Here at Diligence we love to hear about the latest news and trends, ensuring we stay as ahead of the game as possible. We have put together a list of 10 of the most upcoming design trends to watch out for in 2018.
Our Top 10 Web Design Trends for 2018
- BESPOKE ILLUSTRATIONS PICTURES AND GRAPHICS
Bespoke illustrations and graphics are on the rise and so is the need for unique illustrations and graphics produced by design companies taking away from the normal images you are used to seeing online. They can grab your audience’s attention, trigger emotion and compel a user to act. However, with any eCommerce website those ‘normal’ photos are highly encouraged as well. Hand-made sketch art is becoming very popular making any website even more unique to its brand and attractive to the eye.
- FULL SCREEN VIDEO
This new way of capturing your users by using videos to show more than photos ever could in terms of the way your business works and the services you provide has been growing and growing. The need for full screen videos have increased over the last year and we predict in 2018 there will be a great increase in companies requesting this for their websites. If the videos are well constructed and of a great quality, then the sky is the limit.
- GAMES
Did you know you could have a game on your website without distracting from your content? In fact, games can add to your content! Games, or ‘Gamification’ is something which can significantly change the way you interact with your customers through your website. They can be a way of introducing new products, create competitions for promotion of your services or just a way to pull in visitors who like to share games online. Social media sharing for games has become more and more popular allowing you to reach a wider audience and encourage visitors who may not usually go in search of your website. We predict a surge in 2018 of more games being added to websites to capture your audience in a positive and fun way.
- SPLASH OF BOLD COLOUR
Flat, boring, ‘web safe’ colours are on the out and bold, bright colours are in! More and more websites are opting for bright colours to help capture and excite their audience. Colours can trigger emotion and excitement for brands and products. We predict a surge in the use of these bright colours and coming away from the safe options we have been used to seeing for years online.
- PATTERNS AND LINES
Flat websites although still dominant, are losing their appeal, instead designers are turning to patterned and fun website designs which move with the page to excite the user and give a more in-depth experience to your website. We saw a rise from 2016 in using more impressive patterns and shapes instead of the usual squares and boxes we were used to seeing. This trend is still on the rise allowing design companies to be more experimental with the way your website looks and feels with a greater response from the user.
- MOBILE DESIGN COMES FIRST
Responsive conversions of websites saw a massive increase throughout 2016 and there’s no signs of it stopping. More and more we are seeing users going to their mobiles first to look at websites even from their living rooms which makes it less surprising to find that mobiles have become the primary device for most users. Seeing the increase in device screen sizes it’s easy to see why. A prediction for 2018 is that this is going to rise even more and expecting design agencies to look at mobile design before they consider the desktop designs to help capture that all-important audience.
- BOLD AND EXPRESSIVE TYPOGRAPHY
Typography is something which used to be overlooked when it came to web design, however due to more and more research into the effects of different typography it is becoming more thought about during any design process. From fonts which help with dyslexia to some simply used to engage an audience and trigger emotion. We predict a surge in web designers taking more notice in typography ensuring it captures all audiences whatever the circumstance.
- AUTHENTIC PRODUCT PHOTOS
We are used to seeing more and more photos for product descriptions, now it’s time to focus on the quality rather than quantity of those photos. A good photo can grab the attention of a potential customer quickly without the need to scroll through dozens of different views in different scenarios. Authenticity though is key for maximum impact to engage with your audience. Stock photo’s or manufacturers product photos that are commonly seen on the web really don’t help you to stand out from the crowd.
- ANIMATED LOGOS AND SCROLL-TRIGGERED ANIMATION
What goes out of fashion at some point comes back into fashion (well hopefully not ‘Shell Suits’), are you old enough to remember when animated logo’s where all the rage? They were difficult to create, where bulky in size and were very distracting, so people fell out of love with them. However technology and web browsers have come along way since those early animations and we are asking you to once again feel the love for animation on websites. As more and more brands compete online, used sensibly and subtly they can really enhance a user experience, especially when viewing websites mobile devices.
- USE OF NEGATIVE SPACE
It's all about conversion right? Your website is all about converting that lead or generating that next online sale. So why would you clutter up your web pages with distracting content? Negative or white space is not a new concept and the less is more approach helps with fast page load speeds and to draw attention to the key elements on a page, such as the 'buy' button. The use of simple animation in a sea of white space and really make a button or conversion point 'clickable'. Take a look at your conversion rates and then at your design on that page. Is it focused on the conversion or cluttered with messages about your business or other services? Embrace negative space - it might just have a big impact on your bottom line.
Are you ready for 2018?
Many of the web design trends in 2017 will continue into 2018, such as flat design still being on trend, however the use of gradients will play more of an influence. As UX establishes itself as the norm to layout, (after all it’s all about customer journey and not personal preference) web designers are looking at ways to express themselves and become creative within the confines of mobile layouts to grab attention and visually engage with their audience. Authenticity really is key in 2018 to establish your brand online. Investing in custom illustrations and photography that is unique to you will set your business apart from the rest of the crowd.
