March 23, 2020 testtube_8668g6sr

Web Design Trends Coming in 2020 – What is the new style?

2020 Website Design Trends

Web Design Trends Coming in 2020

Your website is like your shop front. If it was a bricks and mortar store, your website would be the display window, the customer service, and the way products are laid out in the shop, which is why when it comes to web design trends, they are as ever-changing as the trends we see on the local high street. Just like fashion trends, the web design trends coming in 2020 will take on a new shape and a new feeling for a fresh decade.

You may think your website is ‘done’, it’s built, and it exists – surely that’s all it needs to do? –  But you couldn’t be further from the truth.

Your website has to constantly evolve with the trends to look relevant to your customers. We don’t shop or buy the same way we did in 1920, so why would you expect your customers to do the same in 2020? –  Time moves on, people change, and so do the trends.

By understanding the web design trends that are emerging in 2020, you can ensure that your website remains relevant to its audience, and doesn’t get left behind by competitors doing it better and quicker.

Failing to adapt can be disastrous in terms of your website and your business, especially if you rely on your website as a lead or sales generator. Take these new web design trends into consideration, and think about how you could bring your website into the new decade.

Minimalism

For those who want the easy way out, minimalism is always a trend that never truly goes out of style. But for 2020, we think it’s become ever more relevant and needed in a busy online world that often makes users feel as though they’re drowning with information overload.

We’ve seen too many brands dominate their website with busy call-to-actions and too much content, so we’re pretty happy that minimalism is back on the table as a web design trend.

So what does minimalism look like in 2020?

From our review of the minimalist web designs making waves, it appears that white space exists, with no distractions for the user. This means people truly get a chance to view the content without being bombarded with interactive elements, or pop-ups.

Instead, this stripped-back minimalist style means you have a limited colour palette that complements the design rather than distracts from it. Content and visual elements are also given more space on the page so that users can fully engage with what’s on the page.

As well as taking your design and elements back, we would also recommend enhancing your content. Is it all waffle and jargon, or are you giving the user the information they need?

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence and AI systems are having a real moment right now, which makes it no surprise that they’re now having an influence on the way we design websites. While the technology is still very much in its infancy, we can’t deny that AI is a strong factor in how we now develop and build websites – after all, these systems can enable us to make the user’s experience even more personal. As creepy as that sounds, in some cases, this is already happening with us even realising. Take Netflix for example, their entire system of recommendation is built on artificial intelligence.

As well as apps and services, websites will also begin to harness these contextual AI systems. By assessing user behaviour and personal data, AI systems can help a website feel more personalised, delivering a very personal and tailored website experience.

Of course, artificial design intelligence technology will also start to automate elements of web design, making it quicker and easier to build websites – which means getting the ‘ideal’ website you’ve always dreamed of may be easier than you’ve ever imagined.

One area of AI that will certainly grow is the use of chatbots. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, 80% of companies will be using chatbots in 2020.

While many websites are currently using chatbots as part of their customer service experience, some of them still feel quite robotic, which often leaves visitors more frustrated than satisfied. But as the AI technology around these systems is becoming more sophisticated, they will begin to feel more human and provide better assistance.

Interactive 3D Modelling  

3D modelling may sound like an unusual web design trend, but the fact is this technology has become more readily available, meaning the elements can now be incorporated into web design without a hefty budget required.

As the entry point of 3D visuals has dropped, more brands are utilising this technology on their websites to enable their customers to visualise products in a more realistic way. To the point, visitors almost feel like the product is jumping out of the screen.

For brands who have products, the adoption of 3D modelling can encourage visitors to ‘experience’ the product and see it before they make a purchase. Creating an immersive experience such as this has already been adopted by big brands including Adidas, who added a 3D model of their FutureCraft running trainer to their website in April 2019. The model rotates slowly around the screen, and the user can move the model, adding an element of interaction.

For eCommerce websites especially, 3D models could be a game-changer in increasing customer sales, as the users ‘feel’ they have experienced the product prior to the purchase. A gap that has been missing in the online shopping experience.

Voice Search

We are living in a world where voice search is becoming the common way we gain information. Siri, Alexa, and Google are all the means by which we ask questions and get what we need. In fact, the data surrounding voice search provides a clear landscape that this area is only set to grow. According to research by Gartner, 30% of internet browsing will be by voice search by the end of 2020. Furthermore, 22% of smart speaker owners have purchased something using voice search, and 46% of smart speaker owners use voice search to find a local business.

If these statistics don’t make you realise voice search is growing, we don’t know what will. As people’s habits change in how they use the internet and how they search, so too does the way in which we design websites.

For web design, this means user navigation on websites will become easier, as websites have to make information more readily available and accessible. Of course, the content that sits on a websites page will also begin to adapt to the needs of voice queries. Instead of seeing long reams of useless content, we’re going to see more websites create content based on user questions.

Providing the answer to a voice search, and quickly, will become the aim of the game. After all, the better the site can answer a question, the more effective it will be when voice technologies begin a search.

Hand-drawn Illustrations

If there’s one web design trend in 2020 we’ve fallen in love with, it’s the rise of hand-drawn illustrations and graphics. Artificial intelligence may have started to take over the build of websites and how they’re discovered, but it certainly can’t take our human ability to create beautiful digital art.

As the world becomes more automated and instant, the hand-drawn elements create a real sense of humanity. Many of the styles that are emerging in this trend are messy and highly artistic – it’s as if an artist has literally sketched onto the website. They look fun, human, and personal. A great example is MailChimp, just look at their website and marketing material, and you can see what we mean. It makes it feel more personal and real.

If your brand or business truly wants to connect on a deeper level with visitors and customers, then adding hand-drawn elements could help you to do this.

However, as with anything in web design, it’s essential you make your hand-drawn illustrations feel like your brand. They should be unique to your business and represent who you are and what your mission is.

If you’re going through a re-brand in 2020, adding hand-drawn icons or elements to your web design could help you stand out from your competitors, and make your business look more purposeful.

With these web design trends set to grow in 2020, now is an ideal time to embrace them and begin to enhance your website. Think about where your business is heading and adopt a style that fits with your brand vision. The better the website, the better the business.

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