Web design is an ever-evolving field, both from a technical standpoint and a design trend standpoint. When to update a website largely depends on two key factors, technical considerations and design trends. Technical considerations include programming language updates that occur as new devices enter the market. These devices bring new features, from varied screen sizes to operating systems, that make website updates necessary to ensure continued user-friendliness. Technical considerations also span SEO considerations that change with search engine algorithm updates. On the other hand, design trends cycle organically based on current popular culture trends, nostalgia for past trends, and even seasonal influences.
What Makes a Website Good?
At its heart, a good website is always designed with usability first, followed by technical and design considerations. Designing for usability means every element is there for a reason, and decisions are made with the user’s experience in mind. In addition to this, elements like buttons, navigation menus, headings and subheadings, must be consistent throughout so users can easily find their way. A cohesive visual hierarchy with thoughtful typography that uses whitespace as a tool to direct the eye, color for emphasis, and texture and shadow that can imitate depth can similarly help improve user experience.
The New OffWhite Site
When it came time to design the new OffWhite website, we took all of this into consideration. Here are some of the top design trends that helped shape our new site.
- Full-width responsive web framework accommodates both larger monitors and smaller screens, aids in legibility.
- Cramming info above the fold is no longer necessary. Current data indicates that users are more used to scrolling/swiping to find what they want due to mobile browsing.
- Mobile is just as important, if not more important, than desktop.
- Less is more – content is concise and to the point but remains comprehensive and in-depth.
- Contemporary, minimal trends have advanced because the internet has become saturated with information. The solution is to simplify what you need to say and put it in the correct order.
- Our corporate identity is shifting to use bolder colors with less dated embellishment. In addition, we are widening our scope to speak to a wider audience.
When to Update Your Website?
There are numerous signs that it’s time to refresh or redesign your website. When functionality on certain devices becomes an issue or bugs from plugins or other updates make your content management system difficult to work with, it can be pretty clear that it’s time for a change. Yet, it’s also important to consider whether your site looks dated and if SEO changes have begun to impact your organic traffic results or search engine ranking. It’s also important to consider the marketing landscape to ensure you stand out amongst your competitors. If all of these items are good, but your company has made significant changes to your identity or branding, or you’ve added new products, services, or want to make the move to online sales, then you’re also due for an update. When the time comes, it’s important to partner with someone who understands the key factors involved in website design, so you get the best return on your investment. They should make essential updates while ensuring your site isn’t dated as soon as it’s launched. They should also work to really understand your brand and what makes you unique in your industry. OffWhite has more than 35 years of digital marketing experience. We bring strategy development and consultation services, website design, content creation, creative development and management, marketing automation and a suite of other digital marketing solutions to clients in a huge range of industries. Contact OffWhite today and let us help you improve your user experience with an updated or redesigned website.
