As 2019 begins to wind down, it’s a good idea for your company’s web design to start to look at what is on the horizon. How long has it been since you updated your site’s design? If it’s been a few years, perhaps the best place to start is to understand the elements of modern website design and what combination of these elements make up an effective website design. Here are several of the primary elements of modern web design that can help you to create a website that connects and converts.
Be a Hero
One of the most popular trends with businesses websites is what is known as a hero image. Simply put a hero image is a large picture that takes up most or all of the screen, usually found on the homepage of a website. It uses a high resolution, vibrant or sharp, picture that instantly grabs a customer’s attention. Hero images are an excellent way to convey your brand as the image can be something that shows what your company does or evokes an emotion you are trying to get across. Be warned though, if you use a large image make sure that you have the server and host to support such a big file, if not the image will slow your site and cause it to take longer to load and that could mean that a user won’t wait around until it loads.
Background Check
Background videos are another attention-grabbing device in web design that is ideal for branding. Like hero images, it is usually found on the homepage of a company’s website, and it is an excellent way to get your point across without having to include large amounts of content. It takes less time to understand what’s in a video than reading through text, and it also evokes an instant emotional response from the user. Background videos can be even more of a drag than hero images, so make sure your site can handle the load.
It’s on the Menu
If you have seen three lines at the top of a website and wondered what they were, they are a way to quickly navigate a site by clicking on them. The three lines are actually a unit known as a “Hamburger Menu” or “Slide Menu“. The navigation links are hidden until they are needed with a hamburger menu and has been shown to increase conversion rates.
See it in Print
Large font or typography that fills most of a screen with a message you want to convey is yet another way to get your point across quickly. It makes sure the customer receives your message in no uncertain terms. Large typography is another excellent way to broadcast your message. Using a unique font can make it recognizable right away as part of your brand; it can convey if you are a professional firm or a fun toy producer, using the right typography can say as much about your company as the words it is spelling out. One word of caution with the font you choose, make sure it is something that supported by major web browsers and can be viewed on mobile devices.
Here it is!
Large product images are an emerging trend in modern web design. They show what your company is selling and why it is something a customer should own right away. There is no ambiguity about what you are selling and what it does. You can add text next to the product to highlight what its features are and how it stands out from the competition.
Keep these trends in mind when you are redesigning your website, and you will be ready for the coming decade.