What Is Web Design?
Web design is the process of creating and arranging visual and functional elements on a website to enhance its aesthetics, usability, and overall user experience.
Web design encompasses various interface elements to create a user-friendly website that attracts users for products or services, leading to multiple job opportunities.
Top Web Design Trends For 2023
1. Y2K Aesthetic
The Y2K Aesthetic has become more popular in recent years due to the social media platform TikTok.
Y2K is an aesthetic that highlights the late 90s, early 200s. Some inspiration for this aesthetic was also taken from the 60s and 70s creating a wave of nostalgia for many.
Today, it is often used as a nostalgic reference to the early days of the internet and the optimism of the dot-com era.
What does this mean for web design?
Trends from the past always seem to come back and better than ever!
Incorporating nostalgic elements into a website can increase web traffic, this increases because users are excited and eager to visit your site.
Positive engagement from users can also lead to influence, meaning that a user could tell a friend or put out a social media post as they’ve been transported back in time and want others to join in with the joy nostalgia can be.
Having a positive user experience increases the likelihood of a purchase.
What Y2K design elements are worth including?
2. Y2K colour schemes
The colour schemes used throughout the late 90s and early 200s are extremely vibrant and full of life, ranging from hot pinks to lime green.
Vibrant colours are used on all elements of websites from background images to text, using vibrant colours attracts the attention of users and increases the likelihood of them spending more time on the site.
Websites created in recent years tend to use simple, clear and concise elements as we’ve been taught that using extravagant colour schemes and fonts overwhelms the user and makes the website experience more stressful but it seems the times are changing.
People want to revert back to the early days of the Internet as it feels like a simpler and less stressful time after the end of the global covid-19 pandemic.
3. Unique Cursors
What is a unique cursor?
A new design technique that is gaining popularity among web designers and consumers in 2023?
Visual indications are provided to users that not only demonstrate the location of their mouse but also illustrate how they can engage with particular elements.
There are many possible ways to incorporate a new cursor style, as technology is developing there are a multitude of different programming languages that can be utilised to create new, interactive and customisable elements that can set your business’s website apart from others.
The question is, why?
Incorporating new technologies and styles will be a refreshing change of pace for users who reach your site expecting the default setting.
Thinking outside the box and changing your outlook towards the design of your website could be the talking point that puts your business on the map.
For example, the owner of a stationary website could change their cursor to a ballpoint pen or a pencil.
Furthermore, a web design agency could change its cursor to a mousse.
Simple design elements such as changing the cursor show the potential client or user that your business is dedicated to the small details.
Due to extensive online exposure, individuals have become desensitised to incessant advertisements and websites, causing them to pay closer attention to the subtle nuances of a website. Therefore, incorporating a change of pace can effectively capture the attention of passive audience members.
4. Stencilled & Screen-Printed Font
Within the realm of digital marketing and web design, typography creates a crucial element of focus.
It is commonly emphasised that prioritising usability is essential, which entails opting for fonts that facilitate easy readability and can be modified to accommodate accessibility requirements.
Consequently, numerous web designers tend to avoid employing ornate and intricate fonts.
Is such an approach truly optimal?
One of the major benefits of incorporating stencil fonts is showing creativity and individuality as well as making a bold statement.
As we’ve covered throughout this blog post, website design has stuck to a strict regime of simplicity and modernism that leaves little room for creative flair, using extravagant stencils and screen print fonts can switch this up.
5. Parallax Zoom scrolling
One of the most flamboyant 2023 web design trends is parallax zoom scrolling.
By now you are probably wondering, what is Parallax Zoom scrolling?
Parallax Zoom scrolling is a visual effect used in web design that involves moving background images at a different speed than the foreground images or text.
This creates a sense of depth and motion as users scroll through a website, with the background appearing to zoom in or out.
Parallax zoom scrolling ties in nicely with the Y2K colour scheme both of these new design trends could lead to a website that uses new and improved design elements to entice consumers to your site.
