What’s Next in Web Design? 5 Web Design Blogs That Will Blow Your Mind.

by Josette Millar

Want to know what’s up and coming in the world of web design? Any quality web design blog takes the current trends into consideration and goes one step further to explore what will be making waves when the next season of web design fashion rolls around.

Here are a few great places to go when you’d like to be in the know:

• Elegant Themes. Elegant Themes analyzed some of the trends that you should expect to see in the web design blog published recently. In particular, responsive themes will be imperative and ghost button will quietly make appearances where you least expect them. Typography will get bigger while backgrounds images and videos become even bolder. Scrolling will continue to triumph over clicking, and interactive storytelling will turn from fable to fact in 2015.
• 8 Ways in 8 Days. On this web design blog, the folks at 8 Ways in 8 Days checked out the more modern trends to come in the next twelve months. We took a liking to the idea of parallax scrolling moving from the background of web design to the foreground rapidly. Simpler slide-out menus will replace the over-cluttered feel of some of existing navigation bars, making more space for desktop versions, as well as mobile menus. Fonts are expected to take on a personality all of their own, while tiles and cards will call more spaces on the internet home.
• WDL. WDL took the angle of exploring the most crucial crazes of the coming year. This blog expects web coding to begin to go by the wayside. WDL predicts that the ease of use coming from today’s increasingly more user-friendly technology will allow even the most entry-level of designers to start making their way into the world of web design without dealing with huge obstacles of finding good developers with which to work. Interactive web graphics are predicted to take on a larger role, according to this web design blog, as well. These images are starting to replace dry old infographics in favor of webgraphics that show a lot of useful information in a manner that’s easy for the audience to digest. One of the main differences between infographics and webgraphics is the ability of the audience to interact with the latter. A more interactive experience will likely lend itself to a more engaged viewership.
• GDJ. Graphic Design Junction recently wrote a web design blog touching on some of the information contained in the aforementioned blogs with a little more elaboration on the topics. For example, this blog delves into the features of “flat design”, which encompass eye-catching colors that are meant to be irresistibly attractive to the audience. Promotional videos are expected to be trumped by HTML5 videos that run in the background of web pages, creating innovative design elements, and when arranged on a page properly, these videos can make a large impact on a company’s marketing and branding efforts.
• HubSpot. Of course, HubSpot’s always got its ears and eyes on what’s next. A recent web design blog puts its focus on the upcoming trends particularly relevant to e-commerce. According to this blog, a large focus in the coming year will be on Micro UX and transitions. Rather than assuming that the average consumer won’t notice the little details that you may be tempted to avoid, take the time to perfect them on your site. Adding a little pizzazz and personality to your e-commerce site can help create a more memorable and fun user experience.

Do you have a favorite web design blog? Join in the conversation at our Sheffield Media Group Facebook page!