy to use and efficient user interface. For those with existing websites, upgrading their design is one of the ways to improve visitors’ experience. Good web design is about satisfying every potential customer who visits the site, enough to convert them to paying clients.
If your website is not bringing in the customers you were expecting; maybe it’s time to revamp its design. If you are thinking of creating a website for your business, following the top trends for the year is a good jumpstart. For this year, 2020, the list is an interesting combination of shapes, colors, fonts, and other visual elements.
Here are some ideas you might be able to use.
1. A Healthy Combination of Photos and Illustrations
A mix of photos and graphics or illustrations is one of the web design trends this year. Its concept is similar to that of a collage or a visual journal. This creative design is an instant attention grabber. It adds colors, variety, charm, and life to your website.
Matching graphics or illustrations with photos gives the design and your brand a unique personality that visitors will easily remember. It can also be a visual representation of a message you want to share.
The illustrations can be hand-drawn or rendered in 2D or 3D. Customized illustrations inspired by storybooks and other traditional art forms also create a distinctive, stylish effect. Some examples are 3D illusions, digital cutouts, and interactive 3D cursors.
2. Adding 3D Elements to the Design
In recent years, 3D elements have become an essential element for modern web designs. They add realism and depth to websites.
Designers can choose to stick to using static 3D effects, or they can go bolder and go for interactive and animated 3D. If you want a clean and balanced or semi-minimalist design, the ideal choice is static 3D.
Interactive 3D elements attract many visitors, specifically the ones who like movement and interaction. It’s interesting and engaging, so users are bound to stay longer and keep visiting the website.
Websites with animated 3D effects are also highly engaging. Visitors, particularly the younger ones, tend to stay longer if the site is visually attractive.
3. White Space and Minimalism Works
Creating white space was once considered a detrimental design practice. Today, with many people embracing the concept of minimalism, it has become a significant web design element.
The white spaces on your website provide a breathing room for your visitors’ eyes. It makes pages look more defined and avoids the dull tombstone look.
White spaces also separate two elements without destroying the visual credibility of your website. For example, if there are two images on a page, putting white space between will separate them enough for viewers to understand that these are two different objects. It’s also more comfortable and lighter on the eyes.
4. Using Bold or Big Fonts
Typography-inspired, vintage, big, and bold fonts are popular this year. On some websites, the font covers almost half of the page’s visible area (or viewport). In other sites, bold type cutouts catch visitors’ attention. The fonts are chunky but clean, professional, and pleasing to the eyes.
Big fonts that can be read even when you’re on the other side of the room are popular and preferred by many. The large-sized letters and words offer convenience to visitors, specifically those who have a hard time reading smaller fonts.
However, it is essential to know which typeface or font style and size is ideal for your website and brand, the business goal, and your visitors or potential customers. Also, consider text readability before choosing a typeface.
5. UX and UI Matter
Ensuring users an engaging, uninterrupted, and convenient experience every time they visit a website is vital for success. In the world of website designing, this is what UX (user experience) and UI (user interface) are all about.
A website has uninterrupted and convenient UX if:
● It loads fast
● It contains relevant, engaging, scannable, and optimized content
● It makes use of multimedia
● It is not cluttered
Good website user experience is equivalent to a clean, unique, and creative design. It is also about functionality – how useful it is for the visitors.
On the other hand, an engaging and intuitive user interface has the following:
● Clear captions for images
● Voice-enabling interface feature
● Transcribed videos
● Balanced and clean motion design
An effective UI also means there are no elements that confuse and distract visitors.
Good web design is also about visuals and aesthetics that attract and hold the attention of visitors. It’s about offering easy-to-use interfaces, easy-to-navigate pages, and easy-to-read content. Effective UX and UI are likewise about mobile responsiveness and completely responsive design.
6. A Combination of Retro and Modern Look and Colors
Adding some nostalgic retro aspect to a modern website is a popular 2020 design concept. Common visual elements are earth tone or dull colors, black and whites, the 50s and 60s textures, the grunge effect, and incorporating comics or newspaper effects.
Combine these elements with some modern aspects such as fonts and images, and it’s like bringing the past to the present. Playing with colors also help; for example, mixing earth tones with other colors to appear brighter than usual.
7. Using and Showing Grids
This year, more and more websites are using grids as a part of their design; it is not invisible anymore. Rectangular, square, or cell-like grids add a unique visual effect and more dimension. More importantly, these grids help make websites look clean and organized.
8. Using Geometric Lines, Shapes, and Patterns
Fonts and graphic elements inspired by geometric lines, shapes, and patterns are making a comeback. Some websites even combine animation with shapes and patterns. The effect is a clean and organized website that is easy on the eyes. It’s not too crowded, but it’s not simple and dull, either.
The combination of lines, shapes, and patterns is visually exciting and stimulating.
9. Dark Mode is In
Some websites give users and visitors the option to shift to dark mode, which means adopting a dark design. Those who prefer this concept like the effect that a dark background creates because it makes the site’s design stand out; it’s almost as if they are glowing. Other colors pop out, so the pages are a visual delight.
Websites with hip and ultra-modern dark mode designs also help minimize eye strain.
10. Content and Stories That Matter
Content does not only mean the text elements of a website. Content also pertains to the photos, illustrations, figures, videos, and graphics posted on every web page. All these elements, when they come together, tell stories. However, they only work if they are relevant, well-made, interesting, and engaging.
As such, photos and illustrations should complement the text content by helping tell the story or stories the site or page wants to share. Adding a video or an infographic also helps tell the story.
These are just some of the top web design trends for 2020. If you want to create the best website for your business or organization, working with a professional web designer is ideal.