Attracting attention, conveying a message, seducing consumers, arousing emotion, graphic design occupies a major place among consumers but also among designers and manufacturers.
In recent years the trend has been towards minimalism, mobile adaptation and illustrations, so what does 2021 hold in store for us?
To inspire you in your quest for the perfect web design, the creative team at web design Galway https://cliquedmedia.com/ has unearthed the 20 best web design trends of 2021:
This is why it is more important than ever to integrate modern web design into your marketing strategy. But what are the modern web design trends for 2021 – and how can you use them to refresh your site?
Just keep reading 20 Modern Web Design Trends You Can Steal For Inspiration This Year!
Need more modern inspiration for web design? Contact Galway web design cliquedmedia.com web developer will help you to adopt the latest web designs.
# 1 – Dark Mode
This is a big trend that will be confirmed in 2021. Basically used to improve the lifespan of mobile batteries (by displaying a majority of dark colors, which consumes less energy), today the “dark fashion “is a real aesthetic trend!
You can implement it in your site to create an ultra-modern design, play with original color contrasts … Offering the user the choice to change between dark mode and light mode is a real plus which adds interactivity to your website and offers the opportunity to create a “wahoo effect” at the time of the transition (For affordable websites SEO Galway has plenty of ideas in stock if you want).
# 2 – Immersive 3D elements
Already appearing in 2020, this trend will spread to many sites in 2021. 3D graphics are very effective in attracting the attention of Internet users. In addition, the advent of virtual reality and augmented reality has increased the possibilities of using these 3D elements.
Be careful to check the optimization of your website however. A 3D graphics, if it is not well optimized, can greatly increase the loading time of the site and scare away Internet users!
# 3 – Voice commands
The VUI (for Voice User Interface) is a trend still under-exploited. The voice in the digital world is more and more present. With the popularization of voice assistants like Google Home or Amazon Alexa, the role of the voice in the digital world is growing more and more. Today, more than 50% of American teenagers use their voice on a daily basis to order on the Internet, locate themselves or search for information on the Internet.
Implementing voice-related functionalities on your website allows you to position yourself as a pioneer of this technology still little used in some countries and to really differentiate yourself from the competition.
# 4 – Animations and GIFs
This is nothing new, the video catches the eye! This type of content is consumed more and more and we never tire of it. It is also the type of content that creates the most engagement with Internet users.
In the case of a website, videos can be used in different ways. GIFs are particularly suitable, because less heavy than its cousins, the GIF can be integrated into any website! GIFs also manage transparency which makes them ultra-versatile.
Motion design will continue to be so popular, because in addition to being aesthetic, it allows complex concepts to be explained with ease. If a picture is worth 1000 words then an animation is worth a whole book!
# 5 – Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Behind these big words hide efficient systems that simplify the life of the user AND the designer. The implementation of artificial intelligence in the website was reserved for large structures such as Netflix recommendation algorithms, or Amazon’s suggestion system, which analyzes your profile to offer you content perfectly suited to your desires. In 2021, the trend is towards the generalization of these models, powerful chatbots are available to anyone, content personalization algorithms can be easily integrated into your website, etc.
Of course, the ultimate goal is the end user, so these tools should be used to improve their overall experience and help them navigate. Beware of the superfluous!
# 6 – Typography and copywriting design.
While images are an important part of your site, content shouldn’t be overlooked!
Bold typographies are making a big comeback in the spotlight! Do not hesitate to display your titles in huge, but always in style!
The message itself is something you will need to perfect. A well-written title is impactful and conveys a strong feeling very quickly. Images and colors help grab the reader’s attention, the message will keep it. To go further, you can define a very specific tone that you will use throughout your website. Thus, your site will be more and more “personalized” and therefore more likely to appeal to your core target (provided you choose the right target, of course).
# 7 – Magnetism
A discreet trend, but one that can have big impacts. The magnetism of an object on the web consists of moving this object slightly towards the user’s mouse when it approaches within a defined radius around the object.
This principle can be used to encourage the user to perform actions. This little incentive is called a “nudge” in marketing. It can make the difference between a cart abandonment and a conversion.
