2018 is here and the digital world continues to evolve at a dizzying pace. Keeping your website design fresh and up-to-date can seem tedious but doing so will give you the advantage of getting seen. Customers want more than easy navigation through your site. They look for a design that is easy to read and use on their mobile device, useful information, and ways to easily share their experience with your brand. Here are six other website design trends that you’ll be seeing in 2018.

Dynamic Design

More than ever, designing a website depends on your unique business needs of the moment. Content management systems like WordPress are catching on quick, giving designers easy access to custom layout options. Choosing the right layout for your business’ website will allow you to be creative about marketing your brand.

As with any custom design, the key will be to keep those pages easy to understand and use. Showcase what your business does best with straightforward navigation options and a custom layout that highlights your company’s best attributes.

Mobile Design

As an increasing number of users access the Internet on a widening array of smart devices, mobile design is becoming more important. While elaborate custom graphics still have a place in some layouts, mobile devices tend to favor simpler, “flat” layouts.

In many ways, the rise of the mobile device is bringing back old-style design choices as a new norm. Creating a mobile design affects not only potential customers who visit your site but also the frequency that Google finds your page in search. Google asserts that they want to provide the best experience for each user. Therefore, pages that are mobile friendly are shown more frequently in search results.

Embedded Elements

If you have a physical location, why not include an embedded map? If you have a relevant video, include it along with text. Website design trends for 2018 keep potential customers on your site instead of having to look elsewhere for information.

Utilize useful elements, like Google maps, in ways that make it so that people don’t have to click their way off your page. Keep them interested and engaged with the pertinent information they need all in one place. The more time a client spends on your site, the more likely they are to remember your brand, company culture, and the services you provide.

Increased Bandwidth

Technology continues to race ahead in terms of the number of devices and users a website can support with broadband service. Now more than ever before, users expect lightning-fast speeds together with an attractive and usable interface. To keep up, you need sufficient bandwidth and a website designed to display large multimedia items.

If website visitors must wait even a few seconds for your page to load, there’s a good chance those potential clients will simply move on and look elsewhere. Increasing your bandwidth will allow your site to have a greater dynamic appeal through videos, images, and live or streaming content. Give your customers the experience they crave in a fast and easy to use website design.

Ever Evolving Fonts

As displays continue to evolve, so do online fonts. Depending on the style of your site and the nature of your audience, fonts should include everything from a basic and crisp look to something more creative and unique to your page. To keep up with the times, savvy designers will choose fonts carefully depending on device type, the nature of a particular page, and the type of audience your business appeals to.

While consistency is paramount, it is also important to highlight the best your business has to offer. By increasing the size and selecting different fonts for specific elements of your page, customers will be able to see what makes your business stand apart from the rest.  Expect to see bolder typography and more use of serif typography as a design trend in 2018.

Gradients are Making a Comeback

Gradients are coming back, but they won’t be as subtle as they once were.  Expect to see brighter, colorful websites using bold gradients, especially where there is need for an image and none are available. This year will see much experimentation with color.
Are you looking to revamp your online presence for 2018? For more information about the latest trends and how to stay ahead of them, contact us today!