New web design trends emerge every year, month, and some even within weeks. With the rise of social media and the ability to connect with other designers so easily, we’re able to see new trends pop up at a rate that exceeds those of the past. Some trends end up sticking around for a while, whereas others tend to fall off the map such as stock photos, large heroes, hero sliders.
Knowing When To Use Design Trends
It is definitely important to keep up with the times and see the creative solutions that other designers come up with. Even more important is to understand and know when to use these trends, so your work remains relevant and modern as well as attracts audiences that are now visually geared towards these features. The only flaw you’ll need to be aware of is that you could become a part of the horde of companies that use the same trendy concepts.
Within certain industries, websites tend to look dated or jumbled with low-resolution images and long blocks of content. So when you’re looking to create a website using current trends, you definitely will set your clients apart from the competition from those in your industry that don’t. However, a trendy design that steers away from the brand, mission, and values of the company doesn’t necessarily equate to success.
Many trends tend to gear more towards younger audiences and if the main target audience of your client is middle-aged or older individuals, it would be best to stick with design choices commonly understood by these age groups. Just because certain designs are trendy doesn’t mean that they will help the client reach their goals.
A trendy website that steers away from the brand, mission, and values of your client is not a successful web design.
Using Trends As Your Inspiration
The nature of trends is for it to always be changing as time goes on. The problem with designing a website using an in-style trend means it could potentially be out of date a lot sooner than you think, causing a new redesign earlier than expected. You are setting up a company to be on-trend while keeping up with the times but in turn, this will lead to a lot more work than necessary. So in many cases, it would be wiser to design a website that has timeless elements while also being modern.
By no means are we suggesting to steer away from trends altogether, trends are a great source for inspiration! As a designer, you definitely want to keep yourself educated and well-versed in what the design community has established as a well-loved aesthetic.
Some trends are great for increasing usability and the user experience. What is important is to continue building your own design style and mixing in design trends where you see is the best fit for your clients and their goals. Don’t just blindly follow what is trendy for the sake of following the crowd without having an informed reason for doing so. Use your creative strength as a designer to make calls in your design that reflect your expertise and style!
