Just as cars, architecture, and fashion all have to change with the times, so does web design, which is why, if you were to look at websites created in 2003 and compare those created in 2023, you would see many differences. Some of those differences result from improved technology, some result from what it takes to get ranked highly changing, and most of all, the differences are due to inevitable changes in web design trends over the years.
To a great extent, the trends we are referring to will derive from how web designers now envisage how a website should appear. However, there will be other reasons. We have already mentioned technology and Google rankings, but in addition, mobile device use has had a big impact on web design, as does users’ expectations of what they expect to see and find when they land on a website today.
Some trend changes are minuscule and often barely noticed as they occur within the website’s coding, and others are wholesale, where they change entirely how websites are designed. There will also be differences in the importance these trends have to website performance. To give you an insight into what web design trends are currently to the fore in 2023, here are 15 that many top web designers are now including in their website creations.
Simplicity: A mantra in many activities, the acronym KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) applies more than ever to 2023 web designs. Today’s users have less patience than ever, so complex designs with unclear navigation, busy graphics, or too many pop-ups are a turnoff that risks users clicking away immediately.
Full Page Headers: This is a modern web design element that continues to be used by many top web designers. They provide a sophisticated appearance and offer the opportunity to include important text messaging, calls to action, and stunning images. As this is often the first thing that those landing on a website will see, they can have a hugely positive impact.
Bold Colours: Just as tastes in colour vary each year in fashion, the same applies to the world of web design. In 2023, the move is toward bold, bright colours. These will help differentiate your website from your competition and make it more memorable for those who visit it.
Magenta: Not much to say about this other than the fact that magenta would seem to be the in-vogue colour in 2023 amongst top website designers, and that is why you can expect to see it in many new website creations.
Illustrations: Everyone is used to seeing photo images on websites and other graphics too, but in 2023 you can expect to see another form of graphics more often: illustrations. Illustrations allow your website to provide a unique experience when users land on it, and they can be as simple or as detailed as necessary to create the most appropriate imagery.
Moving Text: One of the newer developments in 2023’s web design is moving text. This can take the form of animated or floating letters on-screen and is certainly going to make your website stand out from the crowd, thus giving users a reason to remain there. One caveat is not to overuse this.
Gifs: GIFs are images that come to life and are often described as 5-second movies. Often seen on social media sites like Twitter, they are becoming increasingly popular in web design. The benefit to the website is its uniqueness and users appreciating the improved experience GIFs provide.
Parallax Scrolling: Parallax scrolling is another recent web design development that top designers use increasingly when creating websites. There are different versions of parallax scrolling, with one of the more popular being the ability to scroll and see a far larger section of the web page being exposed each time. Another is where the scrolling action activates a video, animations, or images.
White Space: White space might be regarded as ‘doing nothing’, but it can have a hugely positive impact on a website’s design and subsequent performance. White or empty space (the space can be any colour, not just white), helps to break up content, makes a website seem less cluttered, and means fewer distractions for visitors.
Unique Cursors: Increasingly, there are what were previously mundane elements on the screen now being used to enhance the experience of visitors to websites. One that some of the more dynamic web designers are using in 2023 is unique cursors. Some are animated, change colour, change shape, or even display an array of images as the cursor is moved around the web page.
Grid Layouts: Grid layout is a web design technique many modern website designers incorporate into their creations. They are especially popular with users as they provide a simple and easy-to-follow layout on-screen which is aesthetically clean and organised, even if the website design is responsive.
3D Elements: In an age where we have 3D printers creating all kinds of products, it should be no surprise to discover that 3D graphics influence modern website designs in 2023. 3D design elements can give greater depth to the appearance of web pages plus enable products to be explored in far greater detail.
Voice Search Optimisation: With voice technology advancing and the popularity of voice-activated products such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, it means Google now has a far greater focus on voice searches. As such, web designs should be optimised by including language within content that aligns with what users will say orally when using voice search.
Bold Fonts: Some underestimate the importance of the fonts used within a website’s design. However, it does impact its performance more than you might think. So, you must consider what fonts you use on your website and in 2023, the inclination should be towards strong, bold fonts which stand out and are easier to read.
Engaging Interactions: An aspect of web design development that has done much to transform how visitors positively experience websites is interactivity, which continues to be extremely popular with web designers. In 2023, interactivity now needs to be more engaging than ever so that visitors are immersed in the content that a website has.
