A Decade In Web Design

Another decade has flown by and during this time we were witnesses to the emergence of new exciting styles and movements when the web design is concerned. We noticed how websites became more fun and something little more than just an online spot for getting valuable information. Everything got sleeker, more minimalistic and even fluid. 2020 is here and while we can’t wait to see what novelties it will bring, in the meantime let’s take a quick look at the last ten years and recall the biggest trends that became today’s norm.

Mobile First

Due to the ever-increasing number of smartphone users, it was only a matter of time when web designers will move their focus on creating a great mobile experience for website visitors. More and more people are always on the go and they don’t have time to set apart for sitting down at the computer just to check out some website. Making everything more accessible on the mobile suddenly became a priority. Meanwhile, Ethan Marcotte came along and coined the term “responsive web design”. The users are the ones that need to be catered to and having a responsive website on all platforms is a must. The better the user experience, the chances of getting a new customer are higher. Young generations nowadays do everything via their phones, so if your target audience lies there, you need to optimize your website and make sure it has the full functionality of the desktop version.

Scrolling, Endless Scrolling

You probably noticed that parallax websites became all the rage in the past few years. Everybody wanted to implement cool graphics on their page and create an immersive illusion. And many did just that, leaving visitors in awe. But what is the parallax anyway? First of all, don’t confuse parallax with video backgrounds. Parallax is actually a method where you create multiple backgrounds and set them moving at different speeds so that spectators get an illusion that what they are seeing is in 3D while scrolling. There are examples of whole websites being in constant parallax without any static elements, while others opt out for a more subdued effect. Either way, it looks like this trend is here to stay.

Minimalist Aesthetic on the Rise

Besides impressive parallax, vibrant colors and interesting fonts, more and more web designers turn to the minimalistic approach. They are leaning towards less clutter and more straightforward messages. Paring everything down and focusing on what is the most important seems to be the leading design trend recently. Minimalism does not necessarily need to be related to only black and white patterns. This movement is connected with fewer elements on the page, limited color palette, simple yet effective font choice.

The Case of Pokemon Go and Augmented Reality

Remember Pokemon Go? You know, that little game that got the whole world running around their city trying to catch pokemon? Well, that is a great example of how augmented reality (AR) can be used. The Pokemon Go app showed us that people are really excited about what AR can offer and this is only the beginning when it comes to meshing together AR with the web design. What is actually AR? It is a different term from virtual reality (VR), and it represents virtual images that are layered over reality. That is how you could “see” a virtual pokemon on the street through your mobile phone camera. Augmented reality is already being used by some companies, namely retailers. Their customers can virtually try out clothes through webcams. While interlocking reality with virtual elements, you can create a never before available experience for customers. There is definitely more to come in the near future when AR is in question.

Conclusion

There is a lot to be expected in the years to come, but one thing’s for certain: we will witness the new age of marketing and see more exciting approaches and innovations in this industry both as marketers and customers.