Plus, it’s a great opportunity to make your site more interactive. The more original the experience you offer on your site, the more visitors will remember you!
# 8 – Asymmetry
Another web design trend of 2021 is asymmetry. If symmetry helps structure and gives a feeling of comfort and harmony, asymmetry makes it possible to energize and make the site unique! The objective being to stand out from its competitors, the originality of your site will be your greatest asset. So, let’s forget the construction grids, the flat and redundant templates and let’s have fun creating an asymmetrical site that will have real character.
However, an asymmetric site must find a balance to maintain overall harmony and optimal navigation fluidity. A personalized site is therefore more complex to build and model, but it is the price to pay to stand out from the crowd and stand out from the competition.
# 9 – Minimalist UI
The user interface will tend to be simpler in 2021. Less sweets to focus on the essential. Minimize interruptions to make the browsing experience as enjoyable as possible. But, minimalism does not mean empty. The aesthetics of the site remains a priority and the user interface plays a crucial role in this. Less is more. Enlarge the spaces, let the important elements breathe to give them a greater impact, keep only the essentials… All these optimizations will be welcome, the user will be delighted!
# 10 – Infinite content with this new UI trend
In 2021, scrolling at length on a page is no longer taboo. A whole new UI trend is emerging at a time when the intensive use of the scroll is de rigueur, especially with social networks.
Discover the infinite scroll which allows you to constantly enjoy content without even having to change pages.
Practical from social networks, Airbus is inspired by this infinite scroll in its website. As we search for information, we discover new dynamically loaded content.
# 11 – Empathy
Who knows what 2021 has in store for us? We learned to face difficult times when everyone had to stick together. Those days are surely not over as we step into a new year, which is why the latest trend on this list is empathy.
The goal of a website is to simplify the business-consumer relationship and should be reflected in this direction. Knowing your potential customers, their needs and their emotions is the basis of a good web design. We have learned to design websites that make you smile, that bring us joy that amazes us. We now need to know how to identify and respond to more complex emotions, such as fear, anxiety or confusion. Building your site with empathy means taking people into account and not the lead or the prospect.
# 12 – Full page headers
Full page headers are the way forward for modern web design in 2021.
Web designers can implement en-, but a popular setup is to add key text or call-to-action (CTA) buttons to the left of the header with eye-catching images to the right.
This is because readers tend to focus most of their attention on the upper left corner of your page.
Case in point: Discord’s website providing a voice and text chat app for gamers is a good example.
Discord features a fun, quirky image to the right of its header and highlights the benefits of their paid service to the left. Their CTA buttons are clearly marked and tell viewers exactly what they need to do to get additional experiences.
As you scroll down, you’ll find that Discord groups the site elements into cards, making their information stylish, easy to find, and easy to read, while still maintaining the fun element.
# 13 – Playful sliders
Modern websites often feature sliders that make viewing pages a whole new experience.
Implementing playful cursors on your site in 2021 can be as easy as changing the shape of the cursor or as complex as coding cursor-triggered animations. Either way, your visitors will have a good time engaging with unique sliders.
Due to the playfulness of the animation, users easily spend a few minutes hovering their cursor over the navigation menu.
Your slider doesn’t have to be as complex, but adding something unique to your slider is sure to add a bit of spice to your website.
# 14 – Dynamic scrolling
Dynamic scrolling is another modern web design trend for 2021.
A version of dynamic scrolling sets different scrolling speeds for the foreground and background of your site to give visitors a 3D effect.
Background video can also fit into dynamic scrolling, where video only plays when users scroll, and with dynamic scrolling, you can trigger animations and make your images appear like magic.
# 15 – Illustrations
Illustrations bring your brand and website to life.
When it comes to illustrations, modern web design for 2021 draws inspiration from print publishing and other traditional art formats.
The days of cookie cutter images are over, with websites incorporating custom artwork into their modern web design in 2021
And with increased coding capabilities, illustrations continue to evolve beyond 2D design.
