Web design trends tend to be fleeting, but some actually have the staying power to join the status quo. As 2024 unfolds, it’s crucial for web designers to sort the wheat from the chaff. In this post, we’ll examine two web design trends that you can bet the farm will still be relevant for years to come.
AI in Web Design
So you click a button and the new shiny robot spits out a website right? For now it’s still a decisive no. AI website builders can get you up and running quickly on a tight budget. However, a quick look under the hood reveals a website unfit for purpose. Don’t let this convince you that AI isn’t useful though. For a number of narrow use cases the AI revolution is well underway.
AI Image Generation For Web Designers
Perhaps AI’s greatest gift to humanity is challenging our reliance on stock imagery. Whether it’s an abstract brushed metal background, variations of an existing design or custom user avatars for testimonials. Website designers can use these tools to save time & push creative boundaries.
Chatbots For Ecommerce Websites
Depending on your age, you may have a mild PTSD flare up when you see a customer service ‘Chatbot’. Thankfully though, the era of stock replies and endless loops of “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite understand that.” are a thing of the past. Leveraging natural language processing, the modern day chatbots are far more ‘intelligent’. They can be trained on your company’s data, personalise their responses based on customer history and reply 24/7 with unlimited patience. Ecommerce is a game of scale and chatbots are an excellent way to multiply your workforce with AI.
AI Powered Website Analytics
Data literacy is more important than ever. If that alarms you then I have good news. AI’s native language is data, so with the addition of natural language processing it can be the perfect translator between you and your website’s data. For example, you can automate data analysis on your website. An AI copilot will recognise patterns and anomalies, and report them in real time.
UX-Focused Design
Did you notice the update on Shopify? Or see the changes with Hubspot’s landing page? Likely not. That’s because these companies obsess over an intuitive and seamless user experience (UX). As technology further integrates into our lives, UX centric design will continue to grow.
Mobile-First
Mobile-first design is far from new, but its importance still increases every year. As users become increasingly comfortable performing new tasks on their phones, such as booking flights, the weekly food shop or managing finances, designers must push the frontier of a mobile optimised experience.
Page Speed
How long did this page take to load? Not sure? We’ve done our job then. Page speed becomes a huge issue when it’s noticed. The user will bounce and Google will put your website on the naughty step. To combat this, web designers need to get into the nitty gritty details of server configuration, CDNs and file compression (plus so much more!).
Conversion Focus
Every element of a website, from the layout and colour scheme to the copy and CTAs, should guide users towards desired actions. By employing conversion-focused design principles, such as clear value propositions, persuasive storytelling, and data-driven A/B testing, designers can create websites that engage users and drive results. The most successful websites will seamlessly blend design with conversion.
Ultimately, as we navigate the future of web design, AI and UX-focused design will be key drivers. By leveraging AI for image generation, chatbots, and analytics, while prioritising mobile-first optimisation, fast page speeds, and conversion-centric strategies, web designers can create websites that captivate users and drive business results.
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