Global Web Design Trend in 2021

As website owner, you should know that a good website design will be able to attract visitors. Therefore, you need to make your website design as attractive as possible. However when creating website, sometimes you may feel confused to find an exciting yet trendy web design inspiration.

Every year the world of web design trend keeps changing. To ensure that your website design can attract visitors, you should know the latest and most anticipated web design trends. So what are the web design trends that are currently popular in 2021?

This time we will summarize what kind of web design trends are popular this year. Hopefully this article will inspire you to design you website to be as attractive as possible. So, keep on reading!

 

 

Web Design Trends at a Glance

Web Design is an activity in creating and designing the appearance of a website related to how the content on the website will be displayed to website visitors. While a web designer is a person who has expertise in creating and designing the appearance of a website to make it attractive. A web designer must also be capable on making website design with a user experience approach so that the website can be accessed by visitors easily.

According to a study conducted by WebFX, the appearance of a website is the first impression felt by 94% of users. Therefore, a web designer needs to create a website with an attractive design and user friendly. To ensure that the website created can attract users’ attention, web designers should know the latest and most popular web design trends.

Web design trends are constantly changing but are often influenced by cultural changes that occur in the world. For example, in the last two years, the world was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. This prompted us to learn more about the digital world and change the way we live our lives. Web design trends have also undergone dramatic changes, focusing on re-creating real-world experiences and making them exist digitally.

This makes the web design trend in 2021 appear to have a constant theme. Namely focusing on exploring various digital visual communication ways that can improve user interaction. This year’s web design trend combines digitization with everyday life in unusual ways, such as the new typography trend, realistic animations and effects, and 3D product simulation for e-commerce websites.

Even though it has a constant theme, with the many variations of web design trends, it certainly makes you feel confused to determine the right web design according to your needs. Luckily, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular web design trends of 2021 that you can use as inspiration for web design. Here are some of the most popular web design trends in 2021 that you should know.

 

 

Dark Mode

The dark mode trend has been widely used since last year but is predicted to evolve in 2021. Many users love dark mode, not only because this mode is more visually friendly due to reduced light exposure but is also considered to save the power of the device used. Not surprisingly, several popular applications such as WhatsApp and Instagram have successfully become trending topics after launching the dark mode feature.

In addition to being functional, it turns out that dark mode also makes the website look more stylish and elegant when compared to regular mode. By applying dark mode, the content presented on the website looks more prominent because of the contrasting color difference. In fact, web designers can also be creative by adding other design elements to make the website look more attractive.

However, even though it has become a web design trend from some time ago until now, you still need some considerations if you want to apply dark mode on the website. If you misuse it, your dark modewebsite might not even match the goals of your business.

 

Things You Must Know in Applying Dark Mode

In order not to misuse it, there are things you must know in implementing dark mode on the website. Here are some tips that you need to follow in designing a website with dark mode.

• Avoid using pure black as a background. Even though it’s called dark mode, avoid using the pure black color background (#000000). This can make the user’s eyes tense and sore. It is better to use color such as dark gray color (#474141) which is more comfortable for the user’s eyes.
• Select appropriate colors for images and text. Using dark mode, we recommend using soft colors such as pastel colors for images and text. In addition to being more pleasing to the eye and can make visitors feel at home, the choice of soft colors can make information easier to read than using sharp colors.
• Adjust the contrast according to the accessibility standard. Make sure website content can be read comfortably in dark mode, even when displaying white text. You do this by adjusting the contrast level between the text and the background until it reaches the minimum standard WCAG level AA, which is 4.5:1. You can use color contrast tools to test the contrast ratio, such as Tanaguru Contrast Finder.
• Distinguish the color of the elements according to their hierarchy. Use different but still unified colors for each level of the hierarchy. For example, the higher the level of the hierarchy, the lighter the color used. It aims to make it easier for users to distinguish between background colors and element levels.
• Allow the user to switch from dark mode to day mode. Provide options for users to define their own display mode according to their wishes. This is done by providing a UI control feature that can enable or disable dark mode. That way, users can select the display mode manually, based on their own preferences.

 

 

Parallax Animation

The trend of using web-based animation has increased from year to year. Web animation in 2021 is getting more complex by separating page elements to the extreme into foreground and background, thus creating a parallax animation effect. For those who don’t know, parallax is an optical illusion where objects close to the field of view move faster than objects far away.

The illusion of parallax can actually be seen in everyday life, for example, when we see a broad view while driving. However, when applied as a website animation, the parallax effect can create a futuristic impression and a surreal atmosphere. So, users who visit the website will feel the atmosphere as accurately as in everyday life.

However, make sure not to use too much movement in designing a website with this parallax animation because optical illusions can be dizzy and cause disorientation for users. In addition, the use of too much parallax animation can distract users from meaningful information on the website.

