Being in the vanguard of new developments is always a good place to be whatever sector you’re in. But, as 83.4% of businesses with at least ten employees have a website, just being online doesn’t give you vanguard status. Instead, endeavouring to stand out from the crowd is the next big step. So here are the top branding and web design trends we expect to see in 2022.
“What on Earth is a Wiggle?” we hear you ask! Have a look at Emily’s website; hover your mouse over the boxes and watch them move! Cool, right? From a web designer’s perspective, definitely. But what’s the benefit? Are they just a gimmick, or can this trend genuinely impact how visitors view your website?
Firstly, Wiggles are visually impressive and give your site a 3D appearance. Elements seem less flat and far more tangible; an effect gives life to your whole page. But secondly, and more importantly, Wiggles foster audience engagement: everyone loves to fidget and mess. Visitors will hover over wiggly elements just to see what happens, which could translate to someone staying on your site a whole second longer. And remember, a second is a long time in SEO terms!
Making websites lively, dynamic and engaging will be big next year. And, as a continuation of the theme, we predict that particle backgrounds will be huge.
The point? Particle backgrounds bring energy and animation to a site. They’re not a static scene to peer in on, but instead, they’re alive! A living, breathing window into the world of your business. Alongside wiggles, particle backgrounds will form a “dynamic duo” of enticing, attention-grabbing design work that’ll mesmerise your audience.
And, the beauty is there are loads of options, and by loads, we mean TONNES. Falling snow at Christmas, beating hearts at Valentine’s, or leaves blustering in autumn. You can use a seasonal theme or one that fits with your sector, your brand colours or any other subject matter you can think of. In fact, why not have a play here, then you can see what’s really possible!
We’ve spoken about branding a lot this year; it makes sense. It’s what we do. But next year, get ready to step it up a gear. In 2022, a logo alone won’t be enough. Rather, the trend is towards adding many more strings to your branding bow.
Fonts, a specific colour palette, shapes and voice, all make a brand alongside your logo, so be sure to make a big deal of these other elements too. And, if you want to go even further, consider adding in branded sounds and smells. Make it a complete sensory experience!
A property entrepreneur could add the sound of a locking door to signify security; a writer the sound of splashing ink. And although smell-o-vision didn’t quite take off, we’ve all walked past bakeries, sub(marine) sandwich shops and street food stalls to the smell of baking bread, sweet treats or spicy meats. Mmm.
Just remember, whatever components you use, ensure they’re cohesive and tell the same story: your story.
Inspiring both web and graphic designers, the trend for bold, vibrant hues, daring colour combinations and strong graphical elements will really take off next year.
Check out Unleashed for a superb example. Their yellow and pink branding is combined with other, darker colours to really draw the eye. And rather than click, click, clicking to explore, continuous scrolling brings a seamless experience of discovery. We agree, “Long Live People”, and graphic designers!
And why? It’s interruptive; your audience stops and looks twice, and they take notice. And, it’s fun; who doesn’t love bold colours, anyway?
As a graphic designer, nothing is more thrilling than seeing a beautifully designed magazine spread. But, we’ve noticed that websites, too, are getting in on the act. Take the Plas-Y-Brenin website. Big, full-screen pictures, grid-breaking designs and stunning videos come together to create a user experience that is altogether different to that of a standard website.
Combine this with beautiful imagery and appropriate visuals that match your brand, and you have your own unique graphic expression. For Plas Y Brenin, this means images that fade out in the shape of rugged mountains or retreating waves and a semi-opaque Ordnance Survey map as a background.
And if nothing else, these remarkable designs are an excellent antidote to ultra-minimalism.
We actually have two honourable mentions! The first is QR Codes. Due to the pandemic, these nifty little squares have risen like a pixelated phoenix from the flames! But, what’s so good about them?
They’re contactless, making them ideal in a world where touching any surface incurs a risk of infection (yes, we’re talking to you, Covid!). And, as their name suggests—QR stands for ‘Quick Response’—they’re a speedier and more accurate alternative to typing in pesky URLs. Most phone cameras scan them automatically, so you can easily avoid fat-fingering web addresses. Genius!
And, just as valuable is the fact that they’re trackable, too. In today’s competitive marketplace, knowing whether someone (or many people) have scanned your code or not is pretty important information and a surefire way towards understanding whether your marketing techniques are effective.
And the second place of honour goes to? Video. People engage with video far more than they do text alone. Plus, it incorporates more than one communication style: your audience can listen, watch and read (if you have subtitles, that is). And I’m sure we’d all agree that it’s far easier to watch a short video to quickly gain information than it is to read a whole page. We predict that video is going to be huge in 2022.
Well, after that round-up, we’re signing off for the year. A Merry Christmas from everyone at Eighty3! We’ll be back, bringing you more blogs in 2022. But, if you want to get your website ready for next year, give us a shout! Find us on Google My Business, on Social, send us an email or fill out our contact form.
Happy Holidays!
Want some more holiday reading? Have a look here:
25+ Web Design Statistics that Are Essential to Know in 2021
