Website design is a lot like fashion. What’s in one minute can be on its way out in a matter of months. Like the acid wash jeans in your closet dying to make a comeback, some web design trends just aren’t meant to become permanent best practices – and for good reason. Your website should be all about your user. If your user ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.
Last year, I posted about 3 Web Design Trends of 2015. It’s no surprise that web design trends have once again evolved. Here are three of the trends you’ll see in 2016.
Hamburger Menus
Sadly I’m not talking about the juicy patties smothered in cheese and sandwiched inside sesame seed buns. If you browse the web on a mobile device, you’ve probably seen a hamburger menu – it’s the hamburger-like menu box that appears in the top corner of your screen.
What’s so great about hamburger menus? Simplicity. Website navigation is hidden until the user clicks it. This is great for users browsing your site on a mobile device. By not distracting your users with too many links and options, you can focus their attention on your key value propositions.
What’s not so great? Your users can’t click what they don’t see. And as we already know, users who don’t find what they’re looking for fast won’t stick around. Since many institutions already struggle to simplify pages of content and endless links, this can be one of the downfalls of the hamburger menu.
Cinemagraphs and Video Backgrounds
This is my favorite design trend and one I hope to see many colleges and universities implement. Cinemagraphs combine high-quality photography and looping video. They take the place of the static hero image and can give users a multi-sensory brand experience.
Drexel University made a series of cinemagraph-style videos to inspire and recruit potential students with its Get Going campaign.
In 2011, the University of Stirling in the UK was among the first universities to use cinemagraphs to increase user engagement on its site.
What’s so great about cinemagraphs and moving backgrounds? They can tell one heck of a story. Imagine capturing the spirit of your campus in a beautiful image and bringing it to life with subtle motion.
What’s not so great? Any moving image or video can be distracting to your user. And there’s always the issue of capturing the right images or videos that communicate your brand. But if you can create effective cinemagraphs, they can grab and hold your audience’s attention.
Split-Screen Layouts
When creating a website, many institutions struggle with catering to multiple audiences. Maybe your college is known for undergraduate education, but you also want to call out the programs you offer for adult learners. Split-screen layouts allow your audience to ‘choose their own adventure’ and navigate to the section of your website with the information most relevant to their goals.
What’s so great about split screens? They’re functional. Instead of casting a wide net to catch all users, you can tailor your content to attract individual users, decreasing the chance that they’ll get lost along their journey.
What’s not so great? Some users might not know where they fit in and decide not to click at all. And what if you can’t narrow it down? You have so many great programs and want to give your audience choices, but it is possible to offer too many choices. Erasmus University, Rotterdam discovered that when users were offered more choices, their satisfaction increased, but when they were offered too many choices, satisfaction dropped dramatically.
So Which Trends Should We Implement?
A key indicator of a good website that never goes out of style is user experience. Your user should always be top of mind when your institution considers updating its website. The short answer to this question is to make changes that will benefit the user – they don’t have to be flashy. Sometimes simplicity is king when your goal is converting more users on your website.
Looking for more on 2016 web trends? Sign up for our free webinar, Where Do You C(MS) Yourself in a Year.
Image Credits:
http://www.theatlantic.com/product/archive/2014/08/the-hamburger-menu-debate/379145/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomaslaurinavicius/2015/12/28/web-design-trends-2016/2/#7d5e479d4060
