In last post we mentioned that how different components are coming up with latest Graphic Design Trends. I planned to take proper note of top web and graphic designing trends to look at.
1. Usability – Interactive User Experience
You must be hearing words like UX/UI/VD and it is quite fascinating that ‘Visual Design & Usability’ are hot topics in Tinsel Town these days.
Usability is a study of the interactive user experience associated with a user interface, such as websites, software and mobile applications.
In today’s world, design will be all concerning about the user. User experience (UX) will indeed be the new black.
If your design is not usable, no one will care how cool it looks.
Engaging your users with your websites really come first in 2017. It will be really tough for you to grow your online website if you don’t take user experience – UX into account.
Google’s search algorithm changes, visitors behavior data… They all point in the same direction, and it’s is “your website needs to load faster and be easy to use”.
Page Loading Speed is a main issue with ecommerce websites. Having a second more in your load time means sales drop by 27%. So while everybody wants a site that looks great, they will surely choose fast over great.
Test your website Load time from here – Pingdom
2. Responsive – Mobile Friendly Design
As being mentioned earlier in my blog What is responsive website design and why you need it!
We all are aware now that responsive website design isn’t an option anymore. Today, mobile is the “first screen”. When it comes to search rankings, Google is totally ignoring websites that doesn’t support mobile friendly layout. Here’s the guideline from Google on popular SEO website Moz.com
UX is very important thing to consider in all platforms. And since mobile is prioritize now, user experience on mobile devices is key. A good responsive layout will have perfect usability on mobile and tablet screens. Hiding content from desktop devices isn’t considered best practice anymore.
As very important rule, if your website isn’t available to access properly from mobile devices. Then you need to get a re design of your website.
In current trend, all your graphic designs and artwork will need to be responsive. Which means “no single size or format that fits everywhere.
Responsive design will effect logs, Banner and all content available on your website.
Netflix re designed their website which is best example of responsive utilities. They came up with a new visual identity, rebranding their logo design and all graphics, but they did it following responsive design principles.
In responsive designs what matter is that all content doesn’t have to be tied up closely with each other. Netflix used cropped logo to achieve this. By offering just a overview of the brand identity, you remove all unnecessary content or blank space that doesn’t have to be there, staying 100% responsive at the time.
Many more brands may accept this truth and re brand their websites in 2017.
3. Mobile Application inspired website design
Not by surprise, people these days are getting more used to faster browsing in native apps. Designers have learned that they should use App’s approach to get better interactions (speed, zero distractions, tailored user experience).
Now, marketers are joining this trend. More business websites will be bringing back the login sections on their websites, either to add app-like functionalities or to add a level of ‘exclusivity’, as the web becomes more convenient for users.
4. Smart menus
Few people who hates hamburger menus on websites. It was first initial step and little odd, in the direction of more interactive navigation. Now, it’s time to get used to smart menus.
Hidden navigation that comes up out of blue. the key concept here is that users shouldn’t be distracted from important things anyhow.
Even if you don’t see the menu as your recent experiences on websites, it’ll be there and only appear when you need it.
5. Modular and infinite scrolling
Modular scrolling. Means every module on a page may scroll on its own, independently from the other modules.
Sounds weird? t really isn’t. In fact, you may have already experienced it (sometimes it’s hard to notice) in sites with a sidebar which doesn’t scroll at the same speed of other part.
6. Material Design
Material layout has been showing up in trending under this kind of lists and predictions since few years, but it wasn’t widely adopted until 2015.
Trend of material layouts and pallets, that you’ll find in many websites, web apps, art, graphics etc. will be adopted massively during 2016. It will be the year of material design’s dominance.
7. Infographics – graphic design
Do you know how to convey stories or pieces of info than using a simple infographic?
Everyone including SEO, content marketers. social media loves info good infographic. Research shows that infographics are shared 3 times more then any other visual contents.
As we design infographics for our clients and use them properly in our SEO strategies we know it’s the best way to attract people and easily convey the message. Banners are also great way to have appealing content marketing but infographics is something you may need for long texts.
8. Creative Typography
Nothing new in this right? But a good fonts always plays right role in graphics, infographics and websites. Typography is a language in itself.
Before few years, only graphic designers had power to understand that region. Today, more people are getting attention towards it thanks to great libraries of fonts in market. Google has done a great work for fonts by making their fonts library available to all of us.
9. Video & GIFs
You can not leave the website unnoticed if it’s using video backgrounds, they appear awesome right?
But since many apps like vine, snapchat and Whatsapp uses GIF now, users are getting more used with it. In web design trend it’s getting same value as small videos or GIF’s are used to introduce many things on website.
An excellent example of using GIF on website is how Box.com chose to display many things using GIF without killing the SEO. Such methods are in trend at godspeed even we’ve got many quote requests to design similar layouts for clients.
10. Skeleton screens
If you wonder what this could be let me tap magic wand over your head. If you use facebook you must have noticed something like below image demonstrating skeleton screen. Right there the boxes which preload themselves and load data then after.
You got the concept! It’s really easy but imagine how much relief it is instead of boring spinner.
