#1 User experience
Today, everything focuses on mighty USERS. How can you be successful in your business if you don’t satisfy users? Remember just display what users – your customers need and want when they spend time on your site. Web developers begin to take into account adaptation of website, but that’s not enough. Your site needs to be fast and simple, which is the key to keep users stay on and stick to your site. A heavy one with full of content and not optimized images will let users go with your competitors.
Remember each user comes to your website for something, and wasting time is not on their list.
#2 Responsive design
You probably know that responsive web design - the ability for a website to automatically adapt to different screen sizes on different devices, has become a popular “phenomenon” in years since smart devices such as: smart phones, iPad, tablets, etc. became popular, and it’ll still be trendy in 2017. With new technology comes out every year, this is only expected to grow. Hence, if you are gonna run your own web site, remember to make it be responsive, or if you already own one, try to make it run more smoothly to satisfy users!
#3 Video content
Videos are becoming increasingly popular for websites, likely due to the increase in internet speed and wider accessibility for users. Many people also prefer to learn by watching video as opposed to reading a lot of content. According to stats, 96% of B2B organizations are already using video in some capacity in their marketing campaigns, and 87% of online marketers use video content.
Actually content is the king, and the king of content is videos, but don’t abuse them. Combine both text content and video content will turn your site into an attractive and considerable one. Today, there is also a new trend of using 360 degree videos which varies user experience, but you need take it into account because it may slow down your site's loading speed. Not every site needs video in 360 degree!
#4 Material design
Material design which is a new trend developed by Google at the same time with release of Android 5.0 Lollipop. It is known as realistic design that appeared in early 2013. Material design means more liberal use of grid-based layouts, responsive animation and transition, without excluding such depth effects as lightning and shadows. Although it's quite popular in 2016, it is still predicted to become the trend in the next year.
If you want to know more of material design, click here
#5 Flat design
Although material design fixed some usability problems of flat design, we are not saying goodbye to Flat. Its simplified sites are endlessly adaptable and extremely easy to make responsive. Furthermore, flat is less heavy and makes pages load faster. Flat design still holds and will hold the leading design trend in the flat world today.
#6 Smart navigation
Navigation is one of the indispensable parts for a great website. It guides users and let them know where they are without distracting them from content. This is extremely important because if your visitors get flooded in tons of information and have no idea of where they are or what they are reading, they will leave your site sooner or later.
#7 Storytelling
Your website should tell your unique story using a combination of text and visuals. Storytelling has been a popular web design trend for a few years now, and it still holds great value. Show visitors who you are, where you come from, what you offer, or anything else you want them to know through video, animation, or photography, or lead them through your web page or website by getting them to scroll down or click somewhere.
Do you know that
- 64% of people are more likely to make a purchase after watching a video; and
- 78% of people watch or download online videos.
How can your videos can touch this number 78%? Well, to me, an easiest and simplest way is to use extensions/plugin to help; and JUX Social Content Locker that inspires viewers to share or like your videos/content is always my first suggestion!
Visual content always works better than a simple piece of text – it makes your story more attractive and alive. Take its advantage and boost your site.
Are you ready to change?
I have already presented a few predictions of web designs for 2017. How do you think? Based on that predictable trends, do you think your site needs changing a little bit? Or if it’s okay now, don’t hesitate to show me and others by commenting below this post!
