The 2018 Website Design Trends That All WordPress Users Must Read About Today

Websites have always been gradually evolving according to the changing user needs and the advent of new devices. The most significant changes came in the last couple of years with the rise of mobile users. Sites are now responsive and faster for mobile devices. So what more is to happen this year that will change the way they look and function? That is one of the most critical questions website owners, and designers are asking right now.

Some of the changes will be minute modifications of the designs that already exist, while others will bring forth revolutions in website development. Nonetheless, here’s a comprehensive list of the changes our experts at Sacramento SEOhave predicted:

The era of push notifications

We have all received notifications on our mobiles since the advent of SMS and WhatsApp, but this is a new era that has ushered in the trend of push notifications. Even WordPress sites are now capable of sending notifications to mobile users once they grant the sites permission. Here are a few reasons you should consider working in push notification to your WordPress design this year:

• They have above 40% CTR
• 12% of all E-commerce and retail websites are sending push notifications
• They have good mobile device support, unlike email notifications
• They have a much higher acceptance rage of mobile devices

Push notifications are quickly becoming mainstream, so this is your chance to explore the new possibilities of digital marketing.

Rise of custom graphics

Stock photos belong to a bygone era. No longer are people satisfied with “incredible” stock photos. They want something more unique. You can see this as an effect of hyper-personalization, but they need something with a personal touch. Illustrations and custom graphics are quickly replacing stock photos everywhere.

Websites with high traffic rates are all opting for their one of a kind graphics. It is going to be a significant design trend for all WordPress website owners. Another reason for their popularity is their small size. The websites become much lighter as they replace HD stock photos with illustrations. So it is time you made a decent budget for your graphic design team!

It is going to be an animated year

It is the year to be merry! The advent of advanced browser tech now supports the use of dynamic visuals for all websites. WordPress websites are particularly enjoying this new change since they are inherently lighter and the addition of animations does not weigh them down. 

Several plug-ins in the WordPress directory can give you a key to the world of animated graphics. Here are a few potential places you can introduce animation:

• Your brand logo. You can use it to tell your brand story too.
• Navigation options can also become animated. The regular use of mobile is allowing more room for slide-in animations and smooth transitions. Websites are moving away from classic navigation menus.
• Loading animations are becoming more commonplace. They reduce the perceived loading time and contribute to the better user experience.
• Hover effects are especially becoming popular among retailer and e-commerce sites. They allow users to interact with product images and other elements.
• Animations triggered by scrolling that can happen when users move down a page. It creates an interesting narrative effect in place of a static page.

Asymmetric grid design

Symmetry is now a faux pas, and it is time to welcome irregularity in website design. We are not talking about aberrant margins and whimsical layouts. The modern grids have symmetry in chaos. This trend started back in 2017, and presently it looks strong enough to influence more designers this year.

WordPress provides customizable layouts and grids. So we are expecting more WP designers to adopt the asymmetric grid trend for design websites and photography sites. Right now, content-heavy sites are sticking to traditional grid layout for safety and convenience, but we are expecting to see a change before the end of 2018.

Micro-interactions are magnifying

Micro-interactions are the subtle actions websites use to accomplish a single task only. For example – the use of emojis in expressing emotions against status updates on Facebook. They have been ubiquitous to social media for quite a while, and 2018 will see websites adopt it too.

Here’s why every WordPress user is considering employing micro-interactions right now:

• They provide visual feedback
• They increase user satisfaction
• Provides elements for additional engagement
• They increase interactivity without page reload

These are some of the new factors that will influence website design and user interaction in 2018. It is going to be a year of user experience or UX through and through. Therefore, aside from the chatbots, crazy colorful backgrounds, interesting large typographies and mobile first designs that started back in 2017, these five factors will determine the future of your website too.