5 Web Design Trends to Look For in 2017

At the end of the year, everyone turns their eyes toward what lies ahead

This is especially true in web design, where everyone is always trying to be the most innovative they can be.

So what does 2017 have to offer in terms of web design trends? Here are a few you can expect to see:

Bold, bright colors and text

Updates in screen technology have made it easier for designers and brands to really play with vibrance and color. Coupled with 90s nostalgia and a desire to appeal to today’s teens, companies are opting for sites that are heaped with big, bright text and flashy colors.

This also means we’ll continue to see easy-to-read, sans-serif typefaces as a popular choice for websites and wordmarks.

Video integration

Video has become the darling of marketing, with Facebook going hard on in-line, auto-playing clips. Brands, too, are jumping on this trend and will most likely be asking for more video embedded in their sites. Video offers the added benefit of being able to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time without taking up too much space.

Be aware, though—video has some SEO drawbacks and probably shouldn’t be considered a replacement for text just yet.

Mobile-first design

We know that more users are browsing on mobile than ever—in fact, more users are browsing on mobile than on desktops—and yet, many web designers still view mobile as an afterthought. However, the really savvy ones have already begun to prioritize mobile, including planning for optimization and responsiveness even before they develop the look and feel of the site.

This doesn’t mean that you’ll notice a difference, but mobile-first design does have a way of simplifying things and reducing user frustration.

Microinteractions

Whether it’s a little note to help you fill out a contact form or a quote from a famous thinker, so-called “microinteractions” make users feel integrated into the web experience and can help ease common user errors or difficulties.

Again, most often, these are invisible to the user—or at least, they go unnoticed—but they can make all the difference when it comes to their experience with a site.

A lot of the same things as 2016

Parallax scrolling, cards, and minimalism defined the web trends of 2015 and 2016—and they’re likely not going away anytime soon. These kinds of stylistic choices have a fairly long tail, and will almost certainly continue to be popular with both users and clients for another spin around the sun.

You can also expect to see a continuation of “brutalist design,” which we explained in a blog post earlier this year.

Whether you want a site that’s in line with the year’s most beloved trends or something a little outside the box, the design team at efelle can help you build the perfect website for what you need. Just drop a line and we’ll help you get started.

A great website starts with great design

Let our experienced online marketing team of 40 web design and development professionals help you develop a professional website that sets your business apart from the rest. Please call 206.384.4909 or fill out our online contact form to contact a law firm web design specialist for more information.