Source: Unsplash
As of 2021, there are 4.66 billion active internet users.
That’s almost 60% of the global population!
This number is only expected to grow in the future. It is estimated that by 2030, 90% of the projected world population of 8.5 billion will be connected to the internet.
In other words, the digital landscape is changing. And web designers need to adapt.
As a result, new trends are popping up, while others are dying out.
So, what web design trends will probably retire soon?
Let’s take a look.
1. Autoplay
Many websites are ditching the autoplay feature, and it looks like this trend will completely disappear in the future.
Autoplay shouldn’t have been a thing in the first place.
Autoplay videos are obnoxious and unnecessary. Besides, mobile devices generate almost 55% of all web traffic.
In other words, people are browsing the internet on their smartphones more than ever: at work, on public transport, etc.
Consequently, having a video suddenly blast out at full volume is a surefire way to drive users off of your website.
That said, if you happen to use this feature, get rid of it as soon as you can.
Instead, you should let users decide whether they want to play the video or at least mute it by default.
2. Horizontal Scrolling
Although horizontal scrolling was mainly used by websites to make them stand out from the rest, this trend will likely fade away.
That’s because horizontal scrolling is counter-intuitive. Thus, users will likely have a hard time navigating your website, causing them to leave.
You shouldn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It’s best to stick to the vertical scrolling. There are other ways you could set your website apart from the others.
3. Infinite Scrolling
But, that doesn’t mean you should implement infinite scrolling either.
At first, this feature might seem handy to get users to spend more time on your website.
But, infinite scrolling comes with a few drawbacks.
First off, your footer becomes redundant. And given that this is the first place users will look for when searching for contact details or other navigation links, infinite scrolling can become an annoyance.
Second, while using this feature, your website will constantly have to load new content. In consequence, you’ll probably notice a drop in performance.
Last, we’ve talked to a few experts from a best SEO marketing companies, and they said infinite scrolling is bad for SEO as well. That’s because search engine crawlers won’t be able to tell that you’re using infinite scroll. So they’ll treat the page like a regular one.
In other words, even if your infinite page has lots of content, bots will only go through the content that’s displayed once your website loads, leaving the rest unindexed.
4. Modals
Modals are webpage elements that appear in front of a page’s content.
Sounds similar to pop-ups, right?
The difference is that modals freeze the rest of the page. So if users want to continue browsing the site, they must engage with the modal by completing a specific action or closing it.
Most of the time, users will close the modal rather than converting, making it obsolete.
That’s the problem!
Although they’re excellent at grabbing the visitors’ attention, modals interrupt the user experience. This makes them an annoyance more than anything else.
5. Image Carousels
Image carousels were widely popular not too long ago. But, this trend will likely retire soon.
While they might look slick and offer business owners to showcase their latest products or deals, their cons outweigh the pros.
For starters, image carousels are prone to banner blindness.
This is a phenomenon where users subconsciously learn to ignore anything that resembles an advertisement, including sliders.
But, that doesn’t mean image carousels aren’t distracting. The human eye reacts to movement.
Thus, the constant movement of image carousels will take the user’s attention away from what matters, like your content, call-to-action buttons, unique value proposition, etc.
What’s more, carousels take control away from the user. To get people comfortable with using your website, you have to make them feel like they’re in complete control of the browsing experience.
Image carousels do the opposite. For example, if a user is interested in one of the offers displayed in the carousel, he’ll need to act as fast as he can before it disappears.
This leads to a frustrating browsing experience.
6. Flashy Colors
Sure, using flashy colors is excellent for grabbing users’ attention and giving the website a more lively look. But, ever since the events of 2020, we now spend more time on the internet than ever before.
The constant bombardment of bold colors became tiring and eye-straining. Consequently, this trend is replaced by pastel colors.
Because they’re more toned-down, pastel colors give websites a relaxed feel, enhancing the browsing experience.
Although they’re not as eye-catchy, designers still manage to grab the users’ attention by using contrast.
7. Generic Stock Photos
Visuals play a significant role in a website’s overall design, especially for blogs.
People need to come up with images that are eye-catching, evoke positive emotions, and complement the brand and the content itself.
But, many websites do the contrary. They use photos just for the sake of it.
Sure, finding a generic stock photo will take you less time than creating the image yourself.
However, your website will come off as bland, making it less engaging. Thus, visitors would feel less motivated to read your articles.
That said, make sure to put a little effort into the images you use.
If you don’t have time to create them yourself, there are plenty of websites that offer free, high-quality stock photos, like Unsplash or Picjumbo.
But try to include human faces when you can. This way, users will connect with the images better, making them more likely to engage.
Final Words
With these trends gone, the internet will become a better place. That said, if you happen to use some of the things we mentioned above, consider ditching them.
This way, you’ll enhance the website’s browsing experience, and you’ll likely see positive results in the long run.
