Web design is much like human maturity. It changes every year into something better and completely unprecedented. You think you know something, and voila! There comes a whole new perspective on how things are done. While there can be no predictions for what tomorrow holds for your emotions, web design is quite trackable in its growth.
So, what’s so modern about web design? You see, the importance of UX has evolved over the years to be extremely audience-centric. It is leaning towards catering to a wide range of audience, irrelevant of the browser or device.
Like any other tech piece, there are some elements involved, which, when used wisely, can put you as the frontline runner in your industry. Some features narrate a storyline, and others help the audience focus on that story.
Now, there can be one too many elements to consider at a time, and it can get a little overwhelming when all of them seem equally great. So, I have come up with 5 of them that are topping all charts around the world.
Let’s see how they change your website for good.
1. Background Videos
It is the time and era of motion pictures. A video not only lures in the audience but also creates an interactive environment immediately. The same concept applies to websites too. When the first thing your visitors see is background videos, it sets the pace for what can be expected on your real estate.
They add the relevant content without taking too much space, giving out all the necessary information in a time-bound format. You can either choose to make it play right away or give an option with a smartly placed play button. Either way, you’ll experience massive click-through rates.
Plus, a survey revealed that 78% of users got better traffic on their website after displaying videos, so you have the numbers to back you up as well.
2. Minimal Design
Have you heard the phrase – “Less is more.”? The ones who have a strong idea to put forward don’t let it get lost in a sea of other conversations. And this forms the foundation of minimalism. As a design concept, it focuses on one thing at a time that shall be the value proposition for your space. It can be everything from a product to a series of images.
A great way to understand minimalism is to look at the websites that are already acing it. Here are a few –
1. Nuvo: As a magazine based out of Canada, a plethora of content needs to be pushed forward. But, Nuvo plays it right by creating enough white space between two articles to be able to deliberate on only one at a time. The asymmetrically large images and subtle typography also help.
2. DAUM&CO: On the other end of the spectrum is a consultancy firm in Australia that uses a dark background and contrasting font to put its point forward. There are no distracting images on the site, just plain, simple text in brilliantly managed sizes. (And you thought white space could only be white.)
3. Hotel Palette: Visual elements are put in line with the centric content to create an aesthetic that shall leave you envious. But, it would be criminal to expect anything less from a creative consultancy exploring hospitality.
3. Cohesive Colour Palette
I don’t need to convey that the colour scheme is of paramount importance. It brings all the different components together by creating a layered effect. The stronger the colour is, the better it is for contrast.
However, it would be prudent not to go rainbow-crazy here. Working with a small set of brand colour will help establish familiarity and accentuate recall along with recognition. If secondary colours are on the table as well, you can experiment on your landing pages, websites, home page and blogs to see which one performs the best. A/B testing is your best friend here.
You can select the emotions your brand represents go those as a theme. Cool & Fresh, Natural & Earthy, Colourful & Balanced are some of the variants that can set as a foundation.
Let’s take Apple, for example. The base colours on the website are black and white. All the text and the elements are based on this scheme. Nevertheless, a certain pop of colour is put in place with the eccentric devices and their audacious hues. This breaks the monotony while steering the eye to what really matters – the products.
4. Big and Bold Typography
When it comes to brand recall, the one thing that pays off is being unique. This doesn’t just apply to your products and marketing collaterals, but also everything you do on the digital front. A particular font, edited and customized to the brand’s sensibilities, helps customers identify you in a crowd.
In the past decade, developers have come up with a range of typography options that make representation and projection much simpler. For instance, Comic Sans is usually related to something fun and casual, so any variant based on the font shall deliver the same emotion. Arial and Times New Roman are for the informational and serious ones, giving a strong and trustworthy stance.
No matter which web design agency in London you go for, remember to consider cross-compatibility with all devices. Going overboard would mean irregular loading and lost leads.
5. White Space
If there is one thing that cannot be overstated in a modern web design, it is the use of white space. Contrary to what the term sounds like, white space is not wasting your precious digital real estate but utilizing it smartly to draw focus and lead the visitor towards timely conversions.
Giving out too much info at once and cluttering the website with images, texts and animations can make it unappealing and lend a seriously low loading speed. The visitors might even skim through your content, missing out on the essential parts.
White space gives your content the breather it needs to stand out from the crowd. By minimizing distractions and setting a clear path of the eye, it builds on the relevant information and delivers it seamlessly.
Conclusion
The new age website goes past alluring the readers or visitors with fancy words and striking animations. It is all about holding user attention by playing your UI and CX right.
When approaching the design, think of it as a narrative you’re telling around your brand. All the elements should lead towards the ending you desire, holding the visitor’s hand all across the digital space.
