3 Website Design Trends Happening in 2019

by Kate Neri | Jan 15, 2019

As we head into 2019 I scoured the internet and talked with our team to find out what types of website design trends we should expect to hit websites this year. Regardless of the predicted trends and opinions I found, there is one common thread, one thing I think we can all count on – websites are and will continue to be a direct reflection of cultural trends, societal changes, and technological advancements we see in our world. Websites should complement the people that are using them.

Here are 3 ways websites will be keeping up with us users in 2019:

Clean up my clutter

Our lives are filled with clutter. Thanks to advancing technology, we literally have everything at our fingertips, not to mention the push to do and be everything. We are spread thin, overwhelmed, and all-out messy. Self-help books are now focused on saying “no,” decluttering your life, and finding breathing room. Well, website design in 2019 will be following suit.

Cluttered websites are a thing of the past. In 2019 you will see minimalism, clean sites, white space, and less copy, with more focus on what you need to know (nothing more, nothing less). White space (or any space that is devoid of copy and imagery) in web design is easier to read and navigate and allows for the user to directly focus on the most important elements of the page. This trend by no means is new but with this constant state of clutter, this trend will become even more of a focus this year as a way to create better user experiences and drive engagement.

Get my attention

We are bombarded by anywhere from 4,000-10,000 unique messages daily. Websites must continue to fight to get users’ attention. In 2019, expect that to come to life in the form of color and reimagined header areas. Websites are naturally built for bright colors and with the advancement of computer and mobile device screen resolutions, vibrant, saturated color is more possible and available to more users now than ever before. Color is one of the first things our brains perceive from a brand, so it’s often the first thing that pulls us in.

Hero or header areas are the top part of your webpage and the first thing people see when they land on your website. Needless to say, this area is VERY important not just for drawing someone’s attention but for encouraging engagement. Over the last couple of years, there has been a ton of experimentation with this area of websites to better reach visitors. I have no doubt we will continue to see changes in these spaces above the fold to include things like integrated video, custom illustrations and animation in 2019.

Keep up with me

There’s no doubt we are always on the go and good thing we have everything at our fingertips because we wouldn’t have time for anything less. From next-day delivery to AI doing the work for us, we need things that can keep up with how fast-paced we are and our surrounding world is. Websites have to keep up as well. Everything we do now starts on mobile and if your website isn’t ready for users on that device you are missing out A LOT. I see 2019 as the year where we not only continue to focus on mobile friendliness but in fact take it even further. Websites will be tailored to how we hold our phone with things like navigation and buttons at thumb’s length.

Site speed will also be a continued focus for websites in 2019 and there’s no reason why we should stop optimizing. One second delay in our hyper-speed world could mean exponential losses in users. You can test your website’s mobile speed now to see how many users you might be losing with Google Page Speed Insights.

2019 will be the year to focus on the needs of our users and meet them where they are with simple, minimalist design, attention-grabbing color and graphics, and efficient, easy-to-use websites. In 2019, you have an opportunity to connect with your customers authentically on the web. Start now!

Are you inspired or intrigued by these website design trends? Check out some of our recent work or email me! I’d love to chat about how we can use your website to better connect with your customers in 2019.