 

 

Neumorphism

Since last year, web designers have widely used neumorphism and are predicted to continue to grow in 2021. Neumorphism is the successor of skeuomorphism, a design approach that incorporates renderings of old and outdated materials into modern designs. In short, neumorphism is a combination of skeuomorphism and flat design.

This trend takes advantage of flatter designs. Web designers simplify icons and colors to make them less realistic but look more uniform and easily recognizable. In general, the neumorphism trend has designs that have an effect resembling digital embossing or debossing in semi-flat colors. Thus, web designers can be creative by adding additional touches to a more interactive design or adding a more realistic 3D design that is easy for users to enjoy.

 

 

Dynamic Scrolling

When users scroll through the website, they are not only navigating the page but also interacting. Interaction in this context is the user participates or involved in the activities occurred. So, when users visit the website and start scrolling, they are actually interested in the information provided by the website and continue to scroll.

So, how do you make scrolling activities that can be done by users without feeling bored? The solution is to use dynamic scrolling. Dynamic scrolling is a transition between pages with animation effects when visiting scrolling.

Dynamic scrolling can be done with various visual effects, including color changes, complex animation transitions, and changes in layout transitions. Thus, you will have a unique website and make visitors feel more at home. This is supported by a study conducted by The New York Times, which states that dynamic scrolling is proven to make website visitors feel more comfortable for up to 3 minutes more.

There are two types of dynamic scrolling that you can apply on the website, namely horizontal scrolling and infinite scrolling. Here are the explanations of each type of scrolling.

 

Horizontal Scrolling

Horizontal scrolling is a scrolling technique where the user scrolls from left to right, not from top to bottom as usual. This technique is suitable for websites with a lot of visual content, such as online comic websites. Some things you should consider before implementing horizontal scrolling on a website, including:

• Decide what content to display in horizontal scrolling mode. An example of content that is suitable to be displayed in this mode is the photo gallery because horizontal scrolling can display a small preview to the user and allow the user to scroll more.
• Use clear visual cues to indicate which content can be scrolled horizontally, and don’t hide these clues behind the cursor.
• Do not force the user to always navigate horizontally, as this can make the user feel uncomfortable. We recommend providing an option that allows users to select the scrolling mode according to their preferences.
• Avoid applying horizontal scrolling for text-type content that needs to be read.

 

Infinite Scrolling

In addition to horizontal scrolling, another scroll

ing technique currently popular to be applied to websites in 2021 is infinite scrolling. Infinite scrolling is a scrolling technique where the animation on the website appears when the user scrolls downwards. Infinite scrolling is suitable for websites with a single page format or websites with a storytelling concept.

 

 

Typography Design Trends

Fonts play an essential role in attracting users to visit a website for a longer period. Therefore, when creating a website, you must use the correct font so that the information presented on the website can be easily understood by users. Do not confuse the user with the misuse in font selection.

Several typography design trends are currently popular in 2021 and you should consider in choosing the right font for your website. Among them are bold fonts, typography effects & animations, and the use of emojis. Let’s discuss these typography trends one by one.

 

Bold Fonts

The use of bold fonts on websites is now considered a must in website design. The use of bold letters on your website serves to emphasize an element. So, bold fonts guide website visitors to focus on the parts they want to highlight.

Here are some tips for those of you who want to apply the use of bold fonts on your website to make it look more attractive:

• Determine the suitable composition. Make sure you only use bold fonts on the most essential parts that you want to emphasize.
• Adjust the contrast as suitable as possible. You can do this by adjusting the font color to the background color used to quickly read the information presented.
• Use the correct type of font. In addition to adjusting the use of fonts to the type of design and your brand, we recommend choosing a Sans Serif-type font that comfortable for eyes.

 

Typography Effects & Animations

In contrast to the use of bold fonts that emphasize an element, typography effects and animations are more functional for decorative purposes. This typography design trend uses unique fonts with animations that move in the opposite direction, up and down, and so on. Web designers generally use this typography technique for more unique and creative branding goals and improve the user experience for visitors because the website will look more attractive.

 

Use of Emoji

The popularity of emojis is increasing and has come a long way to express feelings in digital communication. In the past, emojis were only used in email, chatting apps, forums, and social media but now web designers have also started to use emoji as an element in designing websites. The use of emojis on websites, according to web designers, will bring a pleasant yet charming impression, thus making users feel to be part of the content provided by the website.

Using emoji is considered a simple but effective way to convey the messages that the brand wants to convey in a non-verbal language easily understood by users from various backgrounds. That way, you can communicate with audiences of various languages ​​and accents visually and non-verbally, which has a good impact on the continuity of your business and brand.

