The last two years have been a period of dynamic changes in the consumer goods and services markets, cultural and social ones. The resulting new needs also forced changes in the design of websites because, on the Internet, they represent businesses and organizations. Google updates introduced in May 2021 are directly related to Page Experience, including page load timeline, interactivity and visual stability. They are connected to the user experience and have an influence on the ranking in organic results.
Be sure to read the article below to find out what trends in web design will apply in 2022. Remember that trends are not guidelines but a guide. There are many of them, and it is impossible to put them in one article. That is why I am listing only those that I consider the most interesting. I focus on trends in website design related to the optimization of essential website elements and UX practices.
Website design
Minimalism
The “less is more” trend, i.e. minimalism in 2022, will be an effective design technique that will fit into the climate of responsive and mobile websites. Recipients expect more intuitive websites where they can easily find the information they need. It also applies to the design of the navigation menu and the arrangement of internal links, which affects the user interface. Minimalism makes the content authentic and the message precise, which will allow you to focus on the company’s offer. This style will enable you to perfectly display products, especially branded ones. A web designer is not afraid of empty spaces.
Organic shapes
The growing interest in ecology and its impact on our environment is now pervasive and will also influence web design trends in 2022. Shapes that are flowing or derived directly from nature and anything that does not contain straight lines.
Naturally occurring forms such as round moon, rivers, clouds, leaves, hills and any kind of asymmetry. Also, movies and background themes feature a slowly flowing river, water waves, a waterfall, or floating drops of water.
Companies from industrial, cosmetic or chemical industries offering products that are not necessarily nature-friendly will use organic design to improve their image and increase social acceptance.
Videos in the headlines
The use of videos on the website is more and more popular because the user expects dynamics from the displayed elements. Using videos as backgrounds for your page header is also a faster and simpler way to showcase your most important information. Already at the header level, you can tell a company story or present a product in seconds.
The use of photo drones to film areas such as a golf course or a holiday resort must not be equal to any photo gallery. Adding a video to the interior panel will be much more engaging than the best photos.
The use of video on the website is constantly evolving due to the rapidly increasing availability of CDNs and faster hosting. Videos are also used in headers and will often alternate with pictures in the content of the website.
The dark theme as an option and motives
The dark theme comes as standard or is made available as an “on / off” option on a growing number of websites. The fact that it is gaining more and more popularity is confirmed by the ever-increasing availability of Dark Theme in mobile applications. Also, changing the background colour while scrolling the web page is the latest application and will not be limited to just two colours.
The dark theme is well perceived in terms of the user experience as well as the design itself. This allows for a much better display of graphics and colours. The website design itself is more elegant, eye-catching and modern. From the UX point of view, dark mode is especially appreciated by people who use the Internet or work in the evening or night. This is not necessarily about ergonomics, as the issue of reading complex content in dark mode is still the subject of numerous studies.
Small websites with app-like experiences
The omnipresence of applications in everyday life and the growing interaction with them in mobile devices is already the norm. The consequence of this trend is the use of similar solutions on websites. This is due to the growing access to platforms that allow you to create a website yourself. Small, several-page websites work best when their subject matter is narrower and concerns, for example, a portfolio, CV or presentation of a single product or service.
3D elements in motion
The use of three-dimensional elements has always made the project visually attractive. The additional introduction of 3D moving elements and, in particular, after interaction with the user will be a growing trend in web design in 2022. In addition to the tremendous visual value will also be practical. Presenting a product that the user can view from any page will definitely increase the conversion rate. However, the designer must remember that the distribution of such elements should be reasonable and not adversely affect the loading speed. Ecommerce stores will not have problems with this because the product card is a separate page.
Combine photos with graphic elements.
The combination of a drawing, graphic elements and photos will make the received image not dull. A suitable composition is to make the message more attractive and build the visitor’s commitment.
Such non-standard illustrations add freshness and originality.
They can also be used in layers, which will result in the effect of spatial perception of the image.
Drawing
An interesting trend in web design is the use of cartoon-style illustrations or paintings. This type of graphics is a creative way to present a commercial offer. The style is saturated with uniqueness, which can definitely distinguish it from the competition. The drawing has positive associations, and the pictures created instead of those purchased on graphic stocks can make the effect even more unique and authentic.
User Experience
Website load time and page speed
A factor already considered a standard that must be taken into account by a web designer is fast load times. From May 2021, fast loading times are a factor that directly affects UX and SEO. Google has introduced an update called Page Experience, which assumes that the page will load quickly and no later than two seconds after clicking on the link.
Therefore, websites that want to have a high conversion rate will also have to be designed with this angle.
For design, this means proper management of the graphics and optimization in appropriate formats.
We should mention WebP, a graphic format developed by Google that is already widely supported by browsers. In 2022, WebP will be the standard for image files, and we will use it in the same way we used jpg or png before.
source: https://culture.basicagency.com/
Website navigation
In 2022, the website menu will be more than just navigation. The use of full-page navigation is becoming more and more popular. Well-designed quickly and transparently will reveal the content of the entire website. At this level, the user will know whether he is in the right place and which part of the website he wants to go to in search of information. A great example is https://culture.basicagency.com/
Such solutions reveal additional possibilities, such as adding animations or dynamic themes, adding attractiveness and attracting the visitor’s attention.
Micro-interactions and micro animations
Users appreciate small animated elements. We like when something moves, especially when it happens when an action is triggered by the user. In 2022, this trend in web design is set to grow. Simple animations such as enlarging the photo, icons in motion, previewing the movie, changing the colour on hovering the cursor over the element make the project more attractive.
Summary
There are many more trends in web design, and their diversity is influenced by the type of market, culture and geolocation. It is difficult to describe all of them in one article, and I chose only those I found the most interesting. I consciously did not mention the topic of fonts and typography here because it is so extensive that it requires a separate article.
Trends only show the direction. However, each project is different and has its own realities, so following the trends thoughtlessly does not necessarily have a positive effect. The recipient should always be in the centre of your design, and the best projects are created not only by outstanding web designers but by those who are brave and original.
