Our brains can process almost 110 bits of data every second. Every day we are flooded with various kinds of stimuli but we only take notice of the most exciting or the unusual ones. This is one survival mechanism for humans but it can be a disadvantage if you want to get more visitors to your website. If your website looks like the hundreds of thousands of web pages that people see when they browse the internet, it will not receive the kind of attention you need to properly build an online brand.

In this article, we’ll tell you about the design trends that can help attract an audience and direct their attention to the core components of your site. The result should be more browsing time, more page views, and faster goal achievement.

1. Whitespace

Whitespace, also referred to as negative space, is a classic tool used to build a visual hierarchy, highlight information, or play it down. Despite the term using white, any color can be used to create white space. It simply refers to the empty space you see between different elements on a web page.

Efficient use of white space can improve readability and also create a more unified design. When not used correctly, it can make your website look cluttered and visitors will have a harder time focusing on the essential parts of a page.
Websites are also using more and more whitespace which allows you to choose what to include on a page and provides more importance to each element. Combining whitespace with other design trends allows you to deliver properly your message to your visitors.

2. Solid color blocks

Think Windows 8 operating system or the Windows Phone. These display the design trend very clearly. Except on your website, you get to decide which colors to use. Solid blocks of color help the audience absorb the information easier.

You can place text in several rectangles or square blocks of different sizes. It’s also important that the colors and images you use are in line with your brand’s theme. Use your brand colors but try to use a different shade that isn’t something you would usually choose.

It can look busy at first but using different block sizes can help create a hierarchy on the page. This way, your audience will know which parts they need to focus on.

One trick is to limit the lines of text and just include the main point. This compels you to identify the core message so that you can place it at the forefront. It’s also important to avoid looking like a collage. Instead, your design elements should create harmony. If you use a website builder, it’ll be a piece of cake to achieve.

3. Oversized type

The oversized trend followed hot on the heels of solid color blocks and these two are combined often. Research reveals that the attention span of humans is a mere 10 seconds. Although it may not be applicable for all tasks, it does support the idea that you need to be careful with how your present information.

Use large and distinct elements to catch the attention of your audience. We mentioned previously that there’s a limited amount of information that humans can process at one time. To successfully utilize this trend, apply it to the core areas of the website and remove redundant elements or information.

4. Hand-drawn elements

Large icon packs grew in popularity over the years and they’ve been used by thousands of websites. Viewers have become familiar with these, and although it’s not an entirely bad thing, people usually ignore them these days.
One trend that you can rely on to catch viewers’ attention is the use of hand-drawn icons and elements that are unique. Hand-draw icons are a great way to display your brand’s unique personality without subduing your central message.

Although it can take a bit more time to create hand-drawn elements that fit your brand, it does help attract attention to your website. It’s also a good contrast to the clean and perfect design elements used almost everywhere. Start by placing your hand-drawn icons in strategic places. You can use them even with the help of a website builder like Wix.

5. Elements in motion

The eyes get drawn to something moves unexpectedly. It’s also a powerful design tool used to catch the reader’s attention but one that should be used moderately. It’s a unique feature when the audience first sees it on your website but over time it can feel bothersome if used too frequently.

There’s an abundance of elements you can use to create movement. There are gifs, video clips, micro effects that respond to cursor movement as well as simple buttons that shake. The type of element you should use depends on your brand, your style, and the target audience.

It’s crucial to carefully choose which elements you want to add movement to. Think of the most essential actions or information on your website. It can be a specific text block, a button, or a whole section. Once the motion is added to the element, evaluate how your audience responds to it. If you see improved results with little no to negative comments, then you can use that movement more conspicuously.

6. Limited navigation menu

This design trend is a response to the popularity of smaller devices like smartwatches and even for a time smartphones. Several years ago, large menus with several menu levels were the popular choice but they were not efficient when applied to mobile devices. The limited navigation style presents only the most important parts of the website.

It might seem like a minimal menu is pointless. However, it actually helps your audience because it reduces the amount of information that they need to process. It will be easier to determine which pages are the most important on your website. It also leads to more read-time for each page since visitors don’t have to visit tons of options.
When used with oversized type or solid color blocks, you can maintain the viewer’s attention for a longer time. If you can retain the attention, then you can also see an improvement in other KPIs.

7. Custom illustrations

Custom illustrations are like hand-drawn elements but they can be used as the focal part of the whole website design. It’s a great way to highlight the brand’s personality without diminishing essential messages and actions.
For instance, luxury fashion houses will sometimes publish a sketch of several pieces from a collection to show what the design looks like before production. Brands that offer design services can exhibit illustrations that show their capabilities.

Behance, 500px, and Dribbble are great sources to find design inspiration. Save the ones that resonate with your brand. You can use these to brainstorm how to utilize custom illustrations for your website. Do you want illustration on select pages only or do you want to apply it for each product page?

Final Thoughts

Of course, there’s no one correct way to design a website. A great website will depend on the results you want to achieve for your brand. These design trends are great tools to help you accomplish your desired outcome.
It’s your decision which design trends you want to use and which ones you think will work best for your needs. Aside from understanding website design, it’s also essential to choose the proper platform. Some great website builders can help you grow your brand. Make sure to research customer feedback to see the advantages for each one.