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Within the first month of 2022, we have seen the increase in popularity of design elements like minimalistic design, dark mode, as well as 3D elements incorporation, and minimal designs. Moreover, these web design trends have proven themselves well into the new year. Some novel web design trends will indeed require special skills and knowledge to develop more creative and visually stunning projects. Whatever the industry you’re representing online, you ought to keep up with the latest fad. Not only can that help you stay fresh and relevant but also, increase your conversions. In this feature, we have listed several latest web design trends for 2022 that are looking to stay for a while. Browse through the selection and enjoy!

1. Metaverse: Most Popular Web Design Trend in 2022

The Metaverse, as opposed to the physical and observable universe, is a virtual world that allows you to communicate, collaborate on tasks and run your business. Imagine doing what you do in the physical world, but in an immersive online universe. Thanks to the merging of cutting-edge technology in virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence. The metaverse is essentially as “real” as it can get. As the year kicks off, designing the Metaverse is gradually taking center stage, requiring technical expertise across various relevant disciplines.

Well, putting it into perspective, the perfect manifestation of the metaverse needs some time considering the limits of the current infrastructure. But who knows, 2022 might just be when we realize technological infrastructure development to support such creations. What do you think? Will the Metaverse have an impact on your web design? Does it have a bright future ahead?

2. Playful UX (User Experience)

The archaic ways of business-customer interactions died at the hands of modern creativity, carving a path right into the consumer’s heart. Last year saw design aspects like immersive and interactive user experiences taking center stage, especially with the increase in eCommerce. In addition, the pandemic did play an integral role in shaping the eCommerce world forcing businesses to look into their customers. Still, a popular web design trend in 2022, interactive and fun UX easily attracts and retains visitors as soon as they enter a business website.

You can create or add interactive features to boost your user experiences like visual storytelling through motion imagery and animated clips. Moreover, such stories need not be complex or follow a plot like a movie. Just arrange your creative content into a synopsis to capture the attention of your would-be consumer.

Additionally, you can incorporate a unique navigation tool that encompasses both vertical and horizontal scrolling. Adding custom interaction tools and animated designs create a more immersive user experience. Having split-screen layouts, in addition to horizontal scrolling, enables you to convey more ideas at once, making you stand out in your field.

Furthermore, crafting unique illustrations help designers create a compelling website. Therefore, in 2022, custom illustrations may be important in leveling up your website and clearly convey your brand message.

3. Grid-Like Layouts

You need not be reminded about the essence of having tidy web pages. Gridding your website is basically using lines and borders or frames to divide segments in web pages. Such additions make it easy for customers to pinpoint what they exactly need. It should be noted that the visitors do not feel confused or overcrowded with information about the content on display.

4. Visually Interactive Data Presentation

Words can sometimes be too complex, and an innovative way to beat this is by borrowing from the past. While only a few elites could read, everyone understood visual expressions. This can be used in a modern setup to an advantage. Visual data is making a comeback as not only it is easier to understand and remember facts represented but also develops trust quickly.

You can capture your visitor’s attention by merely converting your raw data to insightful charts and graphs. You could even use interactive imagery, making it both fun and easy for them to find the needed data.

5. Blending Different Design Techniques

Mixing design techniques is quickly gaining track currently, thanks to the current advanced hardware. In the recent past, web designers have been mixing images and texts to pass messages in a deeper and more informative way. Albeit challenging to create such works of art, thinking out of the box with this perspective might just help you stand out in 2022. For instance, blending 2D and 3D elements together creates strong visual contrasts. It essentially creates a focus point that engages the audience while passing the message. Aside from that, you can also mix real images with digital or handmade illustrations. Spicing up your interface in this manner adds a touch of personality and improves the website user experience.

6. Manipulating the Font Size

Drawing once more from the traditional business enterprises, the design of using font sizes to capture attention must be considered. Large and emboldened fonts sure have a way of catching the reader’s eyes as they skim through the webpage. Moreover, adding color strengthens the visual effect. However, you must not stuff your oversized elements to distract your visitors. Just highlight the most important stuff that is the focus of that webpage.

7. Long Live 3D!

The 3D design has been refined over the years since its conception, thanks to the evolution in computer technology. Decades later, into 2022, 3D design is still popular as the diversity stems out with various benefits and ease of incorporation. Moreover, the inclusion of 3D characters to serve as mascots of the brand creates a personal touch, building trust.

8. Animations

Recently, animation-like loaders, images and more have been incorporated into web pages to keep a visitor patient enough. For example, when a webpage loads, the screen animation distracts the users, making them unconsciously wait longer. However, this is nothing to worry about as fast internet speeds make up for it all.

9. Light and Dark Theme Modes

Taking into account the role background light plays in influencing user interaction. Too much screen brightness makes one tired easily. Dark modes on websites make it easy for the eyes and lets visitors continuously focus on browsing your site. Albeit, this was heavily incorporated last year, especially on social media platforms, this is one website design trend and idea that’ll accelerate in 2022.

