Web design and UX trends for 2022…and beyond!
As you’ve likely noticed by now, it’s December!
Somehow, and I’m not entirely sure how, we seem to be making our way to the end of 2021. And while most of us are consumed by the countdown to Christmas, it would be remiss of us not to reflect on the fact that 2022 is also just around the corner.
It’s hard not to get excited to see the end of this year and to feel positive about what 2022 might bring. And in true design-nerd style, here at TDO we’re eagerly anticipating the hot, new web design and UX trends we’re expecting to see in 2022…and beyond. We’d hate for you to miss out on the fun and be on the back foot when it comes to innovative design so sit tight friends, we’ll take you through them.
Minimalism - that’s right, we are seeing a resurgence in simple, classic, minimal design. Gone are the busy infographics and pages and pages of verbose content. If you’re looking to update your website and business branding in the next year, steer clear of explaining what you do in a flourish of adjectives. Educate your audience with simple, easy-to-understand facts and statistics and sleek web design. With less content crowding your pages, you’ll allow open space to draw your customers in rather than overwhelming them. You’ll encourage their exploration and motivate them to find out more by clicking through or making contact with you.
Dark Mode - as devices become an integral part of our lives, we’re learning a lot about how to manage their use. It’s now widely accepted that blue light exposure is not great for our eyes or our sleep and, dark mode is a great way to reduce it! In addition to this, dark mode makes it possible to adjust your screen according to the light conditions, allowing you to use it at night or in dark environments…without annoying your significant other. To make sure your web design and content is legible in both modes - light and dark, you gotta test it! And be prepared to make adjustments as needed because designs that work in one mode, may not work in the other.
Dynamic Content - now we have the ability to personalise the user experience of our customers. Based on the needs of each user, dynamic content can change accordingly. Using metrics such as in-session activity and user characteristics, including demographics, geo location and user data, your audience will see information which is specifically relevant to them. Dynamic content works best if your site encourages customers to log in, enabling the capture of user preference and previous buying history. Have a chat with your web developer to ensure you’re collecting user data to optimise dynamic content for your site.
Voice to Search - although we’re still waiting on statistics for 2021, voice to search numbers have been steadily increasing and it’s safe to assume they’ve only continued on that trajectory this year. Back in 2018, Price Waterhouse Cooper found that 65% of consumers aged 25-49 talked to their voice-enabled devices daily. And midway through 2021, it was revealed that 26% of Australians or 5.6 million, up from 17% in 2020, had a smart home device. Another key finding for businesses is that nearly one in two who have used voice assistant-based devices have interacted with a business brand, product or service or to start or complete a purchase. To optimise your website for voice to search, it’s imperative to plan your SEO for local search. In other words, make it conversational, be concise and mobile friendly and create content which answers your users’ questions.
Design for the Thumb - as our phones have grown progressively bigger, it has necessitated a change in the way we hold them. And with this change, the majority of us are now holding our phones cupped in one hand with our thumb used for scrolling. For this reason, innovative design has changed the look of web pages. Those keen-eyed observers out there have probably already noticed the way some sites have shifted their controls from the top of the page down to the bottom for easy thumb access. Sites such as FB and Instagram ensure most navigation is done from the bottom while other sites like Apple Maps have relocated all their control to the bottom of the page. To truly enhance your user experience, design for the thumb is something worthy of your consideration.
For us here at TDO, we get generally excited about design innovation but we do realise it’s not that way for everyone. If you’d like a little assistance with incorporating some of these cool business branding features in your website in 2022…and beyond, please get in touch.
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