Today, not having a website is equivalent to not being listed in the phonebook in the 1990s. As online shopping grows year after year, e-commerce sales are expected to account for 20.8% of global retail sales in 2023. Customers spend nearly $21 online for every $100 they spend in stores. Even if you primarily sell products in retail stores, you will require a website to better your online presence. However, you need to incorporate the trending website features to beat the competition and have a unique website.
The Importance of Keeping Up with Web Design Trends
Web design is constantly evolving and changing. From new design tools and techniques to emerging technologies, there are always new trends and features to keep up with.
But why is it so important to keep up with these trends? Generally, these trending web features can have a significant impact on the success of your site. But explained below are some of the other reasons.
Modern websites
Keeping up with trending website features can help you create a website that looks modern and up-to-date. This is important because your website is often the first impression that potential customers will have of your brand.
With so many websites out there, it’s essential to stand out from the crowd. By incorporating the latest design trends into your website, you stay relevant and ensure that your site doesn’t look outdated. This is particularly important if you’re in a competitive industry where users have a lot of options. If your website looks old-fashioned, users may assume that your products or services are outdated as well.
On the other hand, if your website looks sleek, modern, and well-designed, it can create a positive impression. They will be more likely to see you as a professional and trustworthy business, and this can help increase conversions.
User Friendly websites
Trending web features help create a website that is user-friendly and easy to navigate. For example, the responsive design trend ensures that your website works well on any device. This can be a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone. People are accessing the internet on mobile devices, and if your website doesn’t work well on these, you’ll lose leads.
Better SEO
Keeping up with the latest and trending website design features also helps improve your website’s SEO. Search engines like Google prefer websites that are up-to-date and user-friendly. By incorporating the latest design trends, you improve your website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Are you looking to acquire a modern and user-friendly website for yourself or your business? Are you a web designer researching trending website features? Here lies your answer.
So, what are these trending website features?
Responsive Design
Responsive design is a feature that allows a website to adapt its layout, content, and features to fit the screen size on which it is being viewed.
The need for responsive design has become more critical than ever before. This is because a majority of internet traffic now comes from mobile devices. Users expect websites to function properly on their phones and tablets, just as they do on their desktops.
One of the core principles of responsive design is fluid grids. This allows website elements to resize proportionally based on the screen size. Websites, therefore remain balanced and readable across different devices. Responsive design often includes flexible images and media that can adapt to the size of the screen and prevent distortion.
Dark Mode
Dark mode is a web design trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Generally, it provides a darker colour scheme for your website. This makes it easier on the eyes, particularly in low-light environments. The background of the website is made dark, typically black or dark grey, while the text, icons, and other design elements are light-coloured.
The primary benefit this feature has is that it reduces eye strain, especially in low-light conditions. By reducing the amount of bright light, users reduce the risk of eye fatigue, headaches, and other eye-related problems. This is particularly important for users who spend a lot of time on their devices.
Another benefit of dark mode is that it can conserve battery life on mobile devices. In dark mode, the device’s screen emits less light, which means it consumes less power. This can result in longer battery life and a better user experience.
Dark mode also provides a sleek and modern look for your website, which can make it more appealing to users. Dark mode is becoming increasingly popular and can help your site stand out from the crowd. It can also be a great way to differentiate your site from competitors and make it more memorable.
Micro Interactions
Micro interactions are small design elements that provide feedback to users, enhance the user experience, and add a touch of personality to a website. These interactions are typically triggered by specific user actions, such as clicking a button, hovering over an element, or scrolling down a page.
They provide feedback to users, letting them know that their actions have been registered and that something is happening. For example, when a user hovers over a button, a micro interaction might cause the button to change colour or animate, indicating that it is clickable.
Secondly, micro interactions can help to guide users through a website or application. By providing visual cues and feedback, they make it easier for users to understand how to use a website or application. This reduces frustration and increases engagement.
Examples of micro interactions include:
- Button animations: When a user clicks on a button, a micro interaction might cause the button to animate, indicating that the action has been registered.
- Progress indicators: When a user is completing a form or waiting for a page to load, a progress indicator can provide feedback on how much progress has been made.
- Tooltips: Tooltips provide additional information when a user hovers over an element, such as a button or image.
- Pull-to-refresh: When a user pulls down on a page to refresh it, a micro interaction might cause the page to bounce back up slightly, indicating that the action has been registered.
