In the digital age, staying ahead is crucial as websites act as virtual front doors to businesses and individuals.
Web design has witnessed a remarkable journey, transitioning from basic HTML pages to immersive online experiences. As technology advances and user demands shift, the web design industry constantly adapts.
To navigate these changes effectively, it is essential to remain attuned to emerging trends and seek guidance from seasoned professionals.
Being a top web design agency, we work hard to stay updated about the latest market trends and provide the required kind of work to our clients.
In this blog, we’ll be your guide as we uncover the latest trends, techniques, and insights from web design experts. We’ll explore futuristic concepts and strategies for enhancing user experience.
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Web Design Trends and Insights from Leading Experts – 2023
As we move into the mid of 2023, some trends are here to stay and designers are focusing strongly on them, here are some of those trends and helpful insights from industry experts.
Unconventional Navigation will Be Explored
The web design industry is no longer limited to traditional design standards. Designers are beginning to explore unconventional methods to enhance user experience. According to industry thought leaders, such as Vered Bloch, design lead at Editor X, users are more engaged when their scrolling experience is worthwhile.
This has led to a rise in non-traditional navigation and website architecture, including bottom navigation bars, oversize footers, and floating buttons.
Designers like Mike Wagz, co-founder of Self Aware, attribute this trend to the emergence of unique CSS features and the availability of guidance from resources like Mozilla’s Developers.
Additionally, Jennifer Heintz, another co-founder of Self Aware, highlights the growing focus on creating website infrastructure that resembles native phone apps.
To explore these unconventional approaches, Heintz suggests stepping away from digital references and seeking inspiration from tactile analog sources such as signage, fine art, and architecture.
By thinking outside the box, designers can bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to their web design projects, ultimately creating captivating and immersive user experiences.
Artificial Intelligence Will Enter the Web Design Industry More Strongly
Artificially intelligent tools such as Dall-E (an image generator) and ChatGPT (a text engine) are gaining significant popularity online. Expectantly, such AI tools will enter the web design industry
Brent Couchman, the founder and creative director of Moniker, a design studio in San Francisco, predicts that more generative and responsive tools and plug-ins will be adopted as a result of experimentation in AI and digital tools.
This could range from platforms utilizing applications like Stable Diffusion to generate website imagery to the development of websites with architecture and design that dynamically adapt to specific user needs and contexts.
An exemplary case is Proper, a sleep supplement brand’s product description page, designed by XXIX and developed by Gardener NYC. These pages show the time of day through changes in the shadows and background of the product that slowly darkens to resemble the night sky.
Couchman also points out that the rise of organizations creating digital tools, such as Runway (an AI-content development application) and Adept (an AI product lab), serves as a powerful force to increase the utilization of AI tools in web design.
According to him, incorporating these tools into an identity’s DNA and exploring their potential in digital experiences is a natural progression, particularly when technology plays a significant role in the product itself.
eCommerce will be Seamless and One Click
As the pandemic subsides, consumer preferences are shifting towards in-person experiences, prompting websites to adapt swiftly. The forecasted shift in 2023 marks an exciting turning point in the evolution of digital branding.
As Mark Goldwell envisions this transformative era, brands have the opportunity to redefine the boundaries of online experiences, transcending the limitations of the virtual realm.
By embracing immersive web design, businesses can forge authentic connections, elevate their brand presence, and deliver unparalleled satisfaction to their customers. The future beckons and the possibilities for extraordinary digital experiences await those who dare to venture into uncharted territories.
Goldwell predicts various technological advancements to drive these changes. Augmented reality (AR) will become mainstream, enabling virtual try-on experiences that closely resemble being in-store. Major brands like Amazon, Walmart, and Snap are already testing this concept, and Zero Studios recently implemented it in Crap’s updated website.
Furthermore, evolving consumer behavior, particularly for lower-priced items like consumer packaged goods, may lead to significant changes in website functionality.
With more customers shopping on the go through platforms like TikTok or Instagram, traditional product listing and detail pages could disappear. Instead, websites will incorporate conversion-oriented features throughout, such as “add to cart” buttons directly on the homepage for quick one-click shopping. Zero Studios explored this concept in their web design for the energy drink brand Juvee.
In the era of social media dominance, customers often make purchasing decisions before even visiting a brand’s website. The goal now is to create websites with minimal friction, streamlining the purchase process for customers to complete their transactions quickly and efficiently.
By anticipating these trends and embracing innovative approaches, brands can elevate their web experiences to meet the changing demands of consumers in a post-pandemic world, as highlighted by thought leader Mark Goldwell of Zero Studios.
Accessibility and Focus on Targeting More Diverse Audiences
The focus on designing inclusive online experiences for a diverse audience has been growing, and the standards for creating truly accessible websites are being elevated. ADA guidelines regarding contrast and type size, once seen as limitations, are now seen as starting points.
In 2023, there will be a heightened emphasis on thoughtful approaches to ensure websites cater to a wider range of people and are developed by a more diverse set of individuals.
Liz Seibert Turow and Leigh Mignogna, co-founders of L+L, a creative studio in Brooklyn, predict that the concept of inclusion and accessibility will expand beyond the final outcome to encompass the design process itself. They believe that accessibility and inclusion should consider the composition of the design team, the incorporation of customer feedback, and the accessibility of website creation opportunities.
This may involve implementing new project management approaches that accommodate creatives with different abilities. For instance, reducing synchronous meetings to support team members with ADHD who struggle with task switching.
Their advice to designers is to engage with their audience, clients, and stakeholders by asking questions. They emphasize the importance of practical solutions that consider how to build a website accessible to a broader audience and also ensure ease of maintenance and updates for the client over time.
By adopting this mindset, designers can contribute to a more inclusive and accessible digital landscape, as suggested by thought leaders Liz Seibert Turow and Leigh Mignogna of L+L.
