A recent study shows that 97% of consumers research their purchases online before they buy something.  Strong, modern web design is vital to your brand’s reputation, your bottom line, and your future. So it will be important to pay attention to web design trends in 2019.

Don’t take our word for it. 75% of consumers judge the credibility and trustworthiness of your business from your website’s design.

Over the past decade, the 210,000 designers on crowdspring have helped entrepreneurs, businesses, agencies and nonprofits from 100+ countries with custom web design, among other services (custom logo design, print design, product design, packaging design, and even unique company names). We’ve seen many web design trends and fads come and go during that time.

Here are four hot web design trends for 2019.

>> To see a full list of web design trends for 2019, read 7 Modern Web Design Trends for 2019.

1. Strong User Interface/User Experience design

Today’s web users expect a flawless online experience from start to finish.  

A recent study from Forrester Research reveals that competent UI design could increase your web conversions by up to 200%. According to the study, a strong user experience can increase conversion rates up to 400%.

This means that poor UI/UX is turning away a lot of potential sales.

And, if that confusing, frustrating website is yours… you may not even realize how many solid leads are leaving as a result of poor UI.

To learn more about UI/UX, read 6 Ways User Interface and User Experience Design Can Help Your Business.

2. Custom graphic design and illustrations

Some businesses, like Basecamp, embrace unique custom illustrations to define their brand and differentiate their website. 

Illustrations offer space for creativity.

Matching that style with your brand personality and illustrating the right concepts can create a strong impression on your website.

Hand-drawn style illustrations also feel charmingly retro in the midst of all the slick digital design we’ve grown accustomed to. This just helps it to stand out even more.

3. Bright, bold colors and gradients

Color is one of the most powerful visual communication tools available.

The right color can improve readership by 40% by making messaging easier to read and more visually appealing. Color is one of the first things our brains perceive from a brand, so it’s often the first thing that pulls us in.

In fact, a study from the University of Winnipeg reveals:

People make up their minds within 90 seconds of their initial interactions with either people or products. About 6290 percent of the assessment is based on colors alone. So, prudent use of colors can contribute not only to differentiating products from competitors, but also to influencing moods and feelings…

Choosing the right colors for a website can make the difference between engaged viewers (and conversions!) or nasty high bounce rates.

Gradients

Gradients provide subtle visual interest without being too busy. That’s what makes them so great for lending an air of dynamism to a design without overwhelming the important stuff.

Gradients don’t compete with text. And, as long as you make wise color choices, they won’t compete with other graphics, either.

When used skillfully, gradients can help draw viewer’s focus to the most important information or calls to action on your website.

4. Responsive design and apps

According to research by comscore, mobile users spend more than double the minutes online compared to desktop users.

In fact, over 48% of all users started their search for something on a mobile device. 

Every business needs to optimize their website for mobile devices.

Responsive Design

Responsive web design adapts to the size and shape of the device screen used to view your site. 

In fact, responsive design has become so pervasive that smart businesses are even designing responsive logos to accommodate different screen sizes!

Mobile Apps 

Mobile apps (short for “applications”) are programs designed specifically to be used on mobile devices.

They started as stand-alone applications for mobile devices. But, today, businesses are working hard to integrate the user experience on their mobile apps with their primary websites.

Some businesses rely on their website as their primary service. These web applications aren’t just a hub for information or even just an online store. They are complex websites with layers of user interface.

Websites this complex may be difficult to translate effectively for mobile devices with only responsive design. That’s where a dedicated mobile app can help.

You can also expect to see more businesses launching apps that allow users to move easily from app to website and back while maintaining the user’s account information and (of course) consistent visual brand design.

Conclusion

The decision to incorporate a trend into your website design should always be determined by whether that trend makes sense for your brand. 

Whatever you choose, remember that there are many millions of websites. The only way to stand out is to work with your designer to create a website that’s unique and different.

 

 Katie Lundin is on the customer support team at crowdspring, one of the world’s leading marketplaces for crowdsourced logo design, web design, graphic design, product design, and company naming services. She helps entrepreneurs, small businesses and agencies with branding, design, and naming, and regularly writes about entrepreneurship, small business and design on crowdspring’s award-winning small business blog.