Even today, digital designs attract 3D illusions that add another layer of depth to the internet.
For example:
- Slow change from one color to another with gradient
- Digital die-cut styles that mimic designs cut from layers of paper
- 3D cursor interaction that users can’t help but interact with on your site
# 16 – Grid design
Modern web designers will continue to play with grids in 2021 – and an asymmetrical layout will likely become even more popular.
Many top use CSS Grid Layout to bring all of the print layout functionality to the web.
Also known as Grid, CSS Grid Layout is a 2D grid layout system for Cascading Style Sheet, a coding language that describes the layout of an HTML site page. Grid allows web designers to create layouts for complex responsive web design more easily and more consistently across browsers.
CSS grid layout still has a way to go before it becomes compatible with all interfaces, but it continues to gain momentum as a top web design trend for 2021.
# 17 – Color trends in 2021
Modern website design trends explore color palettes, and every year there is a new color for the web. In 2018 it was yellow, 2019 was blue, and in 2020 the WGSN trend forecast community is predicting mint.
Overall, predicts that online color palettes will become quieter in 2021 compared to 2020.
Gradients are a trend that continues from 2019 to 2020, and designers will likely continue to explore the depths until they can take design with gradients. And because gradients cover a range of colors, they’re great for targeting a large audience.
Color psychology will also play a big part in web design trends for 2021. Make sure to research the psychology behind the colors before you generate a new color palette for your business. It is important that your colors match your brand.
Some smaller trends within colors will likely continue from 2020 to 2021. It looks like:
- Soft and cool colors (blues, teal and gray) = Information and backgrounds
- Bold, warm colors (reds, oranges, even greens) = Calls to Action (CTA)
# 18 – Bold fonts
Modern web design will play even more with fonts in 2021 versus 2020. Sans-serif and serif fonts are as popular as ever, and the vintage type is surprisingly making a comeback in branding.
The defined type and bold type also show their faces in a lot of places, from brand names to landing page headers, where the most important trend of all is dominant text on the screen.
Make sure you choose a typeface that matches your brand, your audience, and the purpose you have for your business.
Also, be sure to choose an easy-to-read font for the body text of any content you have on your site. The readability of your text is one of the essential factors in improving the UX of your site. A simple, sans-serif sans-serif like Arial is a great choice.
# 19 – Increased focus on UX / UI
Modern web design is focused on humans in 2019, and it will become even more important in 2021.
Your site’s UX should be fluid, uninterrupted, and engaging in 2021. This means:
- Fast page loading
- Small footprint (use that white space!)
- Relevant scan able referenced content
- Multimedia
Web designers creatively wrap functionality to create a great UX, leaning towards a clean design while still being creative and unique in all good ways. The best web designers throw a little mess into the sterile white world of tech, much like a little chocolate sauce on the kitchen counter.
Hand in hand with UX, your site’s user interface (UI) must be intuitive in 2021. This means:
- Voice interfaces
- Image captions
- Video transcripts
- No distracting elements
- Balanced motion design
Upgrade your site’s UX / UI level by:
- Provide visitors with easy-to-read content and easy-to-use interfaces
- Hit their aesthetic sweet tooth
It is also important to note that mobile surfing will grow in 2021 compared to 2019 and 2020. Over 75% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, and this number is expected to increase.
The modern developers also note the SEO aspects of the websites during the development process. That’s why mostly the developers are associated with an SEO company just like Cliqued Media Ireland offering web development as well as SEO services.
For a website to have a successful modern web design in 2021, all of its elements must translate flawlessly on both desktop and mobile. Mobile responsive animation and videography will become more and more important for modern web design.
# 20 – Impactful and fascinating stories
Finally, modern websites in 2021 will shine at telling stories.
To turn your site into a true modern website, learn how to tell compelling stories in your content and advertising campaigns.
With a stylish website design and a compelling story, your site is sure to engage and convert your target audience.
Hungry for more modern web inspiration?
Want some help transforming your site into a modern web design in 2021? Web design Galway has an award winning portfolio of web designs for over 1000 companies!
Add Comment