Website style and functionality movements happening now and in the near future
With constant changes in technology, website designs are constantly evolving to be in line with current trends. Elements and functionality that were once the top of the pillar become old, outdone, or outworn.
As such, web designers and developers must push with current trends to keep up to date. So, what’s currently trending? The team here at Jezweb examine what we can expect from website designs, functionality, and promotional materials as we dive headfirst into 2022.
Bold, block colours
Gone are the times of gradient and static picture backgrounds. Big blocks of colour are trending. More and more you will see websites with block walls of colour, in line with a company’s branding and identity.
These colour blocks will be feature points of the website, drawing customers’ attention to specific points of information. More than likely, this will be accompanied by a compelling call to action to engage with the target audience.
It’s promotion 101 – draw your customers’ eyes, grab their attention and deliver your message; many websites are doing this in 2022 with big, bold colour statements. Take a look at Turners Joinery and Maintenance – simple website design, but by utilising clean, bright green call to action boxes within the design, the customer overall is immediately drawn to this information and compelled to respond to it.
Brutalist featured typography
Make it big, make it bold, make it stand out. That’s the trend of 2022 when it comes to typography on websites. Featured blocks of text take up space but deliver the company’s information in a direct and seemingly straightforward manner.
It has become common to see hero typography banners, rather than picture banners, eliminating the potential for distracting imagery, allowing the written message to speak for itself. Take our own Jezweb page, which uses a featured typographic banner to outline the main services to their customers, right on the first focal point of the website, then an implemented featured font throughout, to draw attention to key points of information. It’s an elegant and clever way to get across the company’s message.
While this typographic trend doesn’t work for all company’s – a photographer for example, wouldn’t benefit from this method, the commanding presence of the written word in bold simplicity is showing to be a tasteful and creative trend of 2022.
Vector based websites and 3D graphics
Vector based designs, along with the inclusion of 3D graphics, made their debut in early 2021 as a website design trend and now, as we jump into 2022, there is no indication of the trend slowing. The addition of fun, light vector graphics on a website are a way of showing customers that, while you mean serious business, you’re a relatable, down to earth organisation. It’s a lighthearted, fun trend that’s really taking off.
If we look at the example of Dynamic Business Technologies, a completely vector-based website, using a superhero theme backbone, it’s not only clear what they do as an organisation, but it gives off a relatable and fun vibe to customers. It’s different, in a good way, because it is a memorable experience for the customer, meaning that they are more likely to relate and therefore, engage with your services.
We can also see some of the most common examples of vector-based website design in team photos being cartooned or drawn. Take a look at Anderson’s Scaffolding – an organisation who has taken the standard team photo and biography and incorporated the element of vector and cartooning. Another great example of breaking the mold of standard website design.
Accessible and inclusive websites
Inclusivity and accessibility have become trends, as well as international regulation, not only in the website design world but across all areas from travel to support, employment to leisure and day to day living. Put simply – it’s the way forward. Having an accessible website in 2022 can be broken down into two main areas; responsiveness and inclusiveness.
Responsive website design
Responsiveness in websites is a no brainers. Responsive websites can be viewed across multiple platforms including laptops, phones and tablet devices without losing positive user experience.
They should be a standard inclusion of any website design as we see mobile phones, especially, becoming the backbone of our internet searching. As website designs become more complex and design trends change, the functionality and user experience need to remain, hence the push for more responsive websites in 2022.
While not a new concept, responsiveness is definitely something that more and more people in the website world are discussing and implementing.
Inclusive website design
When we talk about inclusive website design, we are talking about adding functionality that makes the website more accessible to people living with disabilities or people from different cultural and linguistical backgrounds.
This can include adjusting content, fonts, background colours or having translator functions within the website to make the user experience easier. Accessibility is a human right and website designs in 2022 need to follow suit.
As an example, we can look at ConnectAbility Australia – this website contains an accessible plugin which allows users to not only change the font size within the website, but also change the background colour to suit their specific reading needs.
Irlen Diagnostic Clinic is another prime example whereby the website has the functionality to change background colours to suit an individual’s reading capacity. This is especially important on such a website, given that the website is devoted to individuals with dyslexia and reading difficulties.
Overall, the addition of anything that makes a website more inclusive and accessible to all individuals, is something that you should NEED to happen. By not having these functionalities or following in line with current trends, you have the potential to lose a significant portion of your target market which, we all know, is not what your business needs.
Chat boxes and social media integrations
Communication is king in the business world. Without adequate communication between parties, exchanges cannot take place – communication on your website is no different. As more and more people connect and communicate via social media platforms, it follows that you should also include these functionalities within your website design for 2022.
Chat boxes linked to business social media pages are providing businesses with seamless communication and customer interactions. Given that, worldwide, the average time spent on social media is in excess of 2 hours a day, even more if you have a business, it is a worthwhile trend to get on board with.
We can see great social media integrations not only with Facebook, but also Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest – the opportunities are endless. Take Blanc Hair Studio – a Newcastle based hairdresser that optimises their social media communication by using the Facebook chat box as well as an embedded Instagram feed. Given that customers require quick response times for bookings and enquiries, and the company is more dominant on their socials, adding a Facebook chat box was a very smart choice.
Choosing a website designer in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley who understands emerging trends
When all is said and done, your website is your online gateway to the world and should reflect your business in the best possible light. It should be current, up to date and reflect current website trends to receive the best possible reception from your customers.
If you are in need of a new website or a website refresh, the local team at Jezweb can help you bring your website up to date. With more than 15 years’ experience in website design, the Jezweb team knows everything there is to know about websites; their design, functionality and making sure that they are as on trend as possible. With a personalised service and a dedicated team to guide you through the website building process, you can’t go wrong with Jezweb. Contact our team today on 1300 024 766 or email us at mail@jezweb.net. Alternatively, please click here to request a quote.