When was the last time you looked at your website? If it’s been a few years since you had your site designed, chances are it is well passed its use by date.
Website design, like most other forms of design, has its own fashions and trends – and nothing says ‘behind the times’ to your potential customers like a slow and out-of-date website.
Here are some emerging trends in website design that you might want to consider, to help keep your website current and modern:
Compatibility with smart phones
With the widespread popularity of smart phones and tablets, it is no longer enough to have a site which looks good and works well on desk top and laptop computers, it also needs to be quick to load and is easy to use on mobile devices and tablets.
As an increasing number of web searches are made while people are on the move, therefore there is a good chance that not having a site that is optimised for mobiles and tablets could mean missing out on valuable business.
If your site is not currently smart phone and tablet friendly, it will likely need to be in the near future – so you might as well get on with it sooner rather than later.
Sites that are not compatible can cause frustration for mobile phone and tablet users, and can easily turn them click to the next site.
More precise text and bigger images
Having to scroll down to find information is becoming a thing of the past. Websites are becoming increasingly lighter on text, and are beginning to rely on eye-catching images and bigger fonts for more visual impact.
Having all the necessary information visible on the one page makes it easier for readers to take a quick glance and find what they need, without having to fiddle about with sidebars and scrolling down.
In addition to the reduction in text, new websites are being designed to have bigger and more interactive images, logos and icons. The single picture surrounded by text layout will soon be a thing of the past as the image, and the impression it leaves on consumers, takes centre stage.
Creative fonts
Fonts are getting more interesting and there are more tools like Type Kit, which make using them easy. Website designers are also beginning to be more creative with slogans and headlines, including combining different fonts and using larger typefaces.
All things social
With digital marketing being one of the top marketing priorities in 2013, it is absolutely critical that links to your social media pages are in a prominent position in your website design.
Social media icons can be tweaked to match your brand to ensure they fit into the overall design.
Take a look at your site – is it up to the minute or could it use a revamp? Remember, your website is often the first impression your future customers will have of your business – make sure it is a true reflection of your brand and is as up-to-date as possible.
