When you run a website, it’s not about keeping up with the Joneses; it’s about keeping up with Microsoft, Apple, and other high-tech companies. Microsoft and Apple not only stay on the cutting edge of all new trends, but sometimes they create them in house. 2016 is the year of opposites, in some respects. Here are the trends you need to know and watch, but remember to choose carefully. Some of these movements can have a negative impact on your Search Engine Optimization (SEO), or even your User Experience (UX).
Isn’t it funny that the more advanced our digital world gets, the more we strive to mimic reality? Google has been pouring over research just to duplicate the look and feel of paper (cardstock) digitally. It’s all about shadows, perspective (remember learning that in art class?), and texture. With the cardstock movement comes new typography. Fancier and more complicated typefaces are appearing to stimulate our eyes. When you combine the Material Design and the typography, you get an experience that is reminiscent of fancy invitations or stationery. Very hipster.
In many ways opposite of the cardstock trend, many sites are relying more and more on videos and animation for content. Of course, the two trends can coexist even on the same site, but video and animation engage a different type of UX than that of Material Design. It’s almost like Hollywood is infiltrating the web design world. Anyone can produce a professional video these days. And animation doesn’t mean a feature-length cartoon, it just means movement. Once again, it’s all about the little things to draw a user into your site.
Microsoft.com is a good example of a slide-style site. Large, even full-screen, slides that move either with a swipe or on a timer are everywhere. The look is clean and engaging. Along with the slides, more and more sites are going more vertical as users are primed to use their mobile devices and tablets just as much, if not more, than their desktop devices in 2016.
Those little menus that look like stacks of meat that became popular on your phone are coming to your desktop. Designers like the clean, minimalistic look that they enable.
Once again, we go from minimal to the opposite end of the spectrum. Many sites are bringing in artists to utilize sketches and illustrations to enhance their UX. Along with the art comes bold colors. Yes, the ‘80s are back whether you like it or not. In 2015 we saw a trend towards monotone, but 2016 is showing signs of neon and other bold colors.
The one thing all these trends have in common is interaction. The push is absolutely on UX, be it through hit-you-in-the-face colors or cardstock-inspired interfaces. The key is to know your audience and figure out which trends will work for the best user experience.
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