The field of web design has always evolved at breakneck speed. Over the last decade or so, the explosion in mobile internet browsing, along with a number of other technological innovations, has meant that our fundamental approach to designing and building websites has changed. Websites today are expected to be dynamic and to load correctly on a variety of different devices, whereas the mobile version was once something of a novelty.
As we move into the second half of 2019, now is a good time to take a look at some of the most important trends in web design. These are the trends that will dictate the evolution of the field of web design over the next year.
Bold but Soft Fonts
Fonts are one of the aspects of web design that when done properly, you’ll barely notice. A good font means that the reader has an easy time reading the webpage, all information is clear and adds a sense of style to the web page. Over the last two years, we have seen an increase in the number of websites adopting bold and prominent fonts on their websites.
In the past, bold fonts have been less elegant than other fonts. This has meant that, while they are great for headlines and headings, they lack the style and subtlety of most other fonts. During 2020, we can expect more websites to adopt bold fonts that incorporate curves, serifs, and other features designed to make them a little softer.
VR and AR
Virtual and augmented reality technology is exploding at the moment. Ever since cameras became standard issue on smartphones, there has been the potential for apps utilise them for augmented reality. Virtual reality is also coming into its own, with virtual reality sets available for most home consoles.
Virtual reality gaming, for example, still requires a lot of computing power. Because of the hefty computing requirements of virtual reality, it has been slow to emerge outside of a few specialised applications. Online casinos are an example of a website that has begun to offer virtual augmented reality experiences. Over the next couple of years, we can expect websites in other sectors to follow suit.
Return to Professionalism
In recent times, web design has begun to be viewed as something that anyone can do. This isn’t really surprising when you consider the rise of websites such as WordPress that make it easy for anyone to start a website. However, the rise of the gig economy along with a number of other factors is causing people to reconsider this appraisal. Many people are now appreciating the value of professional web design Belfast experts.
Bots
The problem of bots has been thrown into the spotlight in recent years, what with Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections and the failure of social media websites over a number of years to tackle the endemic problem of bots on their platforms. Of course, there are also lots of very useful bots on the internet and over the next couple of years, we can expect websites to develop more sophisticated algorithms for identifying helpful bots and limiting the actions of malicious bots.
These are just some of the web design trends that we expect to be prominent in 2020. The field of web design is fast-moving and unpredictable; who knows where it will be in a few years.
