Ghost buttons, parallax scrolling, and flat designs, oh my! Keeping up with web design trends can be unnerving. As scary as these new web elements may sound, they are creeping into web designers' palettes and engaging consumers everywhere. Every web site deserves a face lift at some point, so whether you're redesigning your web site, or just considering it, you need to be sure your space on the web is being utilized to its fullest potential to grab consumers' attention.

                                                          

Modern Elements

As consumers are more visually hungry and less inclined to read large paragraphs of text, web designers are striving for more white space, more photos, and more videos in a clean and minimalistic design--with a few additional elements to bring the site together.

Below is a list of trending elements of design useful in helping web sites achieve a modern edge:

 

• One-page web site -- One-page web sites are continuous, fluid pages that showcase one main idea. Web sites that use a one-page design include Facebook's Paper and IGN's Museum of Mario.
   
• Fixed header bar -- Fixed header bars provide users quick access to links without the need to scroll up the page. DSTLD Jeans uses a fixed header bar that allows customers to easily navigate their site.
   
• Flat design -- Flat design web sites are made up of a simplified, two-dimensional design that emphasizes usability. Dropbox uses flat designs for a clean, minimalistic style.
   
• Ghost button -- Ghost buttons are buttons with a transparent background, solid border, and text. Ghost buttons can be seen used on web sites such as Google Nexus and Weatherjams. 

• Background video -- Background videos are used to provide a visual experience--tell a story, set a mood, or demonstrate a product. The Life of Pi web site uses a background video.

• Parallax scrolling -- Parallax scrolling is a more advanced web technique that uses layers and backgrounds moving at a slower rate to create a 3-D visual effect. Simply put, parallax scrolling is an interactive web technique to engage and guide visitors through a web site by dragging the scroll bar on the side of the screen, or using a mouse's scroll wheel. Web sites that use parallax scrolling include Mercedes Benz, Every Last Drop, and the Seattle Space Needle.  

 

Advancing with the Mobile Movement

In addition to keeping up with the web design trends, it's important to create a web site with mobile consumers in mind. Responsive web design is becoming a widely used technique that allows your web site to recognize and adjust to fit different mobile devices. According to Pew Research Center's Mobile Technology Fact Sheet, 58% of American adults have a smartphone, 32% of American adults own an e-reader, and 42% of American adults own a tablet. If you aren't equipping your web site to format to mobile device users, you're at risk of losing them.

 

Creating a modern web site can be a daunting endeavor, but it's one you need to face head-on to keep up with the competition and ever-changing consumer preferences. Don't be afraid to try new design trends--your efforts will be rewarding.  

 

Sincerely,