Source: Lucas Lohr

Dark modes can also be used to develop a better UX, like making it automatic to switch on at specific times or make it possible for visitors to choose their own light or dark mode.

10. Using Colors to Evoke Moods (Color Meaning)

Colors play an integral role in how our moods develop. Different colors bring out different moods. To understand color meaning, For instance, orange and yellow are warm tones which portray something fun or friendly. Cerulean blue is calming, drawing out a more relaxed nature when interacted with. Designers can thus use colors to visually portray the kind of business they are and this trend is quickly gaining track. Creating an amazing visual appeal distinguishes your website from competitors and color design trends will continue to dominate in 2022.

A good website design idea with regards to colors involves adding pink tones to appeal to the female audience. Color pink represents romance, elegance, and sweetness and these three can be incorporated in fashion, clothing and cosmetic websites. Moreover, you can combine bright colors in the spectrum to create contrasts, to better target the younger “punk” audiences with upbeat, exciting vibes.

In addition, combining gradients and shadows introduces depth and texture to the website, further enhancing visual appeal.

11. Interactive Machine-Human Interactions

Visual effects are one thing, but what about interacting with an Avatar? Soon to be incorporated in AI, this is a trend we’re not going to see going away any time soon. The gaming industry might just have spurred its demand and you need to incorporate it. The customer-business relationship becomes fun and interactive, all the while building trust.

12. The Art of Minimalism

Source: Airtable

The fundamentals of any website design are simplicity, efficiency, high performance and faster loading speeds. Additionally, these key components are often evaluated and determine whether a website is at par or subpar. Moreover, the contemporary evolution of minimalistic art has spilled over to website designing. With fewer elements and straightforward navigation, users are guided across the website. The minimalist trend no doubt has more years to thrive, beyond 2022.

13. Slides Are Just Easy to Slide

Traditionally, websites have been using one long “scroll-like” page to list different products or brand information. However, with minimalistic influence in the current society, websites can be portrayed in short, quick to read slides. Moreover, one can just have a video, considering the role visual interaction plays. Links can be included for when the visitor is interested to proceed further for more information.

15. Brutalism

Brutalism is all about expressing web design in its raw form. The foundational features are often asymmetrical if not unusually large, not forgetting unfinished surfaces. These can be shown in some ways in addition to the finished product, to add a touch of the “unfinished business” model.

Source: Lee Agosila

Brutalism aims to show how talented the designer is, and it can also be used as an advertisement tool. Every artist has their way of art only known to them, website designers also ought to follow the suit. What a better way to garner attention than to show a little demonstration? Brutalism sure is bound to keep its wits in the coming years.

15. Retro-wave Design

Bringing back the funky disco and pop era has never been so popular in this decade, especially at the start of 2020. Two years down the line, we’re looking at a retrogressive evolution, in which the 70s,80s, 90s and other retro design styles are being resurrected. We are seeing the return of pixelated fonts and images, as well as the bright colors synonymous with the golden era of video games and fashion. Retro designs bring forth a nostalgic wave to visitors of fond memories of the past.

You can include old-fashion decorations, color themes, textures, icons, illustrations and logos to create a retro vibe.

16. Geolocation

The ability of a website to tag your location and adjust accordingly to offer you current location information and statistics is paramount. As businesses are seeking to dominate global internet zones and expanding their businesses this website design idea sure has a bright future ahead.

17. Language Support

The ability to break language barriers and communicate freely has long been an integral mission in humanity. Thus, with the aid of some website design elements, it is possible. Embedding a language translator option in your website not only improves user experience but also aims to break trade barriers. In turn, it gives you a platform to make different market and website design strategies relative to various cultural preferences.

18. Online Collaboration Tools

With the onset of the pandemic and subsequent waves of COVID-19 strains. Various governments imposed certain restrictions to curb the menace in one way or another. However unfortunate, it came out as a pleasant opportunity for the establishment of remote working capabilities. Online collaboration tools began taking center stage and we were forced to work from home. People can work remotely together on a single project and still meet deadlines. Since the pandemic’s future is uncertain, we can conclude that designing online collaboration tools is a trend firmly embedded.

Parting Shot

Of the aforementioned trends, we are sure that one or more than one would have caught your eye. Online business work is ever dynamic and trends are ever-changing. One thing that stands, is the unforeseeable nature the internet remains, leaving many possibilities open. For website designers and trendsetters, analyzing design trends to impart their creativity and attempt to usher a unique new way of doing things. The designer knows that creating visually stunning and immersive websites is the quickest way to a consumer’s heart and Website Design RFP is the preliminary step in this process.

Which features did you choose to incorporate to your website design? Let us know how we can improve your website this 2022.