8 Fresh Website Trends – How Does Your Site Compare?

Wow, you guys! Have you noticed how the look of websites is changing lately? There are some exciting design trends that can be applied or modified to work with your website. Here’s the best of the best for projecting yourself as a professional who is up to date with current culture.

Stylish Fonts for Headers, and Headings

Reminder, a header is that top of the page part of your site that probably has your name, the name of your practice, your phone number and location, and your photo. In contrast, headings are what might look like page headlines and subheads. It’s trending now to inject some fun and personality into these fonts. BUT, make sure they are still readable!

No More Texture or Shadows or 3D Design

Called flat design because the fancy schmancy special effects have been deprioritized, sites that still have textured backgrounds and over-use of shadows or lifted corners are starting to look a little dated. Sigh, and I just caught up with that trend!

Long Scrolling Pages, Minimal Homepage Content

Yep, just the opposite of what we were hearing only a year or two ago. BUT there’s a huge new difference. Long scrolling pages aren’t necessarily filled with deathless prose and long for sales letters with dozens of testimonials – good thing because I know my tribe wouldn’t go there anyway.

Nope. Now the long scrolling pages use large type, larger headings, lots of photos or clip art, and blocks – called strips in the Wix editor -- of subtle color. The design works to capture attention to specific interest areas, then direct the reader to the second tier page where you woo them with your carefully crafted 700 word sales letter or article.

Speaking of Color, Less is More

The fresh trend in color is almost monochromatic – colors in the same family, such as shades of blue or plain white or cream background with a strong color font. This trend uses splashes of interest color sparingly, to strategically attract and direct the reading process.

Sliders – Rotating Graphics – Are Out

It’s not that these sliders are an SEO or page load time problem. It’s just that they are tired and a little boring now. Videos are in! In fact learning how to create either web cam videos or SlideShare / PowerPoint videos should be THE #1 techie task on your marketing education to do list. YouTube is only growing in importance as a social media platform, and those who can crank our videos have a real advantage in the marketing game.

Forget All the Above the Fold (Scroll) Rules

Quickly coming into web design fashion now is to use the entire above the fold space for a symbolic graphic, a simple tagline, and a single field opt-in form. I’m contemplating how this trend can be adapted for my tribe’s needs. Video – large sized too – is another replacement for text above the fold. Make it fill the width of your Wix page boundaries.

Sidebars are So 2010

The most contemporary website design does away with the narrow column at the right or left side of the page. Not only does a clean single column of content make a responsive design for mobile devices work better, it reduces strain on the eye and stress on the reader.

Big Dramatic Photos as Site Background

Another fresh trend is using a humongous photo of a landscape or something else appropriate to your business as your site background. Now this is a bit tricky and can take investing is a vector image that can be a bit pricey. I suspect that while this is very cool and different now, it will be the first of the new trends to fade out in a year or so.