Trending website design trends that are defining London in 2020

Website design trends and technology shifts have always been decidedly unpredictable. Endless scope for development and shifts in tech capabilities provide developers and coders with boundless avenues for reinventing the website wheel.

A year of extremes, 2020 holds a whole host of innovative and intriguing trends to be explored.

Stylistically, there are age-old, popular, more traditional styles of web design, which remain timeless. Despite the current collection of new website design and content management systems, including Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace it seems that oftentimes simplistic website functionality will never fall out of favour.

Preparing for change within the digital world doesn’t always come without some resistance. Early adopters will already be aware and even maybe part of the talent and skill making the changes we see online a reality. Yet whilst laggards may appear less keen to throw out the old and welcome in the new, there are of course always a few experts available to allow us to embrace new trends, and accept 2020 and beyond, as the future dynamic digital change.

Researching the finds and work of web design experts online, here are 2020’s top trends in London website design:

Moving over to the ‘dark side’, is Dark Mode

Ultra-modern, simplistically sleek, Dark Mode is a juxtaposition to the usual white designs of websites, popular because this allows colours and design elements which are lost on otherwise more traditional designs, to really shine out of the darkness.

Adopting a less harsh contrast, this design is not just easy on the eyes, and nicer to look at, it is also practical. As web design trends and software evolves, so does our digital hardware. OLED screens for example, favour dark mode themes, as they best compliment the visibility of a web design’s resolution. Not only that, but these screens are proven more environmentally friendly than older monitor models, boasting benefits such as power-saving, and extended screen life-span.

Hand drawn icons and Lottie Animations

In a year where we are now socially more physically distanced than ever before, it is small personal touches to a website which can make the end user feel that they have a loyalty to a brand. Not only this, but as consumers we can sometimes feel an appreciation for content online which feels more human, less robot, in order for us to authentically engage with it.

On both a conscious and unconscious level, we feel more emotionally towards content which has a slightly imperfect feel, perhaps it is construed as more genuine. It is this emotional leverage which is fuelling one of the next big website design trends for 2020: hand drawn icons.
Focussing on hand drawn design elements in 2020, we will see an increase in purposefully human crafted artwork to feature on websites to present a more anthropological atmosphere throughout the user experience, which the consumer can then later also attribute to the brand.

3D Immersion and Virtual User Interactivity

Interaction is at the forefront of 2020’s digital mission. As more sites begin to use 3D and visual technology, the more intrigued we become. The more mystery there is around a site, the more it attracts consumers, and of course, the higher the potential it then has to delight. An enigma alone however, is not enough to continue to hold your site visitor’s attention and interest.

At the beginning of 2020, phrases like virtual reality and artificial intelligence were popular buzzwords. 

However, these technologies are reliant upon complex and expensive technology. Until they become more mainstream, there are affordable alternatives. 3D Imagery can transform the atmosphere of your website and the user experience, without breaking the bank.

For online vendors investing in visuals for their website, one advantage is that 3D design is engaging, encouraging visitors to spend longer browsing to find more interesting graphics. Breaking down the boundaries of digital and reality, 3D web designs offer an element of escapism for the consumer.

An inspirational example of a company which adopted 3D web design is Crucial Trading. By implementing 3D elements to their homepage and throughout their website, they were able to create a user journey flow, better utilise their stunning collection of photography, and achieve an overall increase in visitor engagement.

Solid Frames vs White Space: the power of contrast

Literally putting online products and services into perspective, web designers are incorporating websites around their white space potential. Whilst these more traditional designs do not detract from the website’s purpose, they may lack the potential to frame it as well as a website which uses white space wholeheartedly to its advantage. Clean lines, open space, and fewer distractions serves to provide consumers with a user interface which is clear, inviting and follows the marketing funnel trajectory in a very transparent yet honest manner.

Optimising content potential with neat frames, resonates a feeling of order and coordination; whilst separating the page into important segments. White space cleverly use web design to allow the consumer to feel they are in control of their experience when visiting a website; which overall could help the consumer to prioritise completing sales, on these sites, over others they find overwhelming.

Minimalist navigation

2020 marks yet another year of eco-friendly and environmentally friendly campaigns as big brands including Diageo, Unilever, and XPO Logistics voiced support for sustainability and ethically environmentally friendly standpoints.

This sense of minimalism and decluttering within our physical lives has transferred into our digital realms. Many online vendors present websites which promote clean lines, concise content, and subtle colour schemes.

Likening our relationship to physical stores and brands from which we purchase, websites and online vendors are keen to adopt minimal web design. By doing so, companies are able to assimilate the digital message, that they are a company which holds morals in sustainability to protect the earth and its humanity.

Uncluttering our minds, and our lives, may make us more inclined to visit and spend longer on websites which avoid offering surplus information and do not pressure us to purchase.

Experts predict that, to complement the cleaner style of websites, content will be less text heavy, with creators moving towards video and voice-scripting. Not only will this save space on websites, but it also means that the navigation of these websites can be transferred seamlessly between devices.

The End of Loading…

Technology software needs to be capable of delivering the type of content demanded by the consumer of tomorrow, in the way they want it. Many smart mobile devices work best when accessing content which has fast load speeds.

The vendors of today need to focus on consumers’ needs for online content to work on small devices. With the rise in wearable devices, content should cater to shortened attention spans and

As we delve deeper in the development of the psychology behind the upcoming trends, we can determine what the consumer of tomorrow will expect from online platforms.

Different designs will fit different industries. This can then be split into different demographics. Market trends and analysis, and current affairs are also usually an accurate measure for vendors to see when, what, and where to promote and sell their products and services. Good website design is just the very beginning step!

Read more here about why good website design is crucial to your business’s successful digital future: https://kijo.london/web-design/crucial-trading-inspire/

Posted on by Kirk Thompson