Propeller’s favourite website design trends to inspire your website

Website design can turn a brand’s portfolio into an experience. Being such an integral part of any website, brands must stay on top of the latest design trends to understand the changing consumer needs.

Understanding design trends helps brands and designers alike draw on the latest techniques to meet user needs. However, not every trend of the moment will fit a brand’s message. Brand managers and website designers must weigh which – if any – will most benefit their particular users and brand. 

In this article, Propeller goes through our top picks for the best design trends of the year so far and helps readers decide which are the best for their website.

…Not literally. Here, we are talking about using negative space to your advantage. Less is more and it can really hone in on a brand’s cornerstone content. Minimalistic space also benefits from a boost in SEO because it has faster loading times and is typically easier for users to navigate.

This format will require a precise and impactful copy. Delivering everything your brand wants to say in fewer words may be a challenge, but it will greatly benefit the user experience.

Inclusive website design shouldn’t be a trend, its been a hot topic for a few years and recently it has become a huge priority for brands to ensure sites are usable for everyone.

The main focus from a design perspective is making sure fonts are readable and scaled well, colours have a good, clear contrast and any interaction points are large enough to be used by anyone with any visual or physical impairments.

There’s nothing better than inviting everyone to engage with your web pages.

Minimalist design, as mentioned before is beneficial for accessible features, too. The simplistic approach, reducing the number of menus or complicated website navigation features creates a better experience for all.

Personalisation has been a buzzword in website design for quite some time. Particularly for retail brands, personalisation will go leaps and bounds in keeping customers hooked. Offering users discounts or offers on items that they’ve been looking at will entice them to make that purchase final. 

A dynamic way to engage users as they scroll through your website, animation brings users into the page. Also known as parallax scrolling, these effects add impact without too much distraction. 

This can be incorporated into a responsive website design without difficulty. It offers an element of gamification, as features of the website fade in or out as you scroll.

While design trends can’t always be swapped in and out interchangeably, the trends covered in this article have longevity on their side. Accessibility, responsive design and minimalism are certainly here for the long haul.

This form of animation has made a comeback as part of the trend around interactivity, animation and immersive design. Keeping users entertained while they wait is a great way to keep them onsite instead of abandoning the page. 

On the other hand, this fun design feature should not be prioritised over website speed. It should especially not be detrimental to the loading time.  This is an entertaining design feature, but one that should be used with caution. 

While website design trends can’t always be swapped in and out interchangeably, the trends covered in this article have longevity on their side. Accessibility, responsive design and minimalism are certainly here for the long haul.

For those seeking inspiration, these website design trends will work in 2023 and beyond. 

A web design agency that builds a bigger picture

Being relentless in our attention to detail is what we do. Propeller isn’t a web design agency that relies on pretty pictures or crafted copy, instead we look holistically at your brand, business and your objectives to create a bespoke digital experience.  

Whether you’re starting from scratch or already working with a dedicated brand agency, we collaborate and align objectives to build clear, user-led websites that encourage conversion, that also look beautiful.