As technology advances and becomes more entrenched into our everyday lives, users are demanding more advancement from their online user experience. Now users are savvy and want personal, interactive and relevant user experience. It indicates that now web designers are facing the challenges of developing a website that understands and responds to user behavior.

This year, we will see even more improvement, refinement and standardization of current web design trends. Now it’s time to look at the future of web design, and consider how the implementation of the latest technologies, artificial intelligence and different software continue to expand the possibilities of what is possible next in web design.

Here, I’ve curated a list of top web design trends predictions which will become more strengthen and continue through 2017 and beyond. Some web design agencies have already started to effectively implement these latest web design trends in their clients’ website to boost conversions. 

1. Minimalism

This web design trend encapsulates many other styles that are becoming more prevalent nowadays. Because, users now want less clutter, simplistic and visually explanatory web designs. Minimalism web design means emphasis on de-cluttered menus and navigation both, with enough space.

2. Material Design

The Material Design approach has many common traits of flat design i.e. bold, graphic with so many colors, but it uses material as a metaphor. Therefore, it includes tactile characteristics such as surfaces and edges, as well as rationalized space.

One of the basic rules of Material Design is “motion gives real meaning”. Google says that motion must be meaningful and appropriate, focus on attention and maintaining it. The ultimate aim of this design trend is to conceive a unified experience across cross-platforms. It is totally based on user experience.

3. Colorful Shape Gradients

2017 is likely to see many gradients, especially in hero sections (i.e. any prominent image, slider, text or any other element that has pride of place at the top of the homepage) of website where web designers can grab the attention of visitors.

4. Hand-Drawn Icons

Hand written icons are also advancing and associate directly with web design. The icon trends, if carefully incorporated can provide great contrast to clean uniform typography. Moreover, it is also using as CTA pointers such as Call Now, Sign Up Now.

This is now more frequent as web designers and digital marketers look to increase website traffic and ROI using subtle contrasting visual mockups.

5. Microinteractions

Microinteractions have started gathering traction on the web, with so many tools available for prototyping and implementing these, the amazing trend is expected to continue in 2017 as well.

The interactive animations along with a catchy interface can convey status and provide feedback, while enhancing the sense of direct manipulation. Moreover, it helps users visualize the results of their actions. And in UX, it is all about how users feel about using your product and how you deal with users. Microinteractions provide users needed feedback while making the interface approachable.

6. Keep on Scrolling

There are some pros and cons of long-scrolling websites. But this year, we will see more and more long-scrolling websites, after the success of bottomless social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These social media platforms allow users to scroll for long, continuously providing new content.

Now many websites are keeping away with navigations, menus and tabs, rather they focus on single page websites and putting everything on one page. However, the website can be broken with images, typography, videos, CTAs, sufficient white space to add clean look and provide some excitement to the user experience.

7. Duotones

Duotones are used to find a perfect balance between a minimal and a cluttered, distracting website design. Images can be implemented this way without pulling the eye away from the actual message or navigation. The web design industry is expecting to see more duotone imagery taking the place of high resolution hero backgrounds. It can also be used to bring consistency when different images are displayed.  

8. Less Menu/Navigation Options

Last year, we saw so many websites redesigned with less menu or navigation options. This will likely become more prevalent in 2017. Header menus that previously presented 6-8 options may reduce to 3-4. This is because fewer choices guide the user more easily to what they are actually looking for.

Everything important about your website is linked with the menu options, from content to the URLs, therefore, it is important to make navigation more accessible and concisely communicate the important information. It is critical for user-friendliness and your search-engine rankings.   

9. Storytelling

The web design industry is predicting a shift towards interactive, inspirational web storytelling that emphasizes on rich, unique user experience. This dynamic trend that works by telling a story with visuals and textual support is going to rule 2017, as it guides the user through a though process. It can show users the benefits of a product or service, vision of the organization and anything that you want your visitors to know about your brand.

A storytelling element would be a video, presentation, images or animations. It is important to highlight the website message and features of your products in the most succinct way possible. Keep the right balance between graphics and text, excess of any of two can result in an overwhelming user experience.

Conclusion

The year 2017 is all about meeting user’s requirements and improving user experience. Gone are the days, when websites are designed for eye-catching animation, now the perspective has completely changed. Utilitarianism is something that will rule the web design trend. It is important for businesses to stay up to date with the current and upcoming trends to meet their clients’ needs.