Top 10 Trends in Web Design for 2024 ?

So we're taking a look at some of the best web design trends for 2024, including:

• AI in website design
• UX, Content Design and Design Thinking
• The Rise of the Headless CMS
• Unique Navigations
• Dark mode design
• Illustration
• Text only headers
• Retro and Memphis design
• Microinteractions
• Scroll effects

In 2024, we anticipate a significant increase in the use of AI tools by agencies in their website projects.

AI can fulfill numerous roles in the digital space, but it is essential to utilize it constructively.

While AI is an immensely useful tool, it is not without its limitations. Therefore, it is crucial to understand when and how to leverage its capabilities effectively.

AI-Generated Imagery

One of the primary areas where AI can be advantageous is in the creation of bespoke imagery for websites. This can address a variety of challenges, particularly in projects where custom imagery is not affordable or where the client requires unique visual content.

AI in Website and Content Planning

AI can be exceptionally valuable in planning content and website hierarchies.

Leveraging AI to strategize content ensures that essential themes and messages are comprehensively covered. However, it is important to exercise caution regarding the extent of reliance on AI.

It is crucial to remember that AI, while highly intuitive, is not omniscient. It can only operate based on the information it has been provided. Consequently, if AI is tasked with creating a website structure for an industry where most existing websites are poorly planned, the results may not meet expectations. For instance, if you ask ChatGPT what pages should be included on a plumbing website, it might suggest the following:

• Home Page
• About Us
• Services
• Contact Page
• Testimonials/Reviews
• Blog/Articles
• FAQs
• Gallery/Portfolio
• Special Offers/Promotions
• Credentials/Certifications
• Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

While this list accurately reflects common elements found on most plumbing websites, it does not necessarily represent an optimal structure. For example, having a separate Testimonials page may not be ideal for user experience (UX); integrating testimonials throughout the site can create a more impactful and seamless user journey.

AI can serve as an excellent starting point, especially when inspiration is lacking. However, it is essential to use AI critically, ensuring it supplements human expertise rather than replacing it entirely.

The Importance of Strategic Planning in Modern Web Design

You might wonder how planning can be a new web design trend.

However, the manner in which a website is planned significantly impacts its design, from developing UX-driven features, functions, and styles to organizing how content is presented.

User Experience (UX) Design

User Experience (UX) design is no longer just a trend in 2024; it has become synonymous with effective website design.

This is generally advantageous, as UX should be the cornerstone of all web design efforts. Competent web designers must inherently be UX designers. However, this has led to a proliferation of individuals claiming to be UX designers without the requisite skills and methodologies.

To ascertain whether your agency genuinely provides a UX-driven design, consider the following questions:

• Did they conduct or request any SEO research before commencing the project?
• Did they create or request a content plan?
• For system or web app development, did they provide an interactive wireframe of the functions and features before starting the design phase?

If the answer to these questions is "no," it is likely that your designer's focus on UX is insufficient.

Remember, UX is not merely visual aesthetics; it involves meticulously planning the customer journey.

Each design decision must be substantiated by a clear understanding of user needs and behaviours. This requires comprehensive knowledge of the content, structure, and marketing strategies that drive your website's design.

Content Design

Content design is the process of creating the right content for the user, which, while appearing straightforward, is a sophisticated procedure that involves extensive research, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of user experience.

Content design is critical because it provides the necessary structure for designers to create visually engaging and coherent designs that enhance the messaging and user journey. It also ensures that SEO and UX elements are integrated from the outset, embedding these considerations into both the content and design.

Content design forms the foundation upon which designers, developers, and SEO and marketing teams build. An effective content designer must consider all these elements when planning the content and structure of a page.

By establishing this foundation, you can maintain a strong focus on the user's experience throughout the project. Given that UX is the cornerstone of modern web design, it is clear why content design is becoming increasingly significant as a future web design trend.

Design Thinking

Design thinking is a methodology for solving complex problems and is particularly relevant when designing web applications or systems.

This concept, which has been prevalent in computing for over 40 years, primarily in user interface design, is gaining prominence as UX becomes a critical driver for both user engagement and search engine optimization.

This approach underscores the preference for bespoke web design over templated solutions, as it allows for the development of user interfaces that address specific client needs from the ground up.

Design thinking involves methodically planning website goals, content, features, and functions before translating them into visual designs.

This systematic approach provides a robust foundation for a successful project.

A prominent web design trend for 2024 is the significant shift away from traditional website development platforms toward slimmer, more streamlined solutions.

This trend involves moving away from website builders such as Wix and Squarespace in favor of decoupled or headless CMS options like Payload, or transitioning from a standard WordPress setup to one utilizing a static site.

What is a Headless CMS?