When designing micro interactions, it’s important to consider the context in which they will be used. Micro interactions should be subtle and unobtrusive. This means providing feedback without distracting the user from their primary goal. They should also be consistent with the overall design of the website or application.
Voice User Interface
Voice User Interface (VUI) is a design trend that is gaining momentum in 2023, and it refers to the use of voice commands to interact with digital devices, including websites, mobile applications, and smart speakers. A VUI typically utilizes natural language processing (NLP) technology, which enables computers to understand human language and respond accordingly.
One of the key benefits of VUI is its ability to make technology more accessible to users who have disabilities or who prefer to use voice commands. For example, users who are visually impaired or have motor disabilities can use VUI to interact with websites without the need for a mouse or keyboard. Additionally, VUI can provide a hands-free option, making it easier to interact with websites while multitasking.
VUI is becoming increasingly popular due to the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. These devices are becoming ubiquitous in homes and offices, and users are becoming more accustomed to interacting with technology using their voice. As a result, website owners who incorporate VUI into their sites can provide a more seamless and intuitive user experience.
Minimalism
Minimalism is a design trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly in web design. It is characterized by a clean, simple design that focuses on the essentials, with minimal or no embellishments. In minimalist design, the emphasis is on whitespace, typography, and colour to create a cohesive and visually appealing design.
One of the primary benefits of minimalism is that it helps to improve the user experience. By removing unnecessary elements and simplifying the layout, users can easily find what they are looking for and navigate the site more efficiently. This can lead to increased engagement and reduced bounce rates, as users are more likely to stay on a site that is easy to use and visually appealing.
Another benefit of minimalism is that it can improve the overall performance of your site. By reducing the number of elements on a page, you can reduce page load times, which is crucial for retaining users on your site. This can also improve your site’s search engine optimization (SEO), as search engines favour sites that load quickly and have a good user experience.
AI and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are two related fields that have seen a significant increase in popularity and importance in recent years. AI is a broad field that encompasses the study and development of intelligent agents that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as recognizing speech, visual perception, decision-making, and natural language processing. Machine learning is a subset of AI that focuses on the development of algorithms that allow computers to learn from data without being explicitly programmed.
AI and ML have numerous applications in web design and development. One of the most significant advantages of AI and ML is their ability to personalize the user experience. By analysing user data, AI and ML algorithms can create personalized recommendations and suggestions based on the user’s browsing history and preferences. This can be especially useful in e-commerce websites, where personalized recommendations can help increase sales and customer satisfaction.
Another application of AI and ML in web design is chatbots and virtual assistants. Chatbots are programs that use natural language processing to interact with users and provide assistance or answer questions. Chatbots and virtual assistants can help improve the user experience of visitors by providing quick and convenient assistance, which can be especially useful for users who have difficulty navigating websites.
3D Graphics
With 3D graphics, designers can create immersive and interactive experiences for users, making websites more engaging and visually appealing.
3D graphics are created using computer graphics software that allows designers to create three-dimensional objects and scenes. These objects can be manipulated in a variety of ways, including scaling, rotating, and moving, to create realistic simulations of real-world objects and environments.
In web design, 3D graphics can be used to create a variety of effects and interactions. For example, 3D graphics can be used to create product demos, allowing users to interact with a product in a virtual environment before making a purchase. They can also be used to create animations and games that can keep users engaged and entertained.
One of the most significant benefits of 3D graphics is their ability to create a sense of depth and realism that is difficult to achieve with traditional 2D graphics. With 3D graphics, designers can create lifelike textures and lighting effects that can make a website feel more like a real-world environment.
In conclusion
The trending website features mentioned above are important to make your website stand out, look more appealing to visitors, have an easy-to-use interface and also drive-up leads or sales in the long run.
However, that is not all, your website also needs;
- Value propositions page
- About us page
- Existing and past client lists
- Strong, clear calls to action (CTAs)
- Mobile friendliness
- FAQ
At Othware Uganda, while we consider the latest and trending website features, we also understand that the most important aspect of any website is providing value to its users. Therefore, while implementing these features, we also focus on user needs and preferences to create a website that delivers a seamless and engaging user experience.
Talk to our website experts today in our free consultation sessions to learn more.
Passionate about tech, a better writer than talker. Also a Content writer @ Othware.