Businesses will More Focus on Blogs
Gone are the days when a few banner ads, SEO-driven copy, and a beautiful website were enough to sell products. A 2022 Google study revealed that around 40% of younger internet users now rely on visual-first social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram for product discovery, shifting away from traditional search engines.
In 2023, customers are more likely to stumble upon products through social media influencers, peer recommendations, or their personalized TikTok “For You” page.
Given this trend, brands must adapt to the new normal by diversifying their approach. Spencer Joynt, Garrett DeRossett, and Tucker Schoos from Alright Studio in Brooklyn suggest that brands should shift their focus from creating ads to producing compelling editorial content exclusively available on their websites. This approach creates a web experience that entices customers to visit repeatedly.
According to Alright Studio, this may involve collaborating with top-tier photographers, videographers, and designers to create elevated content and website-specific campaigns. It may also entail featuring long-form blog-like content prominently on e-commerce platforms.
For example, Alright Studio integrated sexual wellness brand Dame’s editorial platform, Swell, into Dame’s primary e-commerce site. Similarly, luxury home goods company Flamingo Estate showcases recipe and product modules on its homepage.
By investing in unique and engaging editorial content, brands can capture the attention of customers in a world where social media platforms play a significant role in product discovery, as suggested by Spencer Joynt, Garrett DeRossett, and Tucker School of Alright Studio.
More Focus on Backend Architecture
In addition to the visual aspects of web design, significant changes are occurring on the backend in 2023. Milwaukee’s Bggy, a web development studio founded by Jill Neitzel and Quintin Radford, believes that the era of bloated and overly customized web approaches will be replaced by leaner and more efficient sites for developers.
According to Neitzel, this streamlined backend approach encourages designers to embrace constraints rather than fight against them. It reflects a return to simpler, Vignelli-esque design philosophy.
While certain sections or moments on a web page may require specific features or user experiences, standardizing the overall approach within each website’s ecosystem is essential. This involves finding opportunities for streamlining, such as using a repurposable card style across multiple pages, while reserving custom treatments for necessary and unique cases.
As web design attracts a larger pool of individuals, Neitzel and Radford emphasize the importance of considering future designers and developers. Similar to the concept of writing “clean code” in programming, designers should build websites that are easy to expand and adapt as brands’ needs evolve over time.
By adopting this mindset, designers can contribute to a more efficient and sustainable web development process, as highlighted by Jill Neitzel and Quintin Radford of Bggy.
An Ode to the Past and Nod to the Future
Just as high-end fashion sets trends that trickle down to other industries, the digital world is also taking cues from the sleek fashion industry. Independent brand and web designer Jiyoon Cha predicts that in the coming year, mass-market e-commerce websites will draw inspiration from the minimalist luxury of fashion’s digital landscape.
Cha highlights the influence of formerly niche fashion styles, such as the “brutalist” website design pioneered by Acne and Balenciaga. This trend is now making its way into non-luxury and consumer packaged goods brands like Usual Wines, Mineral, and The Neue Co. More brands are expected to embrace the minimalist and grid-based approach to web design for its luxurious appeal.
Furthermore, Cha observes a shift in mainstream brands towards prioritizing art direction over graphic design to create a captivating brand world and drive sales. Non-luxury brands like Outdoor Voices, Soft Services, Walden, and even Burger King are relying on large-scale imagery rather than complex graphic elements to shape their digital experiences.
The fashion industry’s influence on the digital world is evident as mass-market e-commerce websites adopt minimalist luxury aesthetics and emphasize art direction over graphic design, as highlighted by Jiyoon Cha.
Typography will See a More Experimental Approach
As browsers increasingly support open-type features and font formats, the usage of typefaces on the web is expected to become more experimental and creative. Jolene Delisle, founder, and creative director of The Working Assembly, believes that fonts will be seen as dynamic file formats containing symbols, animations, icons, and letters, enabling the creation of immersive and interactive digital experiences.
The rebranding of Stink Studio and the Nouveau Rebus trend demonstrates the potential of mixed symbol-text fonts.
The rise of variable fonts showcases the shift from rigid to flexible typography on the web. Delisle considers variable fonts to be a transformative technology, and she anticipates their widespread adoption in the coming year.
She encourages designers to explore the impact of these typographic advancements on their design approach, as demonstrated by The Working Assembly’s exploration of their new typeface, TWA Brik Variable.
Brands will Leverage to Meet the Needs of Gen Z
Gen Z, the most diverse generation, values brands that align with their beliefs and are proactive in making a positive impact. As purchasing power shifts to Gen Z, brands must prioritize authentic inclusion and equity in their digital experiences to connect with this younger audience.
Annie Jean-Baptiste, head of product inclusion and equity at Google, predicts that more brands will recognize the ethical and financial value of catering to a broader audience. This includes showcasing diversity in product photography, incorporating charitable donations on e-commerce platforms, and developing technology that benefits both emerging and industrialized regions.
According to Jean-Baptiste, building inclusivity is crucial for establishing trust with the audience. Brands that make everyone feel seen and understood attract younger generations. Designers have a responsibility to embrace this trend and create experiences that cater to all.
Moreover, Jean-Baptiste is excited to witness historically marginalized groups leveraging technology to innovate and express their true selves. In the upcoming year, we can expect not only brands but also individuals to create inclusive online spaces.
Examples include Somewhere Good, an audio platform fostering intimate community conversations among people of color, and “Where are the Black Designers,” a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization advocating for Black creatives.
Learning from industry experts and following the trends will help you stand above the competition and provide top-quality work to your clients. ESP Inspire is a premier web design company that has substantial industry experience.
We have a team of expert designers that work with each client individually and work hard to meet their needs and requirements.
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