The only constant element in web design trends is change – this is what any web design company will tell you. Every year, there are new hot features, new best practices in UX and UI, and new recommendations for page layout and website navigation. But what prompts these changes in web design styles and functionality?

As experts in the newest web trends in Phoenix, AZ, we know the three leading factors:

  • The quick change in technology – smartphones become more powerful and have increasingly larger screens
  • The pressure from competitors – every business is looking for ways to attract more customers to their website
  • The evolution of users’ preferences – people’s interests and needs change and so does the way they want to interact with websites.

For 2021, several trends in website design stand out as the most likely to become staples in the list of best practices for the foreseeable future. Here they are.

New Innovative Website Design – Dark Mode

The dark mode trend originated in mobile user interface design. Instead of the well-known white background, mobile operating systems and app designers chose black. Soon, it became clear that this is an excellent choice for:

  • Making photos, graphics, and other elements stand out
  • Optimizing battery use
  • Reducing glare and eye fatigue.

This is how dark mode made the transition to the latest website trends. The most popular social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter, offered their user the option to switch to dark mode months ago. Apart from the benefits listed above, dark mode looks sophisticated and futuristic, in line with the values of top brands. Thus, we expect to see dark mode becoming the norm for modern-looking websites.

3D Elements

3D elements, such as navigation arrows, and call-to-action (CTA) buttons make website visitors feel like they are pushing on a physical object when they click on them. This is one of the web design trends influenced by the evolution of virtual and augmented reality technologies.

Users are now familiar with interacting with three-dimensional objects, giving them a sense of control over what they are doing in the cyber environment. They will soon expect this type of realistic interaction with every digital property they use, including websites.

Mixing Photography with Graphics

Graphics and photography keep the user visually engaged with the web page. So, if they are good as separate page elements, the result of combining them can be only better. In fact, mixing photography with graphics is one of the latest web design trends we already see on many pages. 

Brands have discovered the power of enhancing their visual identity and promoting their values in a playful manner. This is even more visible among B2C brands and the general trend is to present a friendly image, which incorporates elements of gamification in customer acquisition and shopping.

Unusual Color Combinations

For years, our specialists in web design styles in Phoenix, AZ have worked with clients to create color palettes containing complementary colors that match the brand identity and offer an eye-strain-free browsing experience for the user.

Now, we see requests for unusual color combinations, which create powerful contrast and draw the visitor’s attention. Neon colors are in great demand, as well as color gradient backgrounds. Among this category of contemporary website design trends, we also add web pages that change colors when the user interacts with them by clicking on a button or anchor text.

Accessibility and Usability

The latest trends in web designing want to democratize the internet. Everyone should be able to access websites, including persons with visual, auditory, motion, or cognitive disabilities. Thus, a modern web page should incorporate accessibility features, such as:

  • Subtitles 
  • Transcripts
  • Ability to increase font size
  • Text-to-speech function
  • Voice commands for website navigation.

At the same time, a website should be organized in a way that allows anyone, even people with no internet browsing experience, to interact with each page and find the information they need. This is one of the ongoing web design trends and includes elements such as a simple menu structure, breadcrumbs, and a site map.

Smart Content Loading

Page loading speed is one of the critical factors in contemporary websites. It is one of the factors Google uses in its ranking algorithm. For the users, it is of paramount importance. Statistics show that the probability of bounce (a visitor leaving your website) increases by 32% if the page loading time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds. In other words, in 2 seconds, you lose one-third of website visitors and potential customers.

One way specialists in web trends in Phoenix, AZ, can make your website load faster is by implementing the WordPress lazy load system. How does it work? You see it on social media pages, where the page is filled with content as you are scrolling down. Instead of loading all the page elements at once, which slows down the speed, the website loads only the elements visible on the screen. As the visitor decides to scroll down, the other elements load in progression.

Conclusion

Web design trends are always changing and you need to refresh the look of your website from time to time to keep it relevant and functional. Our web design specialists at Phoenix Web Design Studio are always up to date with the most recent best practices for a modern web page layout and functionality.

We offer our web design services to clients in Phoenix, AZ, and nearby locations. Discover our extensive portfolio and contact us for a free 30-minute consultation: 928-300-9147!