5 web design trends to look out for in 2021

To help you make the most of 2021 we have scoured the design world to find you the top five web design trends to look out for this year.

Design is an aspect of marketing which although is vital to any business, can often be overlooked or not focused on enough.

The design of your website and assets is one of the largest parts of your branding. This is because your potential consumers will notice the UI, design, colours etc first before the copy.  So, if the design elements aren’t professional looking, you may find a lot of consumers disengaging and clicking off your site rapidly.

To help you make the most of 2021 we have scoured the design world to find you the top five web design trends to look out for this year.

Minimalism within UI

One of the design trends of 2021 that we are seeing becoming ever popular is minimalism, or the “less is more” concept.

We have seen this trend come and go in the past few years, but it seems it is coming back once again. Minimalism is all about a smooth, sleek professional interface. It is about embracing the white space and erasing any irrelevant data on the pages, including any pop-ups or other tools which could be seen as an annoyance.

With a minimalistic UI, consumers and website visitors want a simple, stress free experience. If you do opt for this design trend in 2021 make sure your website is easy to navigate and that any excess information is hidden or removed.

Design for 5G

The elusive 5G is still coming, and whilst it has been delayed in the UK, it is still full steam ahead in the US.

This means one of the design trends of 2021 you are likely to see soon is 5G ready webpages. 5G will bring faster, more efficient network coverage which means designers have more flexibility to create mobile optimised sites with animated text, font, and graphics; something that wasn’t possible with 4G.

It’s an exciting time for web designers and especially mobile web designers as 5G opens a host of opportunities. It is also clear they need to step up their mobile UI designs to stand out in 2021 and beyond.

Voice UI

Since the introduction and invention of devices such as Alexa, Google Home and of course Siri, Voice search has slowly become more popular.

With the rise of voice search technology, it opens up more design avenues for businesses in the form of voice user interface. The more popular this tool becomes, you will find the need for a graphical interface decreases, which means it will be easier to have that sleeker, cleaner look.

More ‘Dark Mode’ pages

This is a feature which started on mobile, satellite navigation systems and similar devices but has slowly made an appearance into websites. It was a popular design trend last year when more people were using their mobiles for longer and it appears to be here to stay as a design trend in 2021.

You may have already seen websites and social media screenshots of black backgrounds; this is dark mode. There are many features and benefits of using this on your site, these include:

  • It alleviates eye strain in the dark and may be better for those with visual impairments.
  • Dark backgrounds can allow for a more creative design process compared with a white background
  • It can also be more economical with battery usage depending on what screen is being used

Accessible features

National Rail recently greyscaled their website in memory of Prince Philip which led to a series of accessibility challenges for those with visual impairments ©National Rail<br><a href=httpsinewscoukauthorruchira sharma><a>

This is an important design trend in 2021 and one you should utilise on your websites, apps, etc. Using more accessibility features and settings on sites is not only a great way to be more disability friendly but also opens more avenues for target demographics.

This can be implemented in a variety of ways from installing text to speech narrative, being aware of the colour contrast combinations to simple, easy to use navigation and a fully responsive layout to name but a few. To find out more ways to make your site disability friendly, we wrote a great post about how to improve your website’s accessibility.

There are several other design trends in 2021 which you should look out for, but these are some of the key ones to consider during the next 6 months.

However, if you are looking at changing up your website, refreshing the look or updating the content and need some advice, we can help.  Our experienced team of designers, combined with our copywriting skills and SEO knowledge makes us perfectly placed to help you with all your marketing needs.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you stay up to date with the latest design trends in 2021 and make your website look fresh and current.