The web never sleeps or takes a vacation. It’s always changing, growing and adapting, sometimes in big and obvious ways, and sometimes in ways that you barely notice but add up slowly. And, from our view at the end of 2021, it looks like web design will be a blast over the next 12 months.
After all, the world has been on a bit of a wild, scary ride in the last two years. People have been battered and tested, companies have split apart and come back together, and everyone has been forced to adapt to new ways of working. Web design trends of 2022 are looking to usher in a calmer, more optimistic and stable time for the world.
5 Website Design Trends To Take Note of for 2022
Here are five trends that we think will shape the web in 2022, some technical and some creative.
Core Web Vitals
Probably the most important thing to happen in web design during 2021 was Google’s announcement that it was prioritizing usability to inform its page rankings. The faster your site loads, the more readable and easy to navigate it is, and the better it’s going to rank on a search page. In a stroke, they have banished outdated concepts like keyword stuffing to the scrap heap and made user satisfaction the most important feature of a website.
In its own words, Google explains:
“Each of the Core Web Vitals represents a distinct facet of the user experience, is measurable in the field, and reflects the real-world experience of a critical user-centric outcome. The metrics that make up Core Web Vitals will evolve over time.”
Core Web Vitals is going to be the driving force behind many design features that you see in 2022. After all, if you’re not ranking with Google, it’s not much use having a great website.
Interactivity
More and more websites are finding ways to keep consumers engaged for longer. Users don’t want to be passive consumers of web design; they want to be able to engage using polls, quizzes, crosswords and games that make them feel part of a community.
Dynamic content on a page that can be customized to the user’s tastes, such as background color or moveable elements, will become more commonplace in website design trends of 2022.
Boldness, Optimism and Mindfulness
In 2022, the shadow of the pandemic is (hopefully) going to begin receding into the rearview mirror. The fear, worry and loneliness of the last few years are going to give way to a new era of fun, optimism and joy. That’s what web designers are hoping, and that’s the way they’re designing right now.
We can expect to see bold colors, playful fonts, jokes and fun content, along with a lot more zen motifs, mindfulness-oriented space and clean, simple lines. We predict that the web is going to be a beautiful place to play in 2022, even if the world isn’t quite there yet.
Multimedia
The power of today’s mobile devices is enabling a new wave of multimedia engagement on the web. And the incredible 4K resolution of the screens in most new devices is pushing designers to create more and more ambitious content to engage with. We can expect to see far more 3D design and animation in 2022, alongside better AR and VR. All of these interactive features are making websites more engaging and entertaining and beginning to compete with the streaming channels that use narrative stories to win the loyalty of customers.
In 2022, web design is moving to a far more narrative and story-based presentation than ever before, and the results are going to be fascinating.
Voice Integration
People are more comfortable and familiar with voice-controlled tech than ever before. In some households and organizations, Siri and Alexa are a vibrant part of the conversation. You can expect many more web designers to start building voice activation into their architecture to be more inclusive and convenient. It’s another example of a lot of innovation going on behind the scenes in order to make the customer experience more minimalist and simple.
ONE MORE THING: We Need To Mention Web 3.0
It’s still very early days, but something else is stirring on the internet in 2021 that’s worth looking out for in 2022. It’s what people are calling Web 3.0. Don’t be surprised to see it popping up on more websites in the coming months. Amazing new functionality and ways of connecting are being built using blockchains and cryptocurrencies. NFTs are exploding in popularity, and they are fueling a new wave of art and creativity that will have profound implications for web design.
There is still no “killer app” that makes the new direction of Web 3.0 obvious, but it’s going to be coming sooner than you think.
Embrace the Exciting Possibilities of Web Design in 2022
It’s an exciting time for web design. It feels like change is in the air. The technology is more powerful and simpler to use. Creativity is bursting out everywhere after the isolation and lockdown of the pandemic. The web is more a part of our lives than ever before, and people are hungry for connection, for something new and meaningful in their lives. Design is the bridge that can help them get there, and the new trends are going to make it a more pleasant, fulfilling experience.
Do these sound like the kinds of elements that you want to incorporate into the next refresh of your website? If so, then don’t hesitate to reach out and make contact with one of our Orpheus sales agents. We’d love to align our experience with your vision to deliver a cutting-edge website to suit your needs.
