Your website is often the consumer’s first impression of your brand so it’s important that the design of your website reflects your brand and company in the best possible light. It should provide clarity, not confusion. The world of marketing and technology is always changing and new trends emerge so often it can feel overwhelming trying to keep up with it all. Rest assured, you don’t have to be on top of every single new trend, just be mindful of the trends that have made the cut by still being relevant after a year. Those are the ones you’ll want to pay attention to.
Here are the best web design trends of 2017 so far:
Artificial Intelligence.
Not sure what artificial intelligence is? I’ll give you a hint: Siri. With the current digital movement, companies are continuing to revert to human-like, robotic interactions to sustain lots of customer activity with the intention of improving user experience.
Utilizing Text over Visuals on Conversational Interfaces
Piggybacking off of AI, UX is just as important to text as it is to visuals as the number of companies utilizing chatbots grows. Now that these programs – Amazon’s Alexa, Facebook Messenger, Telegram – are integrating into our everyday use habits it’s important that the way they communicate with us is helpful and clear.
AR, VR & 360-degree video
It’s no doubt that 360-degree videos and photos alike have changed the way we interact with social media. Back in March, Facebook opened up 360-degree live streaming which has made an impact on advertisers and consumers alike. Add to that the compelling technology of AR and VR and we’ve unlocked a whole new world of options when it comes to brand advertising and promotion, as well as website design.
High-Quality Authentic Photography
Stock photography does nothing to add emotional appeal to your website or social media strategy. In fact, most of the time it’s ignored. Thankfully, you don’t have to become a professional photographer for your business to succeed. In light of the declining engagement with stock photography, several other websites have emerged that provide high quality and AUTHENTIC photography available for purchase. Photography is so powerful, don’t sell your business short with photos that don’t connect with your consumers.
Microinteractions
Microinteractions, if done right, can add so much to the user experience. However, if done wrong, they can clutter and cause confusion. For your website to be efficient in converting leads into customers it shouldn’t be confusing or difficult to navigate but provide clarity and ease of use.
If you want your business to dominate, the design of your website is just as important as the products or services you’re selling. If your website isn’t making it clear what you do or sell, or it’s difficult for your customers to make a purchase or reach out to you, they’ll leave in search of something that is better at meeting their needs. A majority of shopping today is done online and on mobile, don’t miss out on potential customers by holding on to an outdated website.
By Conner Danielle Cole
