Every year the technology we use to browse the web evolves, and web developers are forced to come up with new solutions to accommodate their users’ experiences. Some technologies sputter out (Flash anyone?) and others emerge from obscurity to take their place. Functionality that was once a perk becomes a staple (mobile friendly, for instance). Modern, cutting edge trends become archaic and cliche.
It has never been harder to keep up with the white knuckled pace of technology, but it has also never been more important. FirmsBusinesses that neglect updating their websites run the risk of coming across as outdated and corroding clientcustomer trust. 2018 is gearing up to be transformative, even by web design standards, and keeping pace is crucial. This is why we have compiled a list of 5 web design trends to consider for any site redesign in 2018.
-
The Desktop Hamburger Menu
The Hamburger Menu was originally designed to hide cumbersome menus from mobile users. However, over the last few years users have familiarized themselves with, and even come to expect them. This means that they can be, and frequently are, used to save space on desktop interfaces. This trend has made navigation an increasingly personalizable experience, where a few years ago the top menu bar format was rarely questioned. Experimental, dynamic hamburger menus are currently an indicator of a progressive, cutting edge company. By the end of 2018, the classic menu bar may be an indicator of an outdated one.
http://www.buildinamsterdam.com/cases/
-
The End of Stock Photos
Throughout the last few years, increased network bandwidth allowed large high definition photos to dominate home pages as a way of capturing users’ attention. However, these have become less and less effective, as users are becoming somewhat desensitized to them. This has led designers to branch out to a variety of new methods for getting their message across; which brings us to our next three trends:
-
Video Hero Banners
This trend has been gaining momentum over the last few years but shows no sign of abating. While these would have been unreliable at best a few years ago, they are becoming a staple in web design. Not only do they have the advantage of being eye catching, but they can portray complex messages that would be difficult to express using photos.
http://alenerutenberg.com/
-
Cinemagraphs and SVG Animation
Another example of motion graphics making their way into web design is navigation animation. While animation in web design used to be limited to hover effects, it has started to emerge into transitions, scrolling effects, and pop ups in increasingly colorful ways. This is partly due to the normalization of SVG, which allows developers to animate the shapes on the page in a way that would have been impossible a few years ago.
Similarly, GIFs add motion to your website, and can now be read by almost any device, browser, email or messaging software. This has begun to erode the idea of static web pages and brought them to life as moving, dynamic interfaces.
http://cuberto.com/
-
Vibrant Colors & Bold Fonts
Users are spending less time on websites, and our attention spans get shorter every year (https://hostingfacts.com/internet-facts-stats-2016/). This has led to a trend of bold, dramatic, tailored typography and vibrant color schemes that deliver the message quickly and effectively.
http://infense.nl/commonsense
All these trends together signify an exciting new time; where colorful, personalized and animated websites are replacing yesterday’s subdued, generic, and static ones. The question is; is your website ready for 2018?
Contact Saturno to learn more about our design process and software: info@saturnodesign.com 503-836-5194