“The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.” Joseph Priestly

Methods of communicating are constantly changing –  especially when it comes to Web design and mobile devices. As a result of these frequent changes, it is the smart Web marketer and designer who keeps up with not just the communication devices but the design elements that are used on them. After all, communication only communicates if it is useable and understood. To help you be up to speed with communicating with your Web customers here are 10 of the latest Web trends.

  1. Responsive Web Design (RWD) – No matter what article you read on 2013’s Web trends, RWD is in the top three (if not the first) items on the list. RWD entails creating a Website to be used on all forms of digital devices – laptops, smartphones, tablets and anything else that may be developed. Though it may be time and labor intensive at the outset to create RWD, the payoff is well worth it. Clearleft founder Andy Budd says that, “RWD will be a key element for a company’s mobile strategy, baked in from the start.”
  2. Retina Support – Simply put, retina screens are twice as dense as any average LCD. A retina screen has the same number of physical pixels but digitally twice as many pixels within the same amount of space. A great tool for implementing this isRetina.js.
  3. Social Feeds – As social networks continue to grow, bridging the gap between brands and consumers is more important, but also becoming even easier. Not only is having “Like” and “Follow” on social media sites important, but you want people to be able to promote your products, services and blog posts through social feed buttons/badges. Some of the most well-known options, beyond Facebook and Twitter, are StumbleUpon Badges,  Google +1 Button, Pinterest Buttons, LinkedIn Share Badge, Dzone Vote Buttons, and 100+ Remarkably Beautiful Twitter Icons And Buttons.
  4. Single Page Web Design – Though not a new idea, it is becoming a popular trend, as it allows users to have a more natural navigation experience. When this design trend is paired with other trends such as fixed headers, vertical navigation, typography and image tiles, the single page layout is a great way to draw attention from visitors and make a rather impressive website design.
  5. Parallax scrolling – A great example of this design is Pinterest or Tumblr. By using single page design, with multiple layers where users can move either vertically or horizontally, and having sectional transitions during the scrolling process users can easily move from item to item without needing to change pages. However, keep in mind that it will not work for every website.
  6. Typography – This is perhaps one of the most important elements of Web design, so it is vital that you carefully select the font and text location with care. Typography elements to consider are placement on the page, the font color, size and even the page navigation; you also need to keep in mind how the page will look/work on mobile devices.
  7. Fixed Header Bars – Having a fixed header makes it easy for site guests to scroll down your page, without needing to return to the homepage. Although this is not something new, it is becoming more popular. Fixed headers work on nearly any website from blogs to private companies, as it allows users to have a great experience without needing to look very far to navigate the website.
  8. Personality – Another 2013 Web trend is adding personality to your page. This is not just about having an “About Us” page. Rather it is adding interest through storytelling, pictures and videography. With Internet speeds getting faster for all types of devices, the numerous features on cameras & phones, plus tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Animoto, After Effects and DSLR use, websites are going to become more personable and illustrative.
  9. More Open Source Designs –Many web design experts believe that there will be an increase in developers spending more time doing open source projects. This will be reflected in Web designs.
  10. Minimalist Landing Pages – You need a landing page that sells your products/service, but it doesn’t need to be overdone. Today’s trends are showing are return to minimalism. A great example of this is at PictoPro.

These are but 10 out of the many trends for 2013. Take a good look at your current website, landing pages or other sites you have designed and see how they stack up to these trends. Remember, it is about communication. Your website’s job is to communicate to your guests how you can help them, so be sure you are communicating as effectively as possible. If you need help with implementing any of these trends, talk to Page Progressive – we are here to help!

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