5 Web Design Trends You Can’t Afford To Ignore
Posted on Mar. 19th, 2012 in Web
A recent study has found that it only takes visitors 1/20th of a second to decide whether they like what they see. If they like it, they’ll stay. If not, your business risks losing out on those all important sales leads.
Just like the fast paced world of fashion, there are a number of key web design trends all business should be aware of. And in 2012 that is no different. Here we uncover five of the biggest web design trends your business should be making the most of this year:
Responsive Web Design
The way we use the Internet is changing. From smart phones to tablet computers; the screens we use to view web pages are increasingly varied in shape and size. In order to make the most of the lucrative mobile market, your website must adapt to all devices.
Responsive or adaptive web design is the creation of a ‘fluid’ website. The layout, images and text on the page will ‘respond’ and ‘fit’ to the size of the screen the page is being viewed on. This is something your business should be making the most of as visitors using a mobile device are increasingly more likely to make a purchase.
Social Media
Social media marketing is a great way to increase your brand awareness and showcase your latest products. But integrating you social media sites with your website is big news for 2012. As more and more people Tweet, Facebook and Google+, you want your content to be shared on social networking platforms.
The introduction of a ‘share’ or ‘tweet’ button on blog posts, and a ‘pin it’ on images – Pintrest is set to be big news – lets visitors share content from your website. Just make sure what your writing is worth sharing and you’re posting it yourself.
Infographics
Infographics are transforming the way website visitors consume information. Rather than bombarding them with facts, figures and percentages, it is becoming increasingly commonplace to use a quirky infographic.
These often show pie charts, bar charts and cartoon-style images all in bright colours and eye-catching fonts. Infographics are really easy to understand and are a great addition to any web page. Infographics are also much more likely to be shared than standard written information.
Circles
Tests have shown that circles draw the users’ eye in and grab their attention. This simple, but seemingly effective aspect of web design is currently in use all over the Internet. If you don’t think incorporating this design into your website homepage is for you, circular logos work just as well.
Take a look at our image logos blog post to see just how many of the logos we see everyday use circles to their advantage. The design can be as simple or as ‘out there’ as you would like, but this is a great way to explore creative design elements in your website.
Simplicity
In 2012, less is definitely more when it comes to website design. Crisp, classic and simplistic designs are a great way of showing your professionalism. Minimalist, user-friendly websites are much more likely to prove popular with your customers than a ‘flashy’ design.
Let Bird and Co Help
Feeling inspired but not sure where to start? Bird and Co Creative’s team of professional graphic designers are on hand to work with you to create the perfect website for your business. Our expert web developers will the build you a responsive website that works.
Contact us today to see what we can do for you.
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