Top 5 Website Trends From 2021

When we look back at the website trends from 2021, there are a few that stand out and scream that it’s a site that has been built this year. Here is a look at the top 5 trends from this year. 

1. Maximalism in Website Design

We spent the year designing websites that were full of color combinations, contrasting patterns, repeated elements, layered images, and little white space. This no-holds-barred approach to web design meant we had to stretch our creativity and embrace bold concepts. 

Maximalism goes against the minimalist website designs that have been preferred in years past. But, this year we ran with a brand’s identity and did what we could to showcase their individual style. 

Designing a site that has multiple colors, fonts, text layered on images, and other loud elements immediately gets the attention of the reader. If you’re a brand that really wants to stand out among the sea of competitors, a maximilism site could be a good option. 

There are a few things to consider when going with this type of design, however. For one thing, you need a developer that can pull off the bold looks without making the site look cluttered and create a poor user experience. Overwhelming the site visitor will immediately make them leave. 

The other thing to consider with this type of design is whether or not it can be developed without tanking the site speeds. When a site has a lot of elements, fonts, and images to load, all of them have to be optimized in order to allow the site to load quickly. 

Choosing an experienced developer to create a maximilism site is a must. 

Take a look at Mecca , the website for an Aussie Beauty festival, for a good example of this style.

2. Faster Website Load Times 

Speaking of website load times, this became even more important to websites this year. While we have been working to have faster load times on websites for years, Google raised the stakes in June of 2021 with their “core web vitals” update. 

Each page of your website should pass the Core Web Vitals assessment. These metrics are: 

• Largest Contentful Paint – should load under 2.5 seconds
• First Input Delay – should load uner 100 milliseconds
• Cumulative Layout Shift – should load under 0.1 seconds

All of these metrics are directly tied to how your website is built. Developers have been looking for solutions to build faster, better sites by switching up the tools they use to build their sites. Also, they have tested out different hosting services, plugins, and other tools that will allow them to design a beautiful site that’s optimized for page speeds.

3. Dark Mode

While this may seem like a fresh, new type of design, dark mode has been around since the ‘80’s. Early computers had green and white text on simple backgrounds. Obviously, we’ve come a long way since then. 

As dark mode becomes more popular on apps, it’s growing in popularity on websites as well. Designing a website with a dark theme is a great background for images, graphics, and videos to stand out. Also, it’s easier on the eyes, so more and more people prefer he black and grey shades as the primary color on their websites. 

Creating a website that has a black background isn’t as simple as choosing the basic black hex code #000000. Rather, it takes a skilled designer to craft a website that uses different colored black backgrounds that will serve up the best user experience.

If you want to create a site that is full of images, then this might be a great option for you. It will make the pictures stand out. However, if your site is copy heavy, then this may not be the best design option for you. 

Still want to create a design that’s easy on the eyes, but don’t think dark mode is right for you? Then you can hop on the other website design trend of using soft color pallets that rely on green tones or pastels. 

4. Interactive Elements

One way to get visitors to stay on your site longer is to add an interactive element to the site. This year, we saw a lot of websites add:

• Surveys
• Quizzes
• Calculators
• Contests

These are all examples of interactive elements that are designed to get your visitor involved with your site. Not only is this a good way to keep someone on the site longer, it can also be a great source for lead capture. For example, when a user fills out your quiz, you can set up the results to be emailed to them. 

Developing a quiz, calculator, or other interactive element doesn’t have to be complicated. However, it does need to be interesting to the intended reader and provide them information they are looking for. 

5. Big Texts With Lightweight Typography

Serif fonts like Times New Roman, Garamond, and Georgia made their way into this year’s website trends. But, to make them stand out and create a better visual experience, developers have made texts larger. You may have seen some websites have only one word or phrase above the fold in one of these lightweight font types. 

This is a perfect design aesthetic for a brand that wants to put off a timeless or classic look. It’s reminiscent of print magazines or newspapers. Combining large serif fonts with subtle, earthy tones completes the classy, modern look. 

Contact Us Today

With the new year right around the corner, we’ll be researching and looking into the new website trends for 2022. Our goal is to make it a great year for your business and design a site that represents who you are. If you’re ready to get started on a new website, contact us today and we’ll be happy to sit down with you and go over your ideas. We look forward to working with you!