It’s a new year and the best time to revamp your website. Fortunately, design experts release their web design trends for you to follow (or not) in the new year. But if you don’t know which ones to apply to your website, here are ten web design trends you can try on your site this year.
1. Nostalgic Designs
Retro is hip and cool for web design in 2023. It’s no surprise that one of the largest internet user bases is the 25 to 34 age group. That said, this demographic has been exposed to the internet at an early age and knows how to browse different websites. Hence, websites can benefit from using nostalgic design to connect with their audience. Plus, it’s relatable and comfortable for this age group.
But how can you apply nostalgia?
- Vintage typography
- Cartoon illustrations
- Custom cursors
- Text-heavy websites
- Pastel color palettes
2. Parallax Scrolling
Many design experts agree that parallax scrolling is here to stay. That trend has earned a spot on trend lists before 2023. But you might ask, what is parallax scrolling? It’s an engaging way to keep the background still while other elements at the front move as you scroll down or up. This trend works great if your website is visual-heavy and to entertain visitors as they navigate your site.
As interesting as parallax scrolling is, it can be tricky to apply to your website. But don’t let that discourage you. You can hire a web developer to work on this. Or, you can choose web design themes with parallax scrolling.
3. Horizontal Scrolling
Another scrolling web design trend to apply in 2023 is horizontal. It’s another cool way to keep visitors on your site. Think of it as visitors reading a book and letting them explore various pages on your homepage. You can employ this scrolling style if you have tons of pictures or illustrations to share at once. Plus, according to Hotjar, horizontal scrolling is great to use when maximizing space or using interactive elements on your site.
4. Illustrations
Illustrations are still trendy in 2023. But with most businesses using illustrations, you need to stand out from the crowd. That said, you can’t have generic-looking illustrations from free illustration sites. You need to invest in custom illustrations to give your brand a unique look.
Another trend in web design is claymorphic illustrations. This illustration style has a 3D effect, making your website look interactive. Most of these illustrations don a pastel look and can bring life to your website. And if you’re interested in claymorphic design, you can hire an illustration service for this purpose.
5. Typography
Various typographic styles will shine in 2023. But three prominent web design trends for this category are custom, big, and animated styles.
First up is custom typographical styles. Your web design is a reflection of your brand too. And it’s best to use your custom typography on your digital assets. Yes, it’s easier to obtain free fonts online or purchase them. But if you want to make a mark digitally, custom typography is the way to go in 2023.
The second typographical style you can adopt on your website is using larger text. Bigger fonts create more impact when visitors browse your site. Plus, it’s eye-catching and will pique your visitor’s interest.
Finally, animated fonts will become the norm in 2023. After all, animated elements will continue to shine this year. It’s compelling and will entertain your visitors and influence them to stay on your site for longer.
6. Animation
As I have mentioned above, animation will continue to dominate in web design. Certain elements can be animated, such as product reveals or loading screens. But you can animate a button or shapes, which many experts call micro-animations.
Animation is an excellent feature to engage visitors. Plus, you can tell a story and present elements simultaneously with animated features.
7. Negative Space
Negative space is a graphic design principle. But this web design trend will be more noticeable this year. Since everything is about visuals, animations, and big fonts, you might forget about negative space. And it’s essential to add negative space to your website to create hierarchy and organization. After all, you don’t want to cram all elements in one place. Plus, negative space is crucial for readability.
8. 3D
3D elements aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The best way to adopt 3D is by adding 3D graphics to your website. But you can take it to the next level by making it interactive. Plus, you may reduce your bounce rates since immersive and interactive 3D elements can be engaging and fun.
9. Structure
Visible borders and grids are a visual trend that most modern websites have. This web design trend allows you to have a cleaner and more organized website. Plus, with these borders and grids, you can separate various elements and ensure that visitors can easily view your site.
Meanwhile, the opposite of an organized and grid-like structure is an overlap. Not that overlaps don’t create structure. But you can be creative with overlapped elements, such as shapes, lines, or fonts. This lets you streamline your above-the-fold elements like call-to-action buttons or header images. Plus, many experts view the overlap trend as a scrapbook aesthetic.
10. Gradients
The final website trend you can follow on your site is gradients. Although they’re not new, they’ll stick around in 2023. Gradients are visually appealing on any graphic or website. Plus, it will make a website vibrant or bright. That said, when selecting gradients, make sure they come from one palette to create a cohesive look.
Key Takeaways
It can be tempting to use all these web design trends on your website. But it all depends on your branding and personal preferences. Plus, applying MOST of these can become overkill, and you could turn away a visitor for using too much. You can choose which trends speak to you and give them your own twist. This way, more visitors will stay on your site longer and could even be customers or loyal followers.
