Web Insights

7 Web Design Trends for 2024

Dig into some of the best predicted web design trends for 2024

Bold and custom typography

It's a given that choosing the right typography is an important part of the branding process. And it's widely recognised that you need to keep fonts and text consistent across your site.

But we've recently seen more interest in developing typography that goes further to catch the eye.

So, in 2024 we’re predicting even more enthusiasm for adding animation to text. Moving headlines and subheads, changing colours, and other transformations help capture attention.

animated typography

But we're also seeing a move towards text-only hero images. Brands are ditching the typical image or video for their hero section in favour of clean, bold fonts. This arresting clarity grabs attention and foregrounds the key value proposition.

Another popular trend we expect to see more of is combining filled and outline fonts for headers. This is often mixed with interactive elements. Websites might have a filled version of their font as a hover animation to show the text is clickable.

And there also continues to be a resurgence in the popularity of serif fonts. Sans serif had always been favoured for the web, but that seems to be changing. It could be that brands want to mark themselves out from the overuse of sans serif. Or perhaps traditional serif fonts bring a sense of nostalgia.

02

Nostalgia is back

Nostalgia in design is set to be big among website designers in 2024. Just like in the clothing industry, web design fashions tend to cycle. And we’re seeing this happen more and more as we look towards the late 90s and early 2000s with rose-tinted specs on.

These retro themes for web design have been very popular in 2023, and the trend isn't going away for 2024. Websites with Y2K-era design inspiration will continue to pop up.

We're totally here for the retro aesthetics. But you'll be pleased to learn we won't be hankering after days gone by when it comes to functionality. With a good website designer, you get the best of both worlds. All the nostalgic aesthetics you want, with a fully optimised, and mobile responsive site.

We’ll see:

Vibrant neon designs
Oversized retro typography
Simplified layouts
Pixel art
Retro button designs
Other old-school graphics and elements

03

Micro-interactions & UX design

Show-stopping website design always starts with user experience (UX). Any specialist website design agency worth its salt will tell you that user research is key for this. And there’s been a huge digital transformation in recent years. So businesses need to make user satisfaction a priority.

When we work with you, we take a user-centric strategy to create your website design. This involves in-depth research and user testing to guide key design decisions.

This takes us way beyond the surface appearance. Because it's vital to also bring an intuitive experience to your site visitors. And that always comes from understanding your audience's challenges and motivations.

Websites with strong UX:

Perform well with pages optimised for fast loading times
Have a strong search function with useful filters and auto-suggestions
Keep form field numbers low for frictionless interactions and transactions
Display progress bars or other indicators, so users know they aren’t abandoned

Micro-interactions are the next step for premium UX. These are small elements of good website design that help the user feel they’re being responded to. They indicate something is happening because of their actions. It helps them feel that visiting your website is a two-way experience. And that they’re in control.

On their own, these micro-interactions don't seem like much. But these tiny moments at strategic points combine for a more enjoyable experience.

Examples of micro-interactions:

A button changes colour when you hover over it
Animations happen when users upload documents or complete part of a process
Animated progress bars to show the stages of a transaction
Dropdown menu animations transform when users click them
Hover effects to show users extra information, or expanded images

04

Bento grid layouts

If the idea of a bento grid is making you hungry, then your brain is making the logical connection to this design's Japanese lunch box namesake.

There's a reason the bento box is a popular order among foodies. They display all those delicious dishes in a visually appealing way. Its organised layout also speaks to our brain's desire to categorise.

So, it follows that this design inspiration has taken off in the world of contemporary web design. It’s an effective way for organisations to present features, impressive stats, and data.

Users get all the important information in one place. And you get to highlight all your need-to-know facts and stats and best selling points. Bento design patterns are visually engaging. Bringing us back to those vital first impressions.

05

The AI trend

AI and machine learning is set to ramp up in 2024 as the trend towards more personalisation continues.

Businesses are embracing tech to help them get a better understanding of their users. Algorithms can then adapt the experience based on user preferences. The result is a more intuitive and personalised site. With better engagement and conversion rates.

Weaving AI into the design process for your website increases personalisation and engagement. This builds stronger relationships with your users. Conversion rates soar, along with average spend and lifetime value.

Here are some ways to improve your website experience with AI and machine learning:

Behaviour analysis – for understanding user behaviour, patterns and trends. You can then make better design and content marketing decisions.
Chatbots provide users with instant answers to questions. You get to save time on lower-level customer queries and free up your team to focus on the complex stuff.
Predictive analytics – to pre-empt and meet customer needs. For example, you can predict when a client is likely to run out of a product they regularly buy from you. And you can swoop in with a timely reminder.
Recommendations – use AI to recommend similar or complementary products and content. It can increase the average purchase value and keep users engaged.

06

Web Accessibility

Since 2018, it’s been a legal requirement for public sector websites to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). And although the private sector isn’t bound by this, they are bound by the Equality Act 2010. It states that goods and service providers can’t discriminate against disabled people.

So, in 2024 we expect to see web design teams continue to prioritise accessibility. And not just to avoid potential legal ramifications.

There's a huge business case for taking steps to make your website more accessible. After all, over 14 million disabled people live in the UK. You could be missing out on significant income. In fact, 55% of people have reported abandoning a purchase due to accessibility issues. That translates to a possible annual loss of around £120 billion for UK businesses.

And research has also shown that when disabled consumers find a brand that accommodates their needs, they're forever loyal.

So, businesses would do well to make web accessibility a top priority in 2024. But what does this look like?

There’s a lot to dig into when it comes to the WCAG standards. Luckily, our team of expert web designers is well-versed in the requirements. Accessibility is built into our process for every website we build.

To start with, the main things you should focus on are:

Colour contrasts between text and background for better readability.
Functional alt text for images so that screen readers can describe them.
Instructions and labels for form fields rather than placeholder text without context.
Using intuitive layouts that are easy to navigate and don’t confuse.
Making sure link text makes sense out of context, rather than the generic ‘learn more’ or ‘click here’.

07

AR / 3D experiences

Augmented reality (AR) and 3D experiences are set to be an increasingly popular trend as we move into 2024. When you talk to a good web designer, they’ll tell you how they can take your assets and embed them for an immersive and engaging experience.

It's a great way to boost conversions by helping your audience make buying decisions.

Our team of specialist web designers can embed your assets into your website for a fun and interactive experience. Chat to our web design services team today. And find out more about using AR and 3D to give your business website that competitive edge.

AR offers all sorts of possibilities:

You can preview what paintings will look like in your room before you buy.
Customers can ‘try on’ jewellery and accessories to check if they suit them.
You can travel to different countries or even outer space and explore the universe via AR.
You can view a hotel room or short-term rental before you book.
Students can tour university facilities before making a UCAS application.

We're all about keeping up to date with the latest trends, so we can bring our clients a website that stands out.

Contact us today to discuss your new website for 2024.

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