10 Web Design Trends to Watch for in 2018
Nicole Dean
Nicole Dean
2017 is coming to a close with 2018 is right on its heels. With the New Year comes a new set of web design trends to look out for. As designers and developers, we’re always trying to stay ahead of the game while still providing the same user experience that our customer’s love. Let’s take a look at ten web design trends coming to us in 2018!
Mobile First
Mobile First is certainly not a new trend. Almost everyone is using their mobile devices for the web these days. If your site isn’t mobile friendly at this point, you definitely need to get that set up and fast. Being that mobile design has been such a major trend in recent years, it’s getting easier to address certain issues like getting a proper menu to work right. There have been a lot of trial and error but as it’s advancing, it’s becoming more and more crucial each passing year to have a mobile-friendly site, or even better yet, a mobile app if it makes sense with your company/brand/product.
The Evolution of AI
Artificial Intelligence has worked its way into mainstream web design through Chabot. A Chabot, if you’re not familiar with the term, is a conversational interface that simulates a conversation with a human user. These became quite popular with Facebook Messenger in 2017. What’s great about Chatbots is you can create your own to fit your company perfectly.
Vibrant, Saturated Color Schemes
2018 is going to be a year for experimenting with colors. Rather than sticking to web-safe colors, web designers are trying to incorporate more vibrant, saturated color schemes. Spotify has always been ahead of the game with its vibrant colors and they are still showcasing it on their site today.
Integrated Animations
Animations are becoming popular, as they are starting to replace static images on websites. Small animations are helpful for engaging the visitor throughout your page. A popular use of animations is scrolled triggered animations where as you scroll down the page, animations appear and play, making the experience a lot more enjoyable for the user. Invision’s Studio app web page is a great example of scrolled triggered animations.
Asymmetrical and Broken Grid Layouts
As users, we probably stare at a dozen plus websites in one sitting. Websites eventually all start looking the same. There’s a clear hero image at the top, a menu, and information about the product/service on the main part of the page and the footer. In 2017, the idea of asymmetrical and broken grid layouts started to arise. The idea was to have an unconventional “broken” layout to your website to help you stand out from the crowd and be unique. Bianca Olthoff is a good example of this trend.
Dynamic Gradients
Gradients, in the past, were known to be used in “older”, less modern websites. When used, they didn’t always appear to be as “clean” as the newer websites were. In 2018, expect to see gradients loud and proud with bright, bold colors. A popular use of these colorful gradients is putting them over images or as backgrounds, like how Chunk Agency uses them.
Flat Design
Flat Design is also another trend that is certainly not new. Flat design is most commonly used in icons, making your website look very modern and clean. Take a look at Design Better’s website. With the use of flat design, scroll animations and bright, bold colors, this website is a huge hit as far as the 2018 new trends go.
Big Typography
Typography is something that is needed to get your message across. It’s something that should fit your brand and style and should definitely be used in a unique way to help you stand out from the competition. In 2018, we’re going to be seeing a lot of big typography. Device resolutions are getting sharper and easier to read, so a lot of web designers are taking their big, expressive typography to their website.
Custom Illustration
Rather than displaying high-quality images on your site, try putting custom illustrations in their place. Illustrations can be a powerful thing when trying to bring more unique concepts to life. If you take a look at Shopify’s site, you can see they use illustrations to showcase their two main selling points. Using these illustrations makes it almost more fun, inviting and trusting.
Video Implementation
Video implementation is another one of those trends that aren’t new. When you are trying to convey a complex idea and static images just don’t do the job, a great way to remedy this is use a video. Videos are a great way to get your viewers attention. It pulls them into your brand and will make them want to see what your brand is about.