Thinking creatively and not letting simplicity and modernism change your designs can be just what is needed to set websites apart.
How can you incorporate parallax zoom scrolling into your website?
One prevalent implementation of parallax zoom scrolling is the incorporation of title text and descriptions.
The primary advantage of utilising this design technique is that it increases the likelihood of the critical information that a business wishes to showcase to the consumer being visually prominent.
6. Rehabilitating The 404
Among the various design trends anticipated for 2023, I find the redesign of 404 redirect pages to be particularly noteworthy.
It is commonly known that encountering a 404 error page can be vexing and inconvenient for users.
However, if such pages incorporated enjoyable elements such as mini-games or charming animations, users might be more inclined to give the website another chance, as opposed to seeking alternative businesses.
It’s extremely important to ensure that your website 404 page still provides some value to the user as this will be another enticing feature to keep them interested in your website.
Regrettably, it is not feasible to eliminate error 404 pages.
However, it is possible to transform them into engaging, captivating, and informative pages that leave a lasting impression on consumers.
Ultimately leading them to revisit your website and remain undeterred by the unpropitious occurrence of the 404 error page.
E-commerce Web Design Trends
1. Interactive Product Visuals
Incorporating interactive product visuals aims to increase the time users will spend looking at potential products and leading to a purchase.
What is an interactive product visual?
An Interactive product visual uses images, rendering and visually immersive artwork.
As previously discussed in this blog, it is crucial to modify various elements of a website to distinguish it from the rest, given that consumers have become desensitised to traditional product advertisements.
Developing an immersive experience that stands out from the crowd may be the minor yet decisive factor that persuades someone to purchase a product or engage in a service.
As technology continues to evolve, it is imperative to ensure the use of available resources and utilise all possible options to guarantee optimal user experience for your consumers while simultaneously ensuring growth and success for your business.
2. Immersive Page Transitions
Immersive page transitions refer to the use of animations and effects to create a seamless and engaging transition between different pages on a website.
Although we’ve been discussing trends throughout this blog, I believe that immersive page transitions are no longer a trend but an imperative part of web design.
When developing a website, it is crucial to prioritise engaging the audience from the moment they land on the homepage until they depart, ideally after making a purchase.
Incorporating immersive page transitions allows for a creative edge.
It provides users with a unique perspective that allows for a comprehensive understanding of the product as the information available is more extensive, thereby enabling them to make more informed decisions.
By developing an informative user experience, businesses can establish a positive and trustworthy relationship with their users, which can foster customer loyalty and encourage repeat business.
3. Mobile-First Design
Although we are discussing web design thoroughly throughout this blog post, it’s important to note that more people than ever are using mobile apps over desktops.
As the increase in mobile apps over desktops continue it’s important to take into consideration the different design elements used in a website rather than an app.
- Increased interactive elements
- Screen size differences
- Slower Processors mean apps need a smaller layout
- Targeted Push Notifications
How Will These Trends Help Web Designers?
The two key things to remember are to ensure a positive user experience. If you incorporate some of the trends into your website designs this year, you’ll keep the audience engaged and hopefully increase conversions and traffic to the site.
Secondly, it’s important to remember that users are used to seeing simple and plain websites although with the modern-day internet, simple was the trend but times have changed.
Maybe it’s time to evaluate your business’s branding to stand out from the crowd and give your users something to talk about!
Although this may not directly help web designers, it will help the businesses and therefore the web designer is likely to see an increase in clients.
as well as building a name for themselves because their website designs will stand out from the crowd.
Summary
To summarise, it may be difficult as a web designer to step away from your comfort zone and think aside the box by immersing users in a fully-fledged website experience that increases traffic and visibility.
by incorporating elements such as unique cursors, immersive page transitions and Y2K colour schemes you’ll be joining the new and immersive world of web design that aims to put the thoughts and feelings of the user before anything.
