Simple animations and GIFs, brutalism, microinteractions, diversity: get to know the 10 main Web Design trends for this year.
As a good Web Design professional, you should already know that it is necessary to be aware of all changes in the market to have a competitive advantage among your competitors.
A few years ago, design trends moved towards unrestrained creativity – abandoning traditional grids and photos in exchange for vibrant illustrations, bold color schemes and asymmetric layouts.
In other years, technological advances have made websites smarter (with machine learning and subtle interactions) and these changing paradigms have influenced design trends (hamburger menus, anyone?).
In 2020, web design trends will see these two sides of the coin – aesthetics and technology – come together like never before.
So if you want to know what Web Design trends are in 2020, check out our article and find out if any of them could be the key to increasing your conversions!
1. Vertical page transition
It is not new that people want information faster and faster on the internet. And one of the characteristics of the new user is that he is in a hurry, does not like to wait.
Therefore, one of the trends of Web Design in 2020 is the transition of pages smoothly, and preferably, vertically.
That’s because the feeling of clicking on a link and waiting for it to open looking at a completely white background is unpleasant and leaves the user impatient, which can increase their bounce rates.
The transition makes the action smooth and reduces the feeling that the user is waiting for something.
In addition, vertical movement (from bottom to top) generates familiarity and improves usability on both desktop and mobile devices, as this is the standard page scrolling movement.
Combining this strategy with an SEO consultancy to increase the loading speed of your website, it is possible to increase your conversions and improve the user experience.
2. Simple animations and GIFs
No user likes to access a page and find only columns and more columns of text. Therefore, it is the obligation of every Web Designer to insert images to optimize a website.
However, with the insertion of GIFs on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social networks, people are becoming more and more familiar with the animations.
Therefore, a trend in Web Design and 2020 is to use simple animations, but that guide the user to the important points of the page.
In addition to making a website more dynamic, animations inserted at the right moment of the user’s journey can be decisive in guiding the lead to take the action you want.
GIFs can also be very useful, especially to demonstrate simple actions in a few seconds, without the need to produce a video.
3. 3D illustrations
One of the main trends for Web Design in 2020 is to use 3D illustrations as a replacement for photos.
The idea is to exchange the common “text and image on the side” for a centralized illustration that shows the brand’s solutions in a cleaner way.
The main advantages of using illustrations are:
- generate user identification;
- explain the process of using your product / service clearly;
- helps to humanize the brand;
- ideal for businesses with more than 5 people, as it does not exclude groups of people.
- In addition, you can assemble the illustrations based on the visual identity of the brand, reinforcing the company’s branding and generating more trust in the user.
4. Brutalism
Hated by some and loved by others, brutalism is a design style focused only on functionality, ignoring the appearance of a website. As a consequence, websites with brutalist design present disorderly elements, very aggressive fonts and little refinement, creating a very “raw” appearance. Many people find the style uncomfortable, but recently it has gained popularity among young audiences, especially when used with elements of the 90’s web. In addition, it is possible to set up a brutal website that is functional and does not look so aggressive, just select the elements used and, of course, test! The truth is that the style can work, but it will depend on your brand strategy, your goal and, mainly, your audience.
5. Serifs on the screen
We’ve all heard the rule that serif fonts are for printing and sans serifs are for screen / digital. But what would become of web design trends if they were not to shake that “old idea formed about everything”? While the sans family, with its clean readability, is still the preferred one to be applied in long texts – be it copy or institutional texts – more and more brands are betting on a serif font. The bold serif can have a very interesting effect on headings and headlines or headlines. There is a good reason for this: serifs are designed to be decorative, making them perfect for showing emphasis. And even though serifs are often associated with the past, they are extremely versatile and more adaptable than you might think. Take, for example, the rounded serifs that represent the joyful brand of Mailchimp.
6. Black and white palettes
Color is one of the most important elements of a website. It creates a mood, unifies a brand and guides users through an interface, creating points of visual reference. For 2020, we are seeing several sites using a black and white color scheme, to dare and give more visual prominence. Color is literally how we see the world through the particles of light being absorbed. When color is lacking, we begin to see the world differently: textures and shapes become clearer, and the world seems noticeably slower, still.
White by itself is clean and reserved, while black is strong and assertive. Combine these and you will have a completely striking appearance, with the ideal light and contrast. Ironically, the biggest effect that black and white designs can have is their combination with minimal amounts of color. Adding an accent color will not only break that monochromatic air, but will make points of interest and calls to action stand out.
7. Natural and organic forms
Although websites are typically set up for systematic grids, designers are turning to natural shapes and smooth lines. Geometric structures such as squares, rectangles and triangles with their sharp corners create a feeling of stability, but the trends of 2020 are more concerned with the feeling of accessibility and comfort. Since organic shapes are naturally imperfect and asymmetrical, they can provide depth to the page layout. The shapes are based on nature (think of the curved shapes of trees and mountains), but they can also be elements drawn freely, to give the idea of spontaneity of accidents caused by man, such as paint splashes, coffee stain, or something like that. . The goal here is for the layout to be more “human” and alive through this illusion of movement.
8. Microinteractions
Microinteractions are events with a purpose: to surprise the user and create an inviting and humane event.
Every time you perform a small action on a website or application and there is a specific response to it, this is a microinteraction.
When you update a Twitter page and hear a beep, this is a micro-interaction. Or when you check Facebook, the red icon displaying your message count is also a micro-interaction.
These were the most common uses of them, but in 2020, sites will have their most interactive incarnations. The user can hover or scroll the page to activate animations and other effects.
In short, this is a way to engage your target audience on your website, convey information to users about your actions and make websites a little more intelligent and interactive.
9. Even more video content
Video content not only diversifies the page, but serves a moving audience that doesn’t have time to read a lot of text.
Be it a video explaining your service or a background video, to give more movement to the site.
However, using videos on the site is nothing new, what is new is the movement that Google has made. The search giant favored sites that use videos on its pages in search results.
10. Diversity
Often, people forget that the web has always been accompanied by two more important ones: “World Wide”. The internet connects billions of people around the world from different cultures, skills, ages, gender identities – people who want to see themselves reflected in their content.
Even small considerations from the past (like Apple’s varying skin tones for emojis) went a long way to making people from all walks of life feel more welcome in a brand’s digital space.
In 2020, web designers should take an even greater leap towards inclusion, from improved accessibility standards to socially aware and diverse images.
The world still has a long way to go in this arena, but designers today can use their art to demonstrate that the web must be plural, about real people making real connections.
In the end, trends come and go. Some last for decades, while others are simply a flash. What matters is that you remain true to the brand you are creating for.
Choose the trends that best align with the company’s values. If something is trended, it doesn’t mean you have to adopt it. You need to choose the trends that are useful to make your projects more effective and impactful.
Did you write down all the tips or are you already testing them? So leave your comment if any of them worked!
