Top 10 Web Design Trends For 2020

Web design trends are evolving on a constant basis. New technology is introduced, artistic innovations in designs emerge and market feedback is acquired that will ultimately shape the designs of tomorrow.

Some of the web design trends in our list include some tried & tested measures, together with some more emerging trends that you may not have yet come across. Here’s our list of the top 10 web design trends of 2020 that we feel will change the course of the industry.

1. Animated Infographics

Visual content can instantly catch your audience’s attention. This is why the use of infographics has been successful over the years. The use of images and illustrations in the presentation of content and information is a proven winner. It’s no different when it comes to this latest web design trend. Using illustrations to tell your brand’s story is still among the top web designs to expect for this year and beyond.

Strategic use of detailed infographic-like illustrations can enhance the users’ journey as they traverse the world you made for them. Combining those beautiful illustrations with animation and sound would immediately catch your audience’s attention. Expect to see more websites with these features.

2. Oversized Elements

The advent of mobile phones has brought upon the use of oversized elements. Modern websites that have appeared in 2019 have emphasised design elements to the extent that they appear to be overly huge on any device. From the images, videos, and even the menu buttons, the website elements are superlatively presented.

By oversizing, videos and images are presented in the grandest ways possible–and they look great. This full-screen mode technique is definitely eye-catching. Most websites take advantage of this to present their stories right off the bat. With the users’ short attention span, implementing oversized elements in desktop and mobile designs is a must to quickly grab the former’s attention.

3. Bold Fonts

Similar to the use of oversized elements mentioned above, the use of bold fonts has evolved from just being utilised for the purpose of functionality to a form of style. This type of design is prominently used today to tell the audience where to start their journey or what they should look at first.

Readability of texts and visual hierarchy are, of course, achieved by this type of design. You can also add the fact that the latest apps you can see today have their fonts enlarged and boldened. This gives the user a sense of familiarity while they’re on your site. Avoid using this style on long pieces of text, though.

4. The Use of Animation

Motion and animation is a common sight among modern websites. It’s a formula that ensures engagement, interest, and appreciation from your audience. It isn’t new but it’s still effective. Combine motion and animation with other elements like the click-on, layered, and other immersive application—you’ll be having a dynamic website that’ll be the envy of many.

Designs like this will surely dominate this year. More and more designers and website owners use animation-filled designs as part of their website construction planning. This technology is getting cheaper by the day and the skills of the designers are already honed to implement this technique.

5. Minimalist Design & Negative Space

The number of types and styles in web design, including all possible combinations, can be infinite. Stuffing your website with too much clutter can have the tendency of pushing away the visitors. This is why some designers coined the phrase “less is best”. The minimalist approach pertains to a more laid back yet sophisticated design.

Common examples of minimalist designs include the use of monochromatism (black and white), fewer elements, and plenty of white spaces (negative space). In other words, it strips back the design of clutter as well as it helps accentuate the most important parts and information on the page. Designs like this are too simple to create but are extremely efficient.

6. 3-D or Pseudo 3-D 

The use of 3-D in digital rendering is a common sight today. This is due to the availability and affordability of the tools used in creating this type of design. The processing power of the machines used by modern designers is more than capable of creating the most realistic images and interactions.

Using 3-D or similar effects (Pseudo 3D) seems likely to be the way of the future. The results that we are seeing now at the concept’s early stages are already gorgeous. We can’t help our excitement just thinking about the possibilities in the years to come.

7. Geometric Shapes

Well, the use of the geometric shapes in a website’s design isn’t “new” at all. It has been around and used over-and-over again in the past few years. What’s impressive about this design is its ability to stand the test of time. The improved skills of designers have also made the use of geometric shapes improve in terms of aesthetic value pretty much common today.

You can do a lot of things just by using geometric shapes. Have you noticed that the websites of the top brands in the world have some sort of geometry in their designs? There’s the appeal. Geometric designs easily attract one’s sense of sight. The enhancements available in today’s web design technology (e.g. animations, layers) will most likely solidify this trend on our list for a long time.

8. Vintage Web Designs

Before we go to the more sophisticated trends of 2020, let’s go back and give our respect to the past. Those gorgeous, simple web designs dating back to the early 2010s have become the standard in the industry. They still have their elegance and appeal. Most importantly, they are still usable.

These vintage web designs are currently the staple when it comes to small websites. Modern website owners still prefer to go back to this style as their preference. However, with tons of changes in the horizon, expect this web design trend to slowly fizzle as it rides out towards the sunset.

9. AI/Contextual Technology

The use of Artificial Intelligence, particularly Contextual Technology in web development is a very intricate and complex process. It’s activated by using the user interaction to collect data then adapts to the needs and preferences of the user. This leads to more personalised experiences for the user.

It may be in its infancy stage now but context-aware programs are already used in a lot of apps and in a few websites. More adaptive systems are integrated into the design process. Contextual technology programs may run implicitly (hidden, in the background)) or explicitly—as a direct response to user interaction.

10. Voice Technology

Voice technology is something every website owner would want. If you’re already using Alexa or Siri in your home and on your devices, you’ll understand what we mean. There are websites that are using this technology at this very moment. This is one of the most advanced web design elements on this list.

A heightened User Experience (UX) can be achieved if navigation, content search, and purchases can be done just by using one’s voice. With both contextual technology and Voice technology now in our grasp, a new dawn in the web design industry is coming. Expectations will surely be elevated and the competition will be at its stiffest.

Conclusion

Our top web design trends for 2020 are composed of new as well as proven practices in the industry. Nevertheless, we believe the evolution of the industry is ongoing and shall continue. But right now, the digital landscape is so bright and promising for users, designers, and developers alike.

If you’re in need of a new website, a web redesign or web development, please get in touch or call us on (02) 9339 4500.