With every new year comes a flurry of quickly broken resolutions and a tonne of new business approaches. 2021, despite the steady start, will be no different. This year we expect to see even more changes in the way we use the internet. That means that there will be a whole host of new web styles coming your way.
For casual users, the internet may seem the same year after year. But for those of us pulling strings in the background, that is exactly what we want you to think. Drastic changes could put the everyday customer right off! It’s all about the subtlety. Let’s talk about the web styles we expect to see this year, and how you can implement them into your website to stay ahead of the curve.
All things retro 👾
OK, so retro is well and truly having a resurgence. Old things become cool, some stay cool, whilst others fall back into the bracket of ‘oh hell no’ as quickly as they appeared.
An example for each; Pokemon, it’s back, and it’s here to stay, undoubtedly very cool. Then think, those chains that hold your headphones, never, ever, going to be cool, but somehow in 2020, they had a moment, honestly, they did.
When it comes to web style trends, retro is going to be the big mover in 2021. Think of the stress of last year, the awkward Zoom meetings where a shirt and underwear was an acceptable outfit. Retro-inspired design makes us feel safe as it transports us to a more familiar time. It makes us imagine the warmth of a hug from your gran, the carpet in her living room, your youth. That’s what we want from 2021.
How can you make it work? The early signs of retro aren’t that we will have Windows 98 style fonts but more a collaborative approach. Think of mixing some of your current fonts with a touch of something retro. A retro typeface with a little more curve and panache.
What’s on the horizon-tal? 🌅
Right, let’s talk about horizontal scrolling. That is a sentence that we thought we would never want to say. Only a few years back, concealing your site horizontally was one of the biggest faux pa’s of web design, but not this year.
The designers out there who are using this trend to their advantage are the ones thinking purely of functionality. If you are keeping further information horizontally as part of an experience, like scrolling through a camera roll. It can work flawlessly and add an extra dimension to what we are used to seeing.
To use horizontal scrolling to your advantage, you need to make sure you have clear directions that more information is available. Choose carefully which pieces of info you will leave concealed to the right, and offer the information elsewhere just in case.
Keep it calm 🌅
2021 is all about keeping it calm. We don’t just mean your customer service, but also the colours and elements you implement into your website. Nature is particularly booming at the moment. Because of the amount of time we have spent getting to know our surroundings, thanks lockdown. You’ll see plenty of nature-based graphics and photography so why not follow suit?
Colours that say the least are making the most noise, calming wide open spaces of creams, whites and off-whites are dominating the internet. There’s nothing more soothing than a well thought out colourway, it puts the customer at ease and in turn drives them to purchase.
To implement this trend, take a look at your current site. Is it loud? Obnoxious? In your face? If so, maybe tone it down a little. Even the notorious fast-fashion sector is doing away with its eye-watering neon pinks and replacing them with more muted tones, baby pinks for example.
Reality or augmented? 🤔
As we head further into the state of sitting at home permanently. Reality is moving closer to us. This year we predict a huge step towards augmented reality. In the past year, we’ve witnessed augmented reality used for everything. Car manufacturers have allowed us to create our vehicles whilst being sat inside the virtual car so we get a feel for the interior. Fashion companies allow us to virtually try on items of clothing before purchase.
The implementation of augmented reality is a difficult one as it can be costly. However, the empowerment of customers is something we should all be getting behind. A customer who feels in control is one who is much more likely to purchase.
If you want to know about implementing the trends of 2021 into your website. Get in touch with us today. As a creative and forward-thinking digital agency, we connect the dots for your brand, website and customers. So reach out, let’s chat and see what brilliant ideas we can formulate. Get ready to push the boundaries.
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