Top website design trends & predictions for 2024
As an award-winning web design agency, our team of specialist web developers and designers are always on top of the latest trends and seeking new ways to combine aesthetics with functionality.
Let’s dive into the key trends that shaped 2023 and discover the trends that will dominate in 2024.
2023: The year of web design minimalism
Over the last couple of years, the minimalism trend has stayed strong and consistent. We’ve always been a fan of clean, minimalist websites that utilise white space, no matter the trend. This style is incredibly effective for grabbing a prospect’s attention, allowing them to easily navigate a website and find the information they want without further distractions.
This movement grew massively in 2023. White space was in, and black and white was out. 2023 brought in more shapes and colours to help bring even the most minimal websites to life, and we’re here for it!
A successful website design must balance creativity with thoughtful UX (user experience). The user journey should be smooth but ultimately successful in achieving your marketing goals.
There’s no point in having an aesthetically pleasing website if users can’t achieve their goals, whether contacting you or buying your product. UX is KEY, and it plays a massive role in generating conversions.
Gone are the days of muted colour palettes. In 2023, we saw our clients embracing a balance of simplicity with splashes of bold and vibrant colour schemes. The power of colour is undeniable; sometimes, a pop of colour can grab attention, evoke emotion, or add energy and personality to a website.
The soft style
If you’re a TikTok user, you may have seen the ‘soft’ living trend. Coined the ‘soft life’, the trend inspires users to embrace ease and softness in life and style. In 2023, web design saw an increase in ‘Soft UI (user interface)’, a style focused on incorporating elements that contributed to a more tactile and approachable digital experience. This design style balances realism and minimalism, offering users a visually pleasing and intuitive interface.
In 2023, we saw a shift in focus from pure aesthetics (don’t get us started on Zara’s website) to web design that targeted easy website navigation, thus enhancing user engagement.
It was also the year of neomorphism, a design trend that mimics physical objects through subtle shadows and highlights. We predict this trend will continue and grow in 2024.
Neomorphism and soft design focus on the elements contributing to the user journey. From subtle button animations to interactive hover effects, these small yet impactful details contribute to a more dynamic and responsive user interface that seamlessly guides users through the digital journey.
What’s in store for web design in 2024?
This year, website design will evolve from the trends of 2023. We hope to see more revolutionary and reactive designs within web builds.
Here are our top 5 predictions for the 2024 web design focuses:
Web Accessibility
Since 2018, websites have been encouraged to follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). It’s sad to say, but many websites are still not considering the accessibility needs of their customers.
With over 14 million disabled individuals residing in the UK, neglecting accessibility measures could result in a substantial loss of income. Shockingly, 55% of individuals have reported abandoning online purchases due to accessibility issues, potentially translating to an annual revenue loss of approximately £120 billion for UK businesses.
However, whilst we’ve seen a growth in consideration, we expect the emphasis on accessibility in web design to persist and strengthen in 2024. Accessibility needs to extend beyond simply complying with legal standards. But where do you start?
Start by doing this:
- Ensure adequate colour contrast between text and background for improved readability. Use this Contrast Checker.
- Help screen readers describe images with PROPER alt text. (Don’t be lazy – be thorough and provide a written description rather than one word).
- Incorporate clear instructions and labels for form fields, avoiding placeholder text without context.
- Design intuitive layouts that are easy to navigate and understand.
- Ensure CTA copy is meaningful out of context, moving away from generic phrases like ‘learn more’ or ‘click here’.
Textured design and POPS of colour
We’re predicting that 2024 will bring us the revolution of colour pops, subtle page animations (don’t forget about your page load speed) and some texture and depth to page elements.
Some examples include:
- Linking a pop of colour to an element, e.g. a neon lime green for CTA’s or a specific brand element you want to focus on
- Container shadows
- Light and subtle button animation (e.g., depth and movement on hover)
Bold typography
We always recommend keeping fonts and text consistent from a user-friendly and accessibility perspective. But we’ve recently seen more interest in developing typography that goes further to catch the eye.
In 2024, we’re predicting even more enthusiasm for adding a quirk with bold typography. For body text, think of your standard sans-serif, readable typography, paired with bold and funky typography for graphical elements, buttons, CTAs, etc., to help capture attention.
Strong UX: Micro-interactions
Micro-interactions are the next step for elevating premium UX. These small interactions contribute to good website design and encourage users to feel they’re being responded to. By signalling that actions or inputs prompt a response, micro-interactions transform the website visit into a dynamic, two-way experience.
Despite their modest size, these elements have a significant impact while maintaining SEO best practices.
Examples of micro-interactions:
- Changing the colour, opacity, or adding a shadow when a user hovers over a particular element
- Dropdown menu animations transform when users click them
- Hover effects to show users extra information or expanded images
- Form validation comments in the website’s tone of voice
Hyper-Minimalism vs. Hypo-Minimalism
Love it or hate it, minimalism is still in. This classic design approach continues to hold its ground. We see minimalism taking two prevalent paths.
Hyper minimalism leans towards embracing white space and minimal elements within the web design, offering visitors a spacious environment to absorb and consider the content. Hypo minimalism blends minimalism with touches of distinctive features. Think sleek, clean-cut websites with vibrant graphics and/or strategically placed colour.
Only some brands can seamlessly integrate minimalism, so it’s crucial to understand and consider what works best with your business and branding. While it proves adequate for some, others may find it’s time to embrace change by infusing elements of colour and texture into their design.
Need stand-out website design? Contact Trio today!
We’re anticipating an evolution from the impactful trends of 2023, building upon the successful blends of aesthetics and functionality. And we’re ready to get stuck in.
Want to bring these trends to your next project? Trio is here to help. We’ve worked with industries nationwide, creating high-performing websites that your customers and Google love. Contact our team or call us on 0113 733 2020 for more information.
