The year 2017 had serious designers all over the world distancing themselves from the stink of what they believe to be ‘mainstream web design trends’. There was a growth of interest and innovative applications around micro-interactions, web animations, conversational interfaces and custom illustrations. It is safe to say that the design aspect of the digital sector will witness a growth in all of these trends and more in the year 2018.
Here are some of the hot design trends to stay on top of this year to peak your online presence:
1. Mobile First
In 2017, mobile searches and browsing have officially surpassed desktop. If your website is not mobile friendly, you are at the risk of losing out most if not all of your audience. Businesses that understand this major shift are ditching large and beautiful photography for simpler mobile icons that are easy to recognise and consume less space. You can expect mobile designs to mature further in 2018 and micro-interactions will be increasingly used to identify and fix UX issues.
2. Asymmetric And Broken Grid Layout
While the grid has maintained the logic and harmony of the layouts, they have also, over the years, become a design constraint. In the quest for more unique and creative branding, several designers introduced the world to asymmetrical and broken layouts that grab the eyeballs. We can expect this free-form trend to stay strong in 2018 and deliver more out-of-the-box web designs.
3. Engaging And Meaningful Photography
The top brands and businesses are slowly ditching the corporate stock photos and instead choosing to go with bright and minimalist photos that are attractive and invoke emotions that connect to their brand identity. Minimalist photography is slowly becoming synonymous with an elite branding identity.
4. Illustrations Will Take The Center Stage
This year, we can expect product UI shots and editorial photography to take the backstage while illustrations capture the spotlight. It is not very clear why illustrations are suddenly more popular but it certainly helps to break out of the representational constraints of stock photography. Illustrations offer an unlimited reserve possibilities with its ability to bring concepts to vivid life and convey larger than life messages.
5. Bright, Vibrant And Saturated Colour Schemes
So far, web designers have been limiting their work to traditionally known web-safe colours. But things are changing slowly and definitely and we can expect to see more web applications with vibrant and supersaturated colours and experimental hues.
6. Bold And Minimalist Typography
Typography with personality is a powerful tool for grabbing eyeballs. Contrasting and oversized typefaces are expected to lead the trend of custom typography. They not only grab the attention of the audience and emphasise the importance of the message, but also contribute to the overall aesthetics of the design. Most OSs and browsers these days support handmade typefaces that are enabled by CSS, meaning the reduced file size will also improve the overall web performance!
7. Brief And Interactive Content
In a modern world where everyone is struggling to find time for themselves, the only way to get your content read is by making it highly engaging and interactive. By speaking directly to your audience, you are building a connection and if used smartly, you can nurture this relationship and increase your brand loyalty. Even better if the content can be a direct conversation about your customer’s personality and skills. For example, an interactive quiz with a brand assigned to each personality or a promoting product as ‘appropriate’ for an individual with specific skills and choices.
Quick Takeaway
This year, web design is going to be a bright, bold and vibrant affair with free-form layouts and variable fonts breaking most if not all the design constraints we have been limiting ourselves to. We are going to see less of stock images and more efficient use of minimalist photography and custom illustrations.
As a new year is all about new beginnings, why not kick start the new year with an exciting new look and feel for your website? Or perhaps a mobile platform that can elevate your online presence? The beginning of the new year, as you know, is a great time to start new ventures, push sales and improve branding strategies. QatarCarmatec can help achieve all of this and more with our full range of web and mobile application services.
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