In the digital era, the online world is saturated with websites, some good and some bad. Having a modern, user-friendly, and intuitive website can help your business look more professional, secure more sales, boost your branding, and set you apart from the competition. A poorly designed website has the opposite effect – it can tarnish your brand image and turn away potential customers.
All good websites are designed with their target audience in mind, choosing colours and images that resonate. However, when looking at the best websites of 2021, several common design trends are emerging. These trends are constantly evolving, and combining these with a style that connects with your customers is crucial for a great website.
Here is a look at the latest web design trends that you simply can’t miss, offering you some useful design inspiration to kick your project off:
Embedded videos on the homepage
The homepage of your website is arguably the most important. It is the first impression your visitors get of your brand and needs to be as engaging as possible. One way that web designers are captivating their audience in 2021 is by embedding videos on their homepage that takes the user through a story. Moving clips immediately grab attention and enables businesses to “speak” more without cluttering the page with lots of text. It is a simple and clear way to get a message across, and a web design trend we hope sticks.
Minimalistic design
If a moving homepage isn’t for you, try opting for a minimalistic design instead. Including large areas of white space and few pieces of text provides a great user experience – there is nothing to distract a visitor from finding what they are after. In 2021, sites are taking it one step further and condensing their menus into hamburger menus originally reserved for mobile devices. Minimalistic websites also look aesthetically pleasing and are a design trend that isn’t likely to go out of style.
Option for “dark mode”
Many modern sites are available in two different modes – their original state and “dark mode”. In dark mode, the original design is kept consistent but the colours are inverted for a low-contrast design. This creates a sleek and contemporary look that immediately brings websites into the modern-day. Visitors love having a choice and can put less strain on their eyes when visiting the website in low light conditions. In terms of web design, the inverted colour combinations can also offer new ways to highlight key elements.
Detailed footer sections
Website footers are largely an afterthought in web design, with most people more concerned about the section above the fold. However, this area of the site shouldn’t be overlooked. In 2021, one design trend that is emerging is the use of detailed footer sections. These provide more than simply contact details and social links – businesses are now adding additional elements, such as newsletter signups, images or logos, and CTA buttons. This gives the footer more purpose on your site, encourages people to interact, and is a great place to keep links and information to avoid clutter elsewhere.
