6 Top Web Design Trends to Inspire Your 2020-2021 UI/UX Strategy

As more and more people come online, digital and electronic products are becoming more and sophisticated in their design. Simultaneously, consumer expectations have shot through the roof!

Consumers expect every product they use - whether a social media platform or a smartphone must be sleek, easy-on-the-eye, and aspirational, and design plays an important role in this outcome. Today, businesses invest millions of dollars in making products look as aesthetically appealing as they are useful.

From a design perspective, this does not mean that simple is out. Or that user interfaces need many bells and whistles, to appeal to consumers.

In fact, often less is more. Ultimately a user’s journey comes from several elements coming together, in a synergistic way, to offer a superior experience that gives consumers what they need – whether it is a seamless shopping experience, social conversations, business communication, or blogging.

A functional, yet, uplifting user experience is the secret cause for business success, and getting your UI/UX strategy right is an important factor in this mix.

Influence of Web Design

User experiences are typically mapped to ensure that a product is functional, and serves a specific purpose. Ensuring that the UI/ UX interface aligns with emerging web design trends, further raises consumer delight.

You want your website or app to have a unique look. You want it to reflect your branding and emphasize your message in specific ways, whether bold, subtle, or organic. On the other hand, you also want consumers to enjoy the look and feel. You want to give them options to customize it while also feeling a deeper connect, through visuals and visual appeal.

The best web designers blend creative license with what also appeals to users and makes them tick, whether it is for a social media platform or a smartphone design. Consumers keep coming back to products that offer all this value in one package, and which also keeps innovating both features as well as the look and feel of the platform while keeping the branding sacrosanct.

So, what are some of the web design innovations that are appealing to consumers today? Here’s a look at some of the top web design trends that are emerging as staples for 2020-2021.

Top 6 Web Design Trends

1. Break Through The Clutter With Whitespace

Having too many elements on one screen completely diminishes the overall user experience. Leveraging whitespace is a great way to address this common design problem and let the content on the page “breathe”. It refers to being able to space out the elements on a page, while also highlighting key elements.

The right usage of white space can help a designer create emphasis on what is really important – from a core message and a call-to-action to showcasing a product in an ecommerce context, and to improve readability on, say, a blog. It plays an important role in helping users understand what’s important, instantly, and take the necessary action based on desired outcomes.

The concept of whitespace in the context of web design has become so popular that life coaches often use it as an analogy to help professionals create “whitespace” in their daily schedule to enable work-life alignment and the shift towards a healthier lifestyle!

2. Create A Unique Appeal With Imperfections

The equity of raw imperfection has more value in today’s world as the days of choreographed Instagram-style perfection gives way to real narratives. Perfect can be perceived as boring or inauthentic, and design mindsets have also shifted to reflect this in UI/ UX strategies.
Interesting ways to shake up things include infusing hand-drawn art and dabbling in asymmetry. Another approach is to bring in design elements that are inspired by real stories, anecdotes, and motifs connected to a brand, its consumers, and stories from its network. This is a great way to ensure greater recall value, bring into storytelling, as well as design a memorable user experience that is also unique.

3. Make Use Of Real Images

The usage of real images not only lends a more authentic feel to any platform, but it also creates a more inclusive vibe. For example, using real images of people that consumers can relate to in terms of demographics like age, gender, and other differentiators, contributes significantly to the trust-building process in existing and potential consumers.

Canned, stock images are limited in their inclusivity, while also being replicated across the Internet, especially if they come free of cost. Creating a bank of original, real images is not an expensive experience today. It just needs imagination, planning, and some visualization.

For example, several fashion brands today do not use models but pictures of their consumers on their websites, apps, and social pages. While they might not have a model-style perfection, they reflect the vibe and energy of the brand and inspire more consumers to relate and buy the product.

4. Offer A Dark Mode Option

The popularity of dark mode has grown significantly in the last five years. Not only does it enable all features to stand out on any platform or website. Google and several other platforms claim that this mode is a real battery saver. More and more Internet consumers are shifting to the usage of dark mode across all devices, social and communication platforms, operating systems, chat services, and productivity tools.

So, offering a dark mode option, no matter what you are designing, gives consumers choices. Dark mode is the emerging “sustainable choice” for many. Hence, do factor into your UI/UX strategy.

5. Leverage Full-Page Headers To Stand Out

First impressions do matter, so why not create them with a bang? Using full-page headers is a great way to shine the spotlight on core messaging that communicates instantly to any target audience.

A full-page will be the first thing that people see when they land on a new page, and it enables the branding to stand out. It triggers instant recall value among newer audiences while growing trust in existing users.
A full-page header is especially useful for businesses that offer a specific service catering to two or three types of audiences.

6. Use Fluid Shapes To Communicate

UI/UX designers are swapping traditional shapes like squares, circles, and triangles for more fluid shapes. Traditional shapes tend to make web and app interfaces look rather flat, while fluidity gives them a timeless look. It also communicates core business values like flexibility, authenticity, and unlimited potential.

With fluid shapes, the possibilities are endless. You can mix and match different elements like images, text, emojis, and collages. It creates space for new vibes, moods, and flavors, depending on the type of platforms, products, and tools that are being designed.

Creativity And Strategy Go Hand-In-Hand

As more and more businesses launch responsive websites and apps, the approach to user interface design has to be top-notch and in line with the desired user experience. UI/ UX strategies and web design cannot succeed in isolation. Design teams must not only be creative but very strategic when offering design solutions.

One of the best design teams in the industry belongs to Uplers, a dynamic agency offering a whole gamut of design solutions. While designing is a core strength of the agency, this offering comes backed by a sturdy understanding of branding, digital marketing, technology, user journeys, and business growth. A mix of creativity and strategy, and not one without the other, is a winner when getting your UI/UX strategy right from day one.

Images sources: Pixabay