Web design is an essential part of any company’s marketing plan. Your website contains the vital information your customers need to learn about your product and by following cutting-edge web design trends, you can help your business stand out in crowded cyberspace.
Like with anything online, the key to staying relevant relies on looking ahead to the future and staying on top of the latest trends is crucial if you want to build websites that stay up to scratch with your competitors. The last thing you want to do is launch a new website that instantly looks dated because you haven’t stayed tuned in to the latest trends.
At Prism Digital, our team of web design experts knows how to achieve a balance between incorporating new trends and building sites that will stand the test of time. By no means are we saying you need to jump on every new thing that pops up! But you do need to be on the lookout for new trends that will be advantageous to your brand.
To give you a clearer idea or what’s out there, we’ve put together this list of trailblazing web design trends you can experiment with this year and beyond.
Why they work: Scrolling effects can stimulate visitors and encourage them to continue scrolling.
Scrolling effects—animations triggered by scroll action—create more dynamic web experiences, which is why they’re arguably one of the most popular trending web design elements in 2023. Increasingly seen on interactive websites, scrolling effects serve to intrigue readers, keep them scrolling, signify a break in content, and create a three-dimensional experience.
Example: Creative design agency OK Alpha uses the parallax scroll design technique, which adds to the overall website design and experience.
Why it works: 3D graphics create a different type of dynamic experience, with tactile illustrations that feel more tangible.
2023 has seen sites adding dimensionality through multi-layered illustrations, using leading techniques including 3D illustrations and Claymorphism—a combination of inner and outer shadows to create a soft, 3D effect.
Why it works: Kinetic typography can keep visitors engaged and help them digest your content.
Moving text is an animation technique that is being used by website designers to immediately grab the visitor's attention once they land on the homepage. It can be used to highlight important sections, guide your visitors as they scroll, and gradually reveal information. Plus, it’s just nice to look at!
Example: Designer Matthew Rogers is the man behind this kinetic typography animation of the words of British writer and actor Stephen Fry.
Why they work: Custom cursors can use an original image as an icon, or use animated effects to create an interactive experience.
If you were online during the 90s and early 2000s, you might remember changing your cursor into a cat, smiley face, or green alien head—Y2K was a truly fun time!
By capitalizing on wider trends like Y2K, your business can connect better with your potential customers and create relatable experiences that encourage visitors to immerse themselves.
Why it works: CRM integration allows businesses to form as big a picture of their users as possible.
As defined by Hubspot, a CRM integration is the seamless connectivity between your CRM software and third-party applications. These integrations result in automated actions that expand the functionality of your software, eliminating the need to toggle back and forth between systems.
Unfortunately, getting to know customers is becoming more and more tricky, as online users are getting savvy and aren’t necessarily willing to hand over too much information in one go. That’s why integrated CRM systems are so important to websites of the future. An integrated CRM will recognize where your users are within their individual lead journey and target them with personalized forms requesting different information at different stages.
Example: CRM systems are an important tool as they record and track data on current clients and leads across many channels.
The web has always been a fun and interactive place, but what sets 2023 apart is how effortlessly integrated the idea of user engagement has become. Your business now has access to technology that can build engagement into your site with responsiveness, animation, and fun, making the modern website a living place for businesses and users to find new ways to interact.