When it comes to website design and functionality, VisionAmp is always ahead of the curve. Looking at what’s around the corner, anticipating the changes - what works, what doesn’t work, and what WILL work in the months ahead is something we constantly pursue.
As we peer into 2022, here are some interesting trends we see that are surfacing:
In our busy world, things are hustle bustle. The online consumer is getting more and more demanding when it comes to quickly obtaining concise, straight-to-the-point information. This being the case, many businesses have already started to boil down their content, presenting smaller websites that give some of the information but not ALL of the information. The main (and sometimes ONLY) page has all of the pertinent information without having to click through multiple layers. Consumers will not spend much time digging for the info. Give it to them right off the bat! Of course most sites still have more than one landing page - but even in your subsequent pages the trend is less is more. (“K.I.S.S.” Keep it short sweetheart)
You may have noticed that many websites have no obvious ties to any community, town, state, or even country. Who actually owns this company? Where is it? Is it even real? Business owners are realizing more and more that it is important to communicate who you are, where you’re from, where you set up shop - thus providing the end user a way to relate and actually picture you ON the map. We are seeing a trend to include pictures of the owner, photos of actual customers, as well as scenes from the town and surrounding area.
One of the clients VisionAmp is proud to work with is the Intimidator Group, based in Batesville, Arkansas. You will find in each one of their companies a strong tie to that town, with an emphasis on American made products that are made by Americans. There is growing evidence that the online experience is more legit when the user feels like the company is grounded, and is actually owned and operated by real people from a real town. They will connect to you if they see you’re actually connected somewhere.
On the design front, more and more sites are using HUGE fonts to draw the user in. The fonts used and their size have become more important, and not just a way to provide information. When a font look and style can help to communicate the company’s branding (color, logo…) it’s a win win. Using large fonts and creative “typography” will be huge (no pun intended?) in 2022.
Web designers are realizing that motion can help, but can also deter. Companies are discovering it’s not best to go overboard. Some sites that overuse motion can actually cause the viewer to experience motion sickness. Using lots of animation, mouse-triggering scaling, and plane-shifted scrolling (scrolljacking) need to be avoided. Designers are learning to be more subtle and more responsible.
Here is an interesting take on this topic by Corey Moen, a Senior Brand Designer at Webflow, as he discusses responsible motion.
This trend is where you have a dual layout and presentation of your landing page, providing a way to say the same thing in two completely different ways. This approach tends to create more visual interest/dangling two hooks instead of one (if you fish you know what we mean). This concept also allows you to attract different audiences at the same time. In many design team meetings there are often a top two designs that surface. Use them both - but on the same page.
With the new year around the corner, consider harnessing our amazing team to take your website and business to the next level. Since 2007, our award-winning company has helped hundreds of businesses grow and acquire more customers by building websites that work! We take great pride in being transparent, affordable and ridiculously good at what we do.
Contact us at info@visionamp.com for more information.
-Written by David Jackson, VisionAmp Content Specialist