A headless content management system (CMS) separates content creation from its presentation. This approach is ideal for those seeking an efficient way to manage website content without engaging with technical complexities.

Unlike a traditional CMS, where content and its display are tightly integrated, a headless CMS focuses solely on the content, delivering it to the front-end system via an API. This decoupling allows for future website redesigns to concentrate solely on the front end, without necessitating any redevelopment of backend functionality.

What is a Static Site?

Similar to a headless CMS, a static site enables the decoupling of the website's front end from the CMS it utilizes.

This means that if you prefer using a platform like WordPress but want to avoid the performance drawbacks associated with its code overhead, a static site can be an excellent alternative. You can continue managing content and updates through WordPress, with changes being pushed to the static website via an API.

This approach allows you to use your preferred platform while avoiding the additional code burden on your website's front end, resulting in significantly faster load times and an improved user experience.

An intriguing development in upcoming web design trends is the shift towards unconventional navigation styles.

Given the critical importance of website accessibility, this may seem unexpected. However, in 2024, we will see an increasing number of websites adopting unique navigation approaches.

Full-screen navigations, which replace traditional grids of text links, have been gaining popularity over the past few years. Now, even more innovative styles are emerging, including:

• In-image Navigation: Utilizing images or icons to direct users to different pages and content.
• Scroll Navigation: Enabling users to scroll to access buttons or links.
• Interactive Navigation: Where on-page content changes and evolves as users interact with the website.

Balancing highly creative navigation styles with usability and accessibility is always a challenge. Nonetheless, in 2024, we expect to see more websites successfully embracing and mastering this balance.

Dark mode continues to be a significant trend in web design and is expected to remain prominent in 2024. This design approach allows users to personalize their experience by selecting either a "light" or "dark" mode, thereby customizing the appearance of the website or application according to their preference.

What is Dark Mode Design?

Dark mode design utilizes a color scheme featuring a dark background for websites or applications.

This design is favored by many users for its readability and ease of interaction, and it offers a personalized user experience by accommodating individual preferences. Furthermore, dark mode can help reduce eye strain, particularly in low-light conditions, and may also contribute to battery conservation, making it especially advantageous for mobile applications.

Realistic photography has traditionally been a key component of modern web design. Whether through stock images, client-provided photos, or professional photography, realism has been the prevailing approach.

However, a significant shift is occurring as websites increasingly adopt alternative visual styles such as sketch illustrations, 3D imagery, and line art.

These styles are being utilized in various capacities: as the primary visual element, as part of background design, or in combination with, and even overlaid on, realistic photography.

This trend offers designers the opportunity to rejuvenate standard imagery, imbuing it with uniqueness and creativity. Additionally, the rise of AI-generated images has facilitated the creation of custom illustration-style visuals, further enhancing this trend.

In recent years, typographical design has seen a marked rise in prominence, and this trend remains robust in 2024.

Text-only headers represent a shift from traditional imagery towards the creation of distinctive and innovative typography styles.

This approach can range from utilizing bold, striking fonts to developing more intricate text-based designs. In either case, typography becomes the focal point of the design.

In 2024, this trend is advancing further with the introduction of kinetic or animated typography. By integrating motion and animation into text headers, websites are elevating interactivity and user engagement, effectively drawing attention to key messages.

The Resurgence of Memphis Design in Modern Web Aesthetics

Though you may not be familiar with the term "Memphis design," its distinctive style is likely recognizable. Established in the 1980s, Memphis design is known for its vibrant colors and abstract graphic shapes, which create visually engaging and dynamic effects.

In recent years, this design style has gained significant popularity, becoming a prominent feature in contemporary website designs.

Memphis design elements are effectively employed to enhance various aspects of a website, including graphics around, beneath, and over text and images. Furthermore, this style is instrumental in creating cohesive visual experiences, seamlessly integrating different sections of a website and maintaining an appealing visual flow as users navigate through the content.

Microinteractions: Elevating User Experience Through Subtle Animations

Microinteractions are the subtle animations and visual changes that occur in response to user interactions on a website. These nuanced elements can include animations that activate upon form completion, transitions within image galleries, or dynamic effects during scrolling.

Well-designed microinteractions enhance the user experience both functionally and emotionally. They guide users through desired actions on the site while making the overall interaction more engaging and memorable.

While scroll effects have been a feature of web design for some time, the advancements seen in 2024 represent a significant evolution from earlier implementations.

Today's scroll effects are far more refined and versatile than those from previous years.

As mobile-first design becomes increasingly prevalent, scrolling has transitioned from a mere feature to a crucial aspect of design.

This evolution has led designers to prioritize the scroll experience alongside other key design elements. Modern scroll effects now serve various functions, including enhancing interactivity, adding texture to the design, and even facilitating navigation.