There are trends that web designers themselves found to be very helpful, but, of course, they are also on the lookout for more thrilling trends for 2016. Whether we will see these trends in 2016 is not yet known. In the meantime, as we leave 2015 behind and move closer to another year, we might as well look back into the web design trends that make the industry as exciting as ever.
1) Mobile focus
Apparently, this year is all about mobile-friendliness. And why not? Google required that all websites must be mobile-friendly by April. Even without mandating it, the number of mobile users is growing by the day. In fact, some people are using a minimum of 2 to 3 mobile devices cause you never know when any of such devices will be handy. Not to mention, what you can do on a laptop computer, you can now do on a mobile device.
So, if your website is not yet mobile-friendly, then you are lagging behind the industry. Did you know that 67% of the consumers would purchase on a mobile-friendly site than on a non-mobile-friendly website? When it comes to mobile usage, there are 90% of people who uses multiple device screens subsequently.
2) Interactive scrolling
We’ve also seen web designs that consider having fun and interdependent features. One of these features that users can’t get enough of is parallax scrolling. It is originally a 2D video game technique that shows the depths of movements of the background images to emphasize the foreground images. Visually appealing as it is, it engages users through the use of layers of images for creating a 3D effect.
Parallax design allows developers to show a particular product or trails of products in 3D, which captures every single detail of the product. It is done meticulously by following a well-thought-out and carefully charted process. With this kind of technique, it automatically catches the eye of a website visitor that will most likely lead them and engage in a call to action on your website.
3) Flat design
Minimalist web design still works in 2015. Flat design, or the interface design without any stylistic elements such as the use of drop shadows, gradients or any other textures, is one of the lingering trends. The design focuses merely on simple elements, typographies, and flat colors, leading to a clean, polished look website that works seamlessly with responsive designs. The best part is it loads faster than websites with 3D effects, and it can be resized easily without compromising its high-definition screens.
On the other hand, a survey of web designers reveals that 68% of them believes that flat design is here to stay so we can expect more of such in the coming year. Only 9% said that flat design is only a fad that will pass anytime soon.
4) Single page
From the name itself, a single page website displays all the elements and contents in just one page. It is composed of a condensed and scannable content with all the necessary information on the same page, which can easily be navigated by the users. We’ve seen several websites embraced such a trend especially those sites that prioritize storytelling through visuals. Some websites use one-pages for product promotions, portfolios, brief announcements, etc. because they do not have much content.
What drives the brands and thus, the web developers to implement a single page website is the short attention span of the users. An adult user has an attention span of 8 seconds, and if you fail to capture his or her attention within that period, that’s an opportunity you lost to your competitor. Concise and objective contents yield better usability by up to 124%.
Evidently, the emphasis of these trends has a clean and straightforward layout that puts high-quality at the core while dismissing unprofessional-looking websites. When we say high-quality, it pertains to a user-friendly experience that the users deserved. Strategically, each web design has its own purpose and function. One might need to use a particular design to fit perfectly to the brand.
