Choose the web design trends that best fit your goals for your website.
You’ve heard that it’s best to be on the cutting edge of user interface website design trends. In truth, that’s not always a good thing. It depends on your type of business and the audience you’re trying to reach. Before you use some of the latest website design techniques, take time to determine which ones make the most sense for your business. If you do, you’ll likely avoid sacrificing profits and website usability for the sake of the most recent style of the day.
Hidden Navigation
The hamburger menu consists of three stacked lines that cover the navigation text on a website. This is nothing new to Google; it’s been using the hamburger menu on its Chrome browser for a while. For websites, this trend is growing and web designers are extremely creative in how they’re using this type of hidden navigation technique.
One drawback is that users must make an extra click to read the text behind the menu. Hidden navigation menus also tend to reduce browser visibility. Nonetheless, sometimes they’re the best solution for removing clutter. For example, they’re great for businesses that want to display images more than text. It helps streamline navigation for large websites with many landing pages as well.
Infinite Scrolling
One-page infinite scrolling websites are growing in popularity. It’s successful because it keeps the user engaged on a single page as long as possible. This illusion works by having more content appear as the user scrolls down the page. Users get the impression of never-ending content.
This trend is suitable for websites that have information coming in from feeds. The infinite scrolling method works well for mobile navigation too. It may not be as effective for e-commerce websites though. According to a Neilson Group study, users may abandon the website if they become inpatient as they scroll and try to find a specific product or content.
Parallax Scrolling
Some websites use parallax scrolling to enable the foreground and background of a webpage to move at two different speeds. A test conducted by the Journal of Usability Studies (JUS) showed that 41 out of 43 users found a parallax scrolling website more fun and appealing than a non-parallax one. It’s worth noting that during the test, the remaining two of the 43 participants experienced motion sickness using the parallax website. If this scrolling method is applied, it’s a good idea to measure feedback on a frequent basis and address any issues with user interactions.
Material Design
Google has published material design introductory guidelines to combine the standards of good design and creative movement for all platforms from desktop to mobile. Earlier, the standard flat design was developed to help websites streamline focus. Now, material design is considered the next generation of flat design. It’s used to liven up websites and transform them into something unique for today’s audience. It uses vibrant colors and enhances text to be more readable. Since Google is promoting material design concepts, its guidelines are likely to become customary in website design.
Some trends fade away while others become standard practice in web design. If you know of a website design trend you want to try but aren’t sure if it’s right for your type of business, MAXBURST can help. Our skilled web designers use their expertise to determine what will work for your website. Fill out our Request A Quote Form, or make a toll-free call to 888-MAXWEB (888-962-9932) today.
