2013 has been a year of great technological advancement in regard to web development. Look for these 7 web trends in the coming years, and consider using some of these techniques to stay ahead of the tech-curve and make your business’ website phenomenal:
1) Typography-
In the past, web developers were at the mercy of choosing from a select few web-based fonts to include in their website. These were considered “safe fonts”, which were compatible across all operating systems. Today, typography libraries have exploded with new, creative and unique fonts. Big and bold headers make it easy for users to find the information they are looking for- it improves developer expression, communication, navigation and it puts content first.
2) Parallax Scrolling-
This popular trend in 2012 will definitely increase in the coming years. Parallax, where the background moves slower than the foreground content, creates a 3D projection on a 2D landscape. This provides depth to the website and gives the user a unique and interactive experience.
3) Infinite Scrolling-
Many popular social media platforms utilize infinite scrolling as a way to improve the user experience. Infinite scrolling enables a website to automatically load additional content as the user reaches the bottom of the page. This eliminates pagination and reduces user time spent on locating specific information.
4) Responsive Design-
Responsive website design has become more of a necessity than a trend. It is simply the best solution to provide users with the most compatible version of a website across any mobile device. With the public’s adoption of smartphones and tablets, businesses need to ensure that their website is compatible and looks sharp across all devices.
5) Simplicity-
Simplicity has recently re-emerged as a popular website trend. Moving away from flashy graphics and unnecessary flashiness, new websites are being developed around content. This removes unwanted clutter and improves the user experience on websites that utilize a simple, yet effective designs.
6) Metro/Content First Design-
Windows 8 is a good example of Metro Design. Related to the content-first web trend, this style of web design organizes content in the form of a grid of tiles or boxes. These tiles are typically clean-cut, with large images or icons which have scroll-over effects. Again, we see that simplicity and content are more prevalent than complexity and glitter.
7) Retina Support-
Since the adaptation of Apple’s Retina Display in 2011, the web industry has been moving towards more pixel-dense displays. As we all know, technology only moves forward- not backward. Look for more stunning visual sharpness and surprisingly photographic images to be included in websites in forthcoming years.