Website Design Trends: What’s Current & What’s Next

It’s always important to stay on top of website design trends. That’s how you ensure a quality and memorable user experience on your site. Take trends seriously, and you are also able to stay competitive in the ever-shifting digital landscape.

That’s why we created our latest post. Today, we are looking at two kinds of website design trends: the ones that are current, and the ones to prepare for. Keep these in mind as you are looking to optimize your website. Let’s check them out below.

Website Design Trends: What’s Current

1) Dark Mode

Many people prefer to browse the web while using dark mode. This reduces eye strain and can also enhance the look of a website. Designers have taken this to heart. In fact, 92 percent of people use dark mode on at least one app. Compare this to the past, when dark mode was still relatively unheard of. 

There are many ways to respond to this preference. The quickest one is to simply put a “dark mode option” on your website where it’s easily found. Your website visitors will be thankful for this option, even if they don’t use it.

2) Minimalistic Design

No surprise here. Minimalism is still popular when it comes to web design, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. In practice, this means clean layouts, ample whitespace, and crisp typography. All these elements combine to create an appealing elegance and simplicity.

If you want a useful primer on minimalist design, check out our ultimate guide to web design. It’s tempting to think that you need to jam a bunch of information onto a web page for it to be useful. But that’s not true. Most people will prefer a website experience that is clean and clear, and a minimalistic design is how you make it happen.

3) Voice User Interface (VUI)

VUI allows users to navigate websites hands-free with voice commands. This has been gaining momentum the last few years, and will only continue throughout 2024. The way people interact with online content has changed, and voice is a big part of that. As for how you adapt your website to this trend?

If your website has a ton of information (like a popular blog, for example), consider implementing a search bar with VUI functionality. This makes it much easier for people to search for the exact information that they are looking for.

4) Immersive Experiences

As AR and VR have become more accessible, a whole new world of interactive content has been unlocked. For example, just look at clothing brands. Many of them now allow you to try on their items virtually using special AR technology. 

Like many trends, it’s important to approach it with a thoughtful mind. Just because AR and VR are getting more popular, doesn’t mean everybody is completely adopting the technologies. Just look at Apple’s Vision Pro. While a great piece of wearable technology, many people have responded poorly to it. Likewise, if your organization or company doesn’t stand to benefit from immersive experiences, no need to offer it to your audience!

5) Sustainability

While not a website design trend itself, this last point is still essential. More people are prioritizing doing business with organizations that take sustainability seriously. In fact, “Gen Z” will gladly spend more money on a product if it aligns with their values. The main takeaway here? Many of your customers care about causes like sustainability, and you win business by caring about it too.

That’s why you need to showcase any efforts your organization makes to be sustainable. This can be as simple as citing a few key statistics. Fail here and you risk alienating a certain portion of your audience. Even if you don’t, they will be more willing to go to a competing organization if they feel that business is more in line with their own values. 

Website Design Trends: What’s Next

Now that we’ve seen the website trends that are currently popular, let’s check out what’s coming next. Prepare for the trends of the future and you set yourself up for success with your website. 

Remember – you don’t have to act on all of these. Pick just one or two to keep top of mind and you’re already on the road to more engaging website design. 

1) Data Storytelling

We have covered the power of storytelling at various times throughout our blog. And for good reason: stories are what get people interested. Not only in your organization and everything you do, but what you have to offer them, as well. All things considered, websites are becoming storytelling platforms…but where does the “data” part come in?

Data storytelling can be considered anything that breaks down complex information into a more digestible story. Think about all the relevant metrics and statistics that would be important to a business. Put it into a story, and it’s instantly more accessible and compelling. Consider any statistics that your audience might find engaging, and then get to work telling it through a story on your website. This will get people more interested in your organization as a whole. 

2) Advanced Accessibility

You need to make sure that your website is usable by everyone, regardless of disabilities. This expands your reach and creates goodwill amongst your audience. Of course, while this sounds good, it can be difficult to know the specific action steps you might take. Here are just a few things you might consider doing:

• Subtitles for video content
• Transcripts for any audio on your website
• Adjustable font size 
• Color contrast for better visibility
• Mobile responsiveness

These are all things that make the content on your website more accessible. Consider acting on any one of them to keep up with this website design trend. 

3) Personalization

Dynamic content (or content that changes based on who is viewing it) has always been effective. Just think about it. Adapt content based on the person, and you have created a hyper-personalized experience. This is the pinnacle of getting people interested in what you have to say, and can skyrocket your overall levels of engagement.

Still, many organizations have not fully capitalized on dynamic content and the personalization that it creates . And even if they have, it has only been in emails. If you want to personalize your web design… where do you even start? Check out Semrush’s roundup of dynamic content for some inspiration.

4) Geometric Shapes And Patterns

Our last emerging website trend is all about visual appeal. Just like a more minimalist design, geometric shapes and patterns can improve user experience on your website. Not only is it a more compelling experience overall, but it can also create a sense of order and hierarchy.

Check out this article for more information. You might be surprised how simple it is to make your website look better with a few geometric shapes!

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!