 

 

Color Design Trends

In addition to typography, color is also an element that plays a vital role in the appearance of a website. The color palette is used as a background and other parts of the website, such as icons and text. Therefore, a reliable web designer is required to meet the needs of an attractive website display using a choice of attractive colors but still pleasing to the eye.

Some color design trends that are on the rise and are predicted to dominate in 2021 include bright colors and color gradients. The following is the review of these color design trends.

 

Bright Colors

Some of you may be wondering, why should you use bright colors that tend to tire your eyes quickly? Do not get me wrong; bright colors and colors that look contrast are not the same. We know that most people spend their time in front of smartphones or laptops to open websites, which causes users to experience eye strain from staring at the gadget screen for a long time.

Therefore, web designers prefer to choose colors that are more comfortable to look at for a long time. What colors are they? Bright but soft colors are considered colors that are comfortable for users to look at. They are predicted to dominate the color design trend for this year and the years to come.

Examples of bright but soft color palettes suitable for being applied to websites include pastel colors, light pink, light blue, mint, brown, light brown, pale yellow, maroon, and other soft colors. Using a color palette like this is believed to be more friendly to the user’s eyes than using contrasting colors that are striking on the eyes. As a result, users can feel at home for a long time in accessing your website.

 

Color Gradient

In addition to bright colors, another color design trend that you can apply to your website is color gradients. Color gradients are designs that feature gradual, continuous color transitions. This color design trend can create visual depth so that the website looks more lively and eye-catching.

Color gradients are suitable for websites for agency businesses, online courses, and the like. Some tips that you can apply in using color gradients include:

• Use colors that match your brand. Before you use color gradients, first adjust the colors that will be used with your brand logo.
• Use just enough color gradations. Using color gradations doesn’t mean you can display as many colors as possible. Just use two to three colors for the resulting gradient effect.
• Define the design focus. You must create focus on the resulting color gradation effect. The trick is to use the direction of the light to determine the dark and light areas.
• Find inspiration from the real world. There are so many objects in the real world that have a gradation pattern. Learn the gradient pattern and use it as inspiration so that the color gradient you apply looks more natural.

 

 

Images & Illustrations Trend

Another popular web design trend in 2021 that will continue to grow in the years to come is the use of images and illustrations on websites. According to several sources, using images or illustrations on the website can improve the user experience for the audience. Some of the images & illustration trends that you can consider to be applied to the website includes the human face, product photography, and collage art.

 

Human Face

As the name suggests, the human face is a web design trend by displaying a human face on a website to make it look more powerful. In addition to making it look robust, using a human face on a website can increase business credibility. So don’t be surprised if many web designers are implementing this trend on their websites.

Several types of websites that are considered suitable for implementing a human face include fashion and beauty. Here’s how to apply a human face on a website to get the desired results:

• Use the human face to build focus on the product. Especially for the fashion and accessories business, take advantage of human faces as a tool to market products.
• Play an eye on important information. Direct the eyes of the human face towards the most critical information from the website or towards the CTA button so that it is easier for visitors to find.
• Show facial expressions according to the product value. This can build an attractive impression for visitors of the products offered.

 

Products Photography

For those of you who are e-commerce business owners, you must apply this web design trend. The trend of product photography is not a new thing. Still, along with the development of technology, web designers have made many exciting innovations to use product photography in more optimal way. Optimizing the use of product photography includes 3D animation, product images in their original size, and the VR technology.

Users are expected to interact with the products offered as if they were using the product in the real life. Indeed, one of the drawbacks of purchasing transactions through e-commerce is that customers cannot see and feel the product they want directly. So, with the increasingly optimal trend of product photography, it is expected to improve the user experience when customers shop online.

 

Collage Art

For those who want to create a website with a different concept, collage art can be the right choice. The collage art trend has been widely used for the past few years. It is predicted to continue to grow, not only for websites but also on social media. The collage itself is a technique that combines several media such as images, photos, graphics, animations, illustrations, and text to create a website that attracts the attention of visitors.

This technique is widely used by well-known brands and influencers on their personal websites. If you intend to apply collage art on your website, first consider the following:

• Use collage art if you want to display multiple images at once;
• Use collage art if you want to build a retrospective impression;
• Use collage art if you want to showcase the diversity or uniqueness of your brand.

 

 

Summary

These are some of the popular web design trends in 2021. At the end of the day, web designers are always trying to improve the user experience by implementing design innovations inspired by things that can be found in real life. Although some old trends are popping up again, it seems that web designers have maximized the use of these web design trends to make them look modern and not out of date.

How about you? Which of the web design trends above do you like the most? Have you tried implementing it into your website? If not, hopefully, this article can be a guide for you to design a website to make it more exciting and fun for users who come to visit. See you later!