No matter what year or month we live in, there’s always a new desktop or mobile website design that is being conjured up somewhere out there. This is not only the case for new or start-up companies, but also for well-established ones with years/decades of credibility. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be if you wish to appease your target audience over and over so that they don’t leave your business in favour of the competition.
When it comes to website design, it’s not just the aesthetics of a website that needs to be tinkered with. Excellent web design is one that allows a website to load at blazing speeds, is easy to navigate, very well-presented, and something that enhances and enriches a visitor’s user experience. The main aim of your website, in the end, is to convert prospective visitors into long-term paying customers.
On top of that, you need to stay on top of the latest web design trends circulating all over social media. So, the question is: which web design trends do startup and professional companies need to keep an eye out for? Well, that’s exactly what this article is going to share with you:
Hottest Desktop and Mobile Website Design Trends for 2020
1. White Space
It looks like minimalism is making its way back to the modern-day desktop and mobile website design with functional whitespaces, such as those in print magazines.
White space can help visitors move through every page on a website in a similar manner as that of natural currents without disrupting the user experience. What’s more, is that a visual hierarchy is created where every element keeps the user engaged.
A breathing room whitespace allows viewers to rest their eyes. It also allows us to understand the relationship between various page elements.
Often times, when two elements are close to each other by using a bit of white space in between, we view it as a single unit. However, if both of the elements were kept apart, our eyes could view them as separate.
2. Gradients 2.0
When users got tired of dull minimalist design elements, designers began experimenting with several other visual styles. One of those styles that caught the eye of the public was gradients.
Later on, in between 2018-2019, gradients began replacing flat colors. The gradients gave flat layouts more depth, evidently making them more aesthetically pleasing. This was something that both stakeholders and product teams loved as gradients allowed them to include branding colors.
Gradients are exceptionally versatile. They can be used as color filters over illustrations and images, accents for practical elements like call to action (CTA) buttons, or even as backgrounds for content. Gradients are equally as good on either mobile or desktop/TV screens.
But unlike the gradients of the past, the newer generation comes with a little twist. Gradients 2.0, to be exact, can either be loud (by using vibrant colors) or subtle (muted colors). However, both are quite simple as they use only one clear light source and are made using either one or two types of colors.
3. Dark Mode
Not only do dark mode website designs look very modern, but they also make the design elements and colors pop and are easy on our eyes.
Often, the most successful website design trends start out with a practical purpose. Dark colors are very well suited for OLED screens – elongating a screen’s lifespan and saving up power. And to top it off, the dark themes end up making objects look stunning.
4. A Barrage of Illustrations and Photos
One of the more intriguing trends that are hot right now is the combination of using real-life photos with simple 2D hand-drawn illustrations. This trend can have illustrations either replace some parts of a photo or interact with a photo to make an intriguing combo of two mediums.
5. Full Page Headers
Full page headers are some of the hottest web design trends to look forward to in 2020. Web designers can implement a variety of headers for a website.
One popular trend is the one where call to action (CTA) buttons or a key text is added to the left side of a header with attractive images showing on the right side. That’s because readers usually focus more on the top left side of a web page. One example of this is Discord‘s website that offers a text chat and voice app for gamers.
Discord shows a quirky and fun image on the right side of their header, followed by the advantages of there premium service on the left side. The page also shows the CTA buttons clearly marked in black, telling viewers exactly what they’re supposed to do in order to get more facilities and features upon signing up.
6. Oversized Elements and Type
To get the point across quickly and clearly, web designers are leaning more towards prominent, large elements and type. This applies to practically any element on a web page, including large, bold typography, full-screen videos and images, and enlarged web menu icons.
This tactic helps communicate a brand’s message to its target audience, but it also makes it look very appealing on any screen, whether big or small. To ensure this trend stands out, the number of design elements on every page needs to be reduced. Using too many grand elements at the same time can be counterproductive and overwhelming.
Conclusion
With numerous web design elements from 2010 coming to an end, 2020 is looking forward to embracing the future as we’ve never seen before. Whether desktop and mobile website design, your company will have the edge in wowing long-term and potential customers thanks to this writeup.
