Introduction
The first three years of this decade have introduced a landslide of digital advances. A new innovation is blowing our minds every moment and changing our reality. It can be a lot to keep up with, but your team at Idea Kraft is here to help. Many of these changes result from the need to create engaging experiences for your audience. Let’s look at a few trends to help you make your website stand out and wow your target audiences.
Trend #1: Turn-of-the-Century Style
Nostalgia has brought us to the era of Y2K. (Ah! a lovely time of worrying that all computers would cease to function—boy, were we wrong) As one century transformed into another, the anti-design aesthetic was everywhere. We are seeing a resurgence of this maximalist style, with mixed fonts and pages oversaturated with words. It pushes back against the tide of the minimalist design that has been prevalent in 2022.
Trend #2: Added Dimension
There was a time when the only way you could get an idea of how the product looked was to go to the store. More companies are finding a way to help you decide to buy easier and without ever entering the store. Product reveals are more dynamic than ever, with 3D animations and AI. Both allow customers to get an idea of what something looks like, and AI lets you see what it will look like in your home. 3D animation is a cost-effective way to engage your audience.
Trend #3: This is How We Scroll
The desire to add a spark to the monotony of scrolling never ceases. Websites display more compelling imagery and are creative about the ways you can view them. Employing dynamic scrolling features like parallax zoom and 3d imagery makes your site more immersive and provides a great experience that your customers will enjoy.
Trend #4: Performance for People
Google’s Core Web Vitals and Helpful Trend Report may have changed how we create content on our site, but faster load speeds are still paramount in helping your page rank higher in SEO. If you and your competitor are both hitting the mark with user-focused content and design, then the only thing that will put you on top is load speed. Once on the page, experience rules! Help your audience navigate your page by improving the layout. Engage visitors with elements like mouse-over effects that animate an object alerting them to additional information. Also, remember the FAQS. Answer the questions users are searching for but no one else is answering.
Trend #5: Accessibility
It may have taken actual legislation to get companies to adhere to accessibility standards, but companies are learning that inclusivity is rewarding. When 15% of the world is living with some disability—about a billion for those testing their math skills—making an effort to reach the marginalized masses makes sense. Unfortunately, these potential customers have often gone ignored until now. Whether based on altruism or the bottom line, companies are making their digital products more accessible and realizing the benefit of this good deed. Facebook led the way among social media platforms by creating an accessibility team back in 2011, now Meta Accessibility, which incorporates features like real-time captions and keyboard shortcuts.
Google is introducing an app called Lookout, which will help the visually impaired navigate their spaces, and Microsoft is using AI for accessibility. You don’t have to have artificial intelligence at your fingertips to make a more accessible website. You can start with simple actions like reworking your text, reevaluating your colors, and adding captions. Siteimprove outlines the rules of ADA compliance and provides tips on making your site friendly for all users. Your audience is a priority.
Wrap Up
Web design offers the opportunity to explore the many advances in the past three years. Use these innovations to create new experiences for your audience, and you may discover ways to generate engagement and stronger connections. In all that, you should take a user-centered approach, and you won’t go wrong.
Check out our work to see how the team at Idea Kraft brings our clients’ pages to life.
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