An effective website is an asset to your business. Website design changes each year, so staying current on the latest trends is essential.

If you want your website to look sleek and modern rather than outdated and ineffective, it’s important to recognize the difference between website design trends and passing fads.

You want a design that will look good for years to come. 2018 is all about the user experience, and that trend will only grow stronger in 2019.

A quality user experience includes a focus on speed, mobile technology, simple, eye-catching design, and more. Here are some of the hottest 2018 web design trends that will continue into 2019 and beyond.

Bright, Bold Color

The design trend of vivid color has been around for a while and is expected to continue in 2019. As the flat design trend continues, color hues are becoming more vibrant in web design.

The trend is moving away from the use of primary colors and leaning towards brighter, vibrant hues. Bright pastels, blues, purples, peach, salmon, and mint hues are popular background colors because of their high saturation levels.

Visitors appreciate a beautiful website, and bright colors draw the eye and enhance the user experience.

Minimalist Design

Over the last few years, designers have created cleaner and simpler websites for enhanced mobile performance. Since mobile search continues to grow, clean, flat designs will continue to trend in 2019.

Minimalist designs load more quickly than data-heavy designs. A cleaner design also holds a higher SEO value.

A cleaner design gets rid of clutter while focusing on the important aspects of your website. A flat design uses color, crisp edges, and open space to draw the user’s eye and hold their attention.

Your customers will enjoy a quick loading website, and an engaging, flat design. And the longer they linger, the better your chances for conversion.

Broken Grid and Asymmetrical Layout

Although many web designers prefer a flat, minimalist design, there is a growing trend toward the fresh look of broken layouts. Asymmetrical or broken grids allow for a unique design without looking sloppy or distracting.

Designers accomplish this by carefully breaking the grid pattern to establish planned asymmetry. Designers incorporate unusual placement, repeating patterns, layered textures and colors, white space, and creative typography in this type of design.

These striking designs engage users and lead them to the most important parts of a website. Creative use of visual design directs the eye where to look.

Expressive font, shapes, imagery, and textures can lead your visitors to your important content or CTA. That results in a greater chance of conversion.

Video Backgrounds

Video backgrounds were very popular in 2018, and this design trend will continue in 2019. Speed is a major factor this year in design, and you may think videos would slow down your site.

But videos are compelling, and they also increase conversions. Video catches a visitor’s attention more than text or images can.

This trend is growing on social media as well. When a user lands on your page and sees a video, they are more likely to stick around.

When visitors linger on your site on a regular basis, the better for your SEO rankings and potential conversions. Video allows you to convey your message in a fast, simple way.

A well-made video is simple, inexpensive and good for your brand.

Big Bold Typography

Well-crafted typography can stir emotion and draw a visitor’s eye to your page. Artistic, bold fonts are replacing images, and unique typography is becoming more and more popular.

In 2019, you will see lots of big, bold headers. The goal is to capture your visitors’ attention and have them linger on your page as long as possible.

As device resolutions continue to improve, expect to see more uses of custom fonts to evoke emotion and lead user’s to read the content on your page.

Micro-Animations

The use of micro-animations is a popular design trend that will continue in 2019. This offers an intuitive experience for users who browse your site.

Small animations help the user browse and understand your site. The small animations catch the user’s eye and help to enrich the user experience on your website.

The animations assure your visitors know they are navigating correctly. Effective use of micro-animation will help drive your visitors toward conversion.

Mobile First Design

Most people today are searching for products and services on their phones or other mobile devices. Google favors sites that are mobile friendly, and this trend is expected to continue.

Mobile first design has changed the way websites were traditionally designed. With mobile-first design, the mobile user’s experience is a top priority.

This trend isn’t all about SEO. The visual result and convenience for the mobile user are considerations as well.

2018 Web Design Trends and Beyond

These 2018 web design trends may sound great to you, but you may wonder how you will find the time to improve your site. After all, you are busy running your business.

Having a website that works for your business and produces more conversions is possible. There are many things you can do to have a website that is fast, attractive and easy to use.

If you are hoping to design a professional website for your business, we can help. We would love to discuss your website and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today.