Website trends of 2020 – follow the crowd or strike out alone?

Wow! The end of December already! Seriously, where has this year gone? Answers on a postcard, please!

When the first national lockdown came into force in the springtime, online sales hit a record high of nearly 33% of total retail sales. In a year where your website has been more important than ever, we thought it would be interesting to review some of the key trends of 2020 and look at just why they have been so popular. Perhaps your business adopted some, or maybe you wanted to go your own way! 

2020 design trends

1. Video content

If a picture says a thousand words, then a video can tell a whole story! Thanks to faster internet connections, businesses are now able to use video or animated homepages to greet users. This can be a very simple yet powerful way of showcasing a product or service, leaving visitors with a lasting, positive impression. If you’ve been quick to adopt this, but your competitors haven’t cottoned on to this trend yet, you have the opportunity to stand head and shoulders above the rest and show your brand off as an industry leader. Video content on your About page also really helps to develop that all-important ‘know, like and trust’ factor with your audience. If you’ve not taken this step yet, look here for some words of encouragement and tips to get you on the video content train!

2. Dark mode

This simple, yet effective idea to provide a low-contrast site has been a real hit with giants such as YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and Google Chrome. Not only does it provide users with a more elegant and sleeker working environment, but it also positively affects a device’s battery life and energy consumption. The so-called night mode is also a hit because it lowers overall screen brightness, making reading more comfortable and causing less eye strain. 

3. Minimalism

As mobile device screens became smaller (along with our attention span!), the minimalist trend rose to prominence. While the features of minimalism have changed over the years, its effortlessness, usability and sophistication have continued to win over users and designers alike. It certainly doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon either! When dark mode and minimalism are combined through simple, high-quality graphics, clean typography, and perhaps a vibrant accent colour, a visually stunning effect is achieved.

4. Colour schemes

Pastel hues, coupled with the use of gradients, have been super-popular choices for website design this year. The use of contrasting colours can create an impressive illusion of depth, and makes for a winning combo of cutting edge and sleek design!

5. Hand-drawn elements

Hand-drawn elements, such as cartoon-style illustrations, handwritten lettering and sleek artistic elements, can really inject a dose of authenticity and personality into a brand. Not only can this look modern and classy, but it’s also a nice alternative to polished, stock photography. It isn’t for every website though, and we recommend the eye of a professional website designer to get it just right for your brand!

6. Mobile responsiveness

We couldn’t leave out mobile responsiveness from this article, could we? With an estimated 14 billion mobile devices worldwide, every business should be keen to have a version of their website, which is suitable for all types of phones and tablets. Throw in the fact that mobile web usage now surpasses desktop, and you can see why brands want their websites to look awesome on a phone! 

A website that works around your changing business needs

This year has been incredibly challenging for every sector, to say the least, and businesses have been working hard to attract and convert as many browsers as possible into customers. 

For some, it may have highlighted how important their website actually is, and just how critical it is for users to have a straightforward, positive experience. Think about some of the websites you’ve come across in the last few months. A handful probably jump out for their attractive layouts and user-friendly interfaces. Unfortunately, bad experiences also stick with us and are likely to leave us with negative feelings about a brand, which can be hard to shake.

What are your website and marketing plans for the new year? Is it time for something fresh? Let us know at hello@avidmode.com!