The predicted top trends for web design in 2020
Your business relies on its website for a variety of reasons. Whether you use it to educate customers, make sales, or engage with customers, certain best practices dominate each year.
But what does a good website look like in 2019?
You already know it’s critical for businesses to keep their websites fresh and up-to-date. More and more consumers are engaging with companies through digital channels, leading to an incredibly Internet-centric world of marketing.
Web designs are continually changing. The flat textures of 90s websites contrast deeply with the lively, moving sites of today. An outdated design hurts your business’s ability to rank high on search engine results. It also affects how your customers perceive your brand, your products, and your services.
And more importantly, a poorly optimized website can damage the user experience.
We can’t stress enough the necessity of an updated, well-designed website that takes advantage of the latest trends. Here are some of those trends that will dominate 2020.
A Creative Re-imaging of Minimalism
Minimalism isn’t anything new. It’s been the dominant form of design for many years now, having been featured on Apple’s marketing materials and through Google’s homepage. Users often feel distracted looking at busy designs, so using as little as possible has been a widespread practice for many businesses.
While minimalism has primarily featured the use of white space, some new creative brands have introduced color into the style. These types of websites still use minimalistic elements but enhance the look with splashes of neon hues.
The minimalist wave isn’t going anywhere in 2020. But we do expect that more brands will experiment with diverse color palettes and explore new frontiers when it comes to expanding this popular form of design.
The Rise of Dark Mode
With 70% of web traffic coming from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, the business world has long understood the importance of a proper mobile website. Mobile users who browse in bed or late at night struggle with blue light coming from the screen.
One trend that’s already picking up steam is the implementation of a “dark mode” setting. This model flips the color scheme to a darker theme that minimizes bright light, improving visibility in dark environments.
We’ve already seen many apps (like YouTube, Reddit, and Discord) implement dark modes. You should expect that many popular WordPress themes will follow suit.
A Push For More Background Videos
Did you know that landing pages with videos increase conversion rates by a staggering 80%? Humans are naturally visual learners, and compelling images stimulate and engage visitors to your site.
Videos that play in the background are not only appealing to see, but they also make your brand look more professional. Combine a variety of design options to get the most out of background video.
The Addition of Hidden Navigation
Are you tired of seeing the same generic 5-page website with a menu at the top? Most customers think so too, so businesses have recently attempted to stand out by simplifying how clients navigate their websites.
Specifically, some of them drop the menu entirely to save valuable screen real estate, resulting in more opportunities for design. For example, a one-page website could scroll down to show each page in sequence.
One tactic is the hamburger menu you see in many mobile applications where a single button (usually denoted by three horizontal lines) opens the menu on the side, so it stays out of the way when the user doesn’t need it.
The Continued Need For Personalization
Just how important is personalization? SalesForce reported that 62% of consumers expect companies to send personalized offers and discounts based on past purchases.
And there’s a reason why major companies like Amazon and Netflix have invested so heavily in personalization technology.
Despite some concerns about data privacy, this trend is still continuing on strong. Companies can take advantage of a variety of tools and platforms to help implement a personalization program.
Doing so ensures customers are engaged to the brand and get the products and services they want to see the most. It also lets you market to your customers more effectively.
Continuous Conversion Rate Optimization
Your website is a dynamic asset. As trends change, what looks attractive today won’t be ideal tomorrow. You’ll notice that consumer behavior is always evolving the deeper you dive into digital transformation. Successful companies will find a way to tap into continuous optimization throughout their sales funnels.
Sophisticated tools on the market that can help you run A/B and multivariate testing already exist, allowing you to gain valuable insights into your customers as they use your website. Such information helps determine what areas of your site need to change to improve the customer experience.
Even if you run the occasional A/B test—you really should see conversion rate optimization as a continual effort. It’s important to stay ahead of the trends and to identify innovative ways to improve your sales funnels.
A Willingness to Take Risks With Typography
While some companies play it safe by avoiding risks and sticking with what already works, other, more innovative, businesses experiment with different types of site typography. They see the value of showcasing a personality through their websites.
Modern brands love to highlight what makes them unique, and typography is an incredibly effective way to accomplish that. No other design element captures a brand’s personality quite as typography does.
Need a Site Refresh? Call Globalgraphics on 416 256 7800.
2019 was an interesting year for web design, but 2020 is already shaping up to be a year of big changes in the industry.
Are you thinking about implementing any of these trends on your new company website for 2020?
Globalgraphics is a leading and established web design company that can help you get more value out of your website. Please contact us today if you’re interested in improving your website for the coming year.
