Many businesses often assess their current websites at this time of year, intending to make adjustments and re-launch in the new year. Sometimes, this may be updating the content; for other companies, it is a complete redesign and rebuild. So, if this is you or you are starting a new company and need a new website for 2024, what website design will get you noticed above your competition? 

Before we delve into the latest web design trends, let’s tackle these questions first. If you’re starting a new business, particularly if you’ve got a limited budget and are combining this with another job at the same time to start with, there’s a tendency to ask if you need a website at all. 

The short answer is yes, you do. The reason is that in today’s digital landscape, a website is your online ‘shop window’. With so many people and businesses using the internet to find information, products and services, particularly in local areas, if you don’t have that online presence you are not maximising your target audience reach. 

Whether it’s a new website or you are upgrading your existing website, a well-designed site attracts customers, boosts brand awareness, increases revenue, markets your products and/or services, and generates customer loyalty. 

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1. Enhanced user experience (UX). User experience has topped the list this year, and in 2024, it will still be there but with a greater focus on creating an immersive experience. Every aspect of the website’s design, from the hero image and navigation bar down to the imagery and text, should be created with the user as the central point. Users will expect a website’s home page to tell them immediately what you’re offering and how it can solve a problem or satisfy a need. 

2. Y2K style is on trend. Y2K, the acronym for Year 2000, is the latest trend in design, be it fashion or your website. It is a nod to the styles from around 1997 through to about 2004 and includes retro designs with oversized text, big and bold colours, abstract patterns with geometric shapes, pixel art and 3D, futuristic fonts and eye-catching shapes, neon blending with shiny textures to create a distinctly noticeable aesthetic that your target audience can’t resist. However, before you incorporate as much as possible into your website design, don’t forget your site must also be mobile-friendly. 

3. Gradients and accents that stand out. Ever since Instagram started using gradients in its logo design, designers and businesses have noticed the impact it created and jumped on the bandwagon. But add them with care, as too much can be off-putting. So, use vibrant colours and tones to highlight your CTA buttons or important messages, boost your logo, and help your imagery to jump out and break up white space. 

4. Moving typography. Text on a website, or anywhere, can be rather bland and boring, but the latest web design trend is to animate the text to capture a user’s attention. Known as kinetic (or dynamic) typography, creating moving headlines or hero text not only attracts attention but also means you can use this text to fill blank spaces rather than overload the page with images. Another bonus is that kinetic typography slows down the page loading times on mobile devices and looks good. 

5. Oversized or large text. As well as kinetic typography, oversized or large text is being used more and more on websites, particularly when creating minimalist designs. Whether it’s a hero image, H1 headers, headlines above the fold, or to make important areas stand out, such as contact information, special offers or featured products, using plain text with a standard Serif font in a large format draws attention. Plus, it doesn’t affect how your website pages load and display on mobile devices. 

6. Use of Glassmorphism. An up-and-coming trend in web design is Glassmorphism. Mainly used on home pages and particularly hero sections, it is the addition of a glass-like transparent effect that sits behind the hero image or oversized text and helps it stand out off the screen. Again, it is mobile-friendly and ideal for minimalist websites, too. 

7. Customised, handmade illustrations. Something that is starting to become popular, and likely to continue next year, is the use of handmade illustrations. It creates unique, customised imagery on your website to engage with users. They don’t need to be over-complicated or intricate; in fact, sometimes the simplest illustrations are better at conveying your message. 

8. Borders are back. It was a trend a few years ago and is making a comeback. Adding clear borders around images, visuals, and product photos doesn’t add a huge amount of work to designing your website but does create a big impact. They are a great way of creating a clear and defined structure, highlighting certain products, elements or details and can boost minimalistic designs by adding balance and symmetry. 

9. The power of motion. Our eyes are often more drawn towards moving images and effects than static ones. Creating motion effects on your home page or other key pages generates a more immersive user experience and encourages users to interact and engage with your business. But be careful not to use too many as it could detract from your website and confuse or even overwhelm users. 

10. Storytelling. Possibly one of the hardest trends to master is the art of storytelling within website design. But additions like videos, gamification and immersive 3D images will create a user experience that will last and be shared with others. Creating an interactive space, even with simple animations, will generate a strong response and persuade them to hang around. 

Prioritising your website’s design and functionality is crucial in boosting a company’s brand awareness and credibility. Creating as good a customer experience as possible improves customer satisfaction and, therefore, your bottom line. In many circumstances, even a few simple changes can make all the difference. 

At it’seeze, we are your personable, professional web design company in Bristol, specialising in offering customers affordable website packages. Our website design service is ideal for start-ups and small businesses. We build bespoke, high-quality, engaging websites that are fully SEO-optimised for local searches from scratch and work with companies to enhance and improve existing websites. Call us today to create the ultimate user experience your customers won’t forget. Contact us for more details.