Trends in web design are constantly changing. As a designer or an entrepreneur, you need to be aware of these changes, not only to be able to create a beautiful, modern, and user-friendly website, but also to make the right impression of your brand.
In this post, we’ve picked the most prominent web design trends of 2020. But before talking about any specific innovations, it is important to point out that web design in 2020 will further gravitate toward the concepts of usability and aesthetics. This reflects the desire of brands to be attractive and approachable while also offering the best customer experience possible.
Minimalism
Minimalism continues to prevail in web design. Keeping pages tidy and clutter-free is critical when it comes to creating professional websites. The less text and the fewer objects you put on your pages, the easier your site is to navigate and the less intimidating it looks to the general public. Besides, a minimalist site feels “lighter” and is more responsive. Therefore, it will not only emphasize the style and personality of your brand but will also have a better chance to rank high on search engines (based on technical criteria).
Source/credit: http://thedsgnshop.com/
Irregular arrangement of blocks
The traditional way of arranging content blocks in an orderly, symmetric fashion is steadily becoming obsolete. Thanks to innovative techniques of presenting information, the effectiveness of your website can be significantly improved. Thus, structuring your on-page content using a broken grid layout and dispersing information blocks across the page may create a particular effect in terms of aesthetics. It stirs the user’s interest and allows you to highlight the originality of your brand.
Source/credit: https://www.couleecreative.com/
More whitespace
The trend for vast whitespaces appeared not so long ago, but it became hugely popular among web designers over the last couple of years. Why? Because it allows you to drive users’ attention more effectively. Furthermore, whitespace makes the site look tidier, lets core design elements “breathe”, and keeps visitors focused on your main offer. Also, white looks great with any other color, so you have a lot of creative freedom to embody any of your design ideas.
Source/credit: https://pamstudio.co/
Natural, streamlined shapes
You won’t find straight lines and regular geometric forms in nature very often, will you? Therefore, organic, nature-inspired shapes, that create the illusion of fluidity and flexibility, may facilitate the perception of information by the human mind. That is why rounded corners and curved lines are now firmly entrenched in modern web design. What is more, natural shapes look especially impressive if complemented by vivid colors. Such a design captures attention and creates the right mood for visitors to enjoy the website.
Source/credit: https://extrema.be/
Strident colors
A trend that hasn’t really lost its relevance despite the popularity of whitespace in web design is the usage of bright, blatant colors. They can make your website look more lively, expressive, and memorable while adding to its general concept. They can also bring your brand’s identity to the forefront. After all, colors convey emotions, and emotions drive users’ decisions.
Source/credit: https://growerssoil.com/
Gradient
Although not too innovative, the usage of the gradient is still an excellent solution for your website design. A page background with smooth color transitions creates an impression of freshness and uniqueness.
Source/credit: http://www.agencekali.fr/
Vivid graphics and juicy images
Exquisite, ultra-bright, and variegated graphics can be a perfect solution to make your website stand out and emphasize your brand’s identity. They can attract a lot of attention and encourage your visitors to take further actions: sign up, buy a product, get in touch with you, etc. However, if bright graphics do not really fit in the concept of your website or contradict its subject matter, it’s totally fine to go with high-quality photos or images as long as they are original and eye-catching.
Source/credit: https://www.graphikconcept.com/
Fullscreen video
Indeed, text-based content and images can tell your website visitors everything about your brand and its advantages. But a fullscreen video playing in the page background will make your site look ultra-modern and technologically advanced. Besides, it increases visitor engagement and tells the story of your brand in a fresh and creative way. Furthermore, a fullscreen video can hardly be overlooked on the page, so users don’t need to scroll down to find the information they need.
Curious fact: Fullscreen background videos are not a new trend. They used to be popular a few years ago but were eventually abandoned because most mobile devices couldn’t handle them in terms of screen size and loading speed. But since then, the performance of gadgets has significantly increased (as well as the capabilities of website optimization), which means that fullscreen videos are about to make their return.
Source/credit: https://aircanadavacations.fabrique2.net/en/italy/
Cinemagraphs
Cinemagraphs are not just GIFs like those you can find all across the web. These are high-quality static images featuring embedded looped animations. Think of a photo of a waterfall with animated water; or a fireplace with glowing coals inside. You can come up with a variety of original ideas and implement them with the help of modern computer technologies. Cinemagraphs are an innovative and fresh solution in contemporary web design. They captivate the attention of website visitors, encouraging them to familiarize themselves with the rest of the content.
Source/credit: https://www.thetwelvehotel.ie/
3D objects
Web design featuring 3D objects is getting more trendy. Three-dimensional technologies are used everywhere these days. And taking into account the development of AR and VR technologies, 3D graphics in web design will have an even greater impetus in the years to come.
Source/credit: http://finisweetsusa.com/
Unique font + simplistic design
Unique fonts can make your website look fresh and memorable, especially when combined with low-key, minimalist design. It is true that stale fonts, devoid of any visual accents, can be detrimental to the design of an entire site, while original yet legible fonts can make it much easier for users to perceive information. Interestingly, complex fonts are becoming more relevant today. While previously web designers preferred simple and clean sans, today they clearly lean toward serifs.
Source/credit: http://www.buttermilkandmaple.com/
Thumb-friendly mobile design
Mobile browsing is on the rise, and web designers cannot ignore the fact. Therefore, when developing a website, it has become increasingly important to make sure that the site scales correctly to fit smaller screens and offers the mobile experience as smooth and effortless as on a desktop. All typical user actions, including button tapping, text input, and scrolling must be intuitive and easy to carry out on a mobile device. That is why in 2020 designers need to pay extra attention to such details as button size, page layout, responsive navigation, etc.
Micro-interactions
Micro-interactions are small visual effects that occur when performing specific actions on a website. They do not distract users but rather provide them with visual feedback, making the site more interactive and intuitive. These effects can accompany such actions as transitions from one image to another, hovering a cursor over images, clicking on a button, etc. In other words, micro-interactions serve as a kind of response to visitors’ actions. Besides, well-designed effects may encourage users to interact with the website more and stick around longer on the page.
Giant typography
Large typography is not really an innovation in web design. The development of this trend has been observed for at least 4 years now, and 2020 is not an exception. Large and prominent text elements (especially headings, price tags, etc.) inevitably catch visitors’ attention simply by being there on the screen. In recent years, typography has become more sophisticated, which means it is safe to expect even bolder solutions in the future.
Source/credit: https://orkestra.ca/en/homepage
Responsive logos
Responsive logos are another fresh trend that is here to stay. Adaptive logos that can automatically adjust to various screen sizes without compromising their quality are awesome because they allow you to keep your brand in front of your audience regardless of the type of device they use to browse the web.
Translucent CTA buttons
We have already mentioned that modern web design loves minimalism: a lot of whitespaces, the extensive use of black and white, white and gray, etc. Another element that has become common for minimalist websites are translucent call-to-action buttons. Such CTAs perform their function of lead generation as effectively as opaque buttons but look more stylish and do not visually overload the site.
Embrace the trends of 2020
Outdated design can significantly reduce the competitiveness of a website. An abundance of heavy design elements, a messy page layout, the discrepancy of colors, low-quality visuals, and improper UI/UX solutions can turn visitors away from your site, reduce its conversion rate, and affect the efficiency of your business. When creating a new website or redesigning an existing one, make sure you’re not stuck in the past.