Web Design Trends for 2017

March 22, 2017 Design

The online world is a constantly evolving space, with new technologies and platforms constantly appearing. With all these changes occurring it is easy to get left behind, especially in the web design space. Even a single google algorithm change could quickly make your website obsolete. To ensure your website design is kept up to date, here are 6 web design trends to look out for in 2017

Cinemagraphs
Cinemagraphs are high-quality GIFs or videos that display a sequence on an infinite loop. They are becoming increasingly popular because they are effective at capturing a website visitor’s attention, and in turn increasing the likelihood they will convert to a lead or paying customer.

They are effective because the novelty of moving images is visually appealing in comparison to regular static websites. Their ability to gain and hold website visitors attention makes cinemagraphs a web design trend that will grow in 2017.

Responsive Design
Although it isn’t a new trend, the increasing variety of portable devices and their different screen sizes has made responsive design a higher priority for web designers. Google’s ranking algorithm change, which ranks mobile friendly websites higher in the search engines, has also been a key factor for this trend.

So you can expect to see an uptick in the number of brands implementing responsive designs that provide a unified browsing experience across different devices.

Colours
The colour scheme of your website is important because it can influence the thoughts and emotions of website visitors and in turn the conversion rate of your website. To get an idea of what colour trends will be popular in 2017, Pantone publishes an influential list of colour combinations annually. This year, Pantone’s colour of the year is “Greenery”.

The popularity of Google’s Material Design means that the colour combinations used within these design guidelines will likely influence colour trends in 2017. Duotone images are another colour trend to look out for in 2017. Popularised by Spotify, these images use only two colours to create a vibrant and striking effect.

Unique Illustrations and Custom Graphics
Unique illustrations are an interesting way to communicate your brand message, improve its recognition and display its personality. Given the increasing competition for brands, a strong visual identity that uses custom illustrations will help a brand stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Big and Bold Typography
As the display resolution of website visitor’s devices becomes sharper and typefaces become easier to read, web designers will be able to experiment with their designs on typography. Expect typography to be big and bold this year, placed against a clean and minimal backdrop.

Authentic and Original Photography
People want authenticity from brands in order to trust and do business with them. Using photography that is original, candid and relatable helps to attract and engage your website visitors because it represents real life.

By contrast, the polished and posed look of stock photography appears artificial and lowers trust in your brand. In fact, research has shown that stock photos are completely ignored. This is why using original photography that authentically represents a brand is a web design trend that will continue to rise in 2017.

Keeping up with the latest web design trends is a constant process, but the items listed above will help you stay current in 2017. If you need help with implementing the latest web design trends for your website, contact us today.