Web Design Trends 2023: UI, UX, SEO, & More

The top web design trends of 2023 offer up a mix of new incorporations of AI, time-tested strategies, and results-driven design moves to generate leads, make more conversions, and deliver results for your website.

For your online marketing plan, web design plays a huge role. Your website is where your customers are most likely to flock to learn about products and services, make purchases, get contact information, and find out who you are. Ensure your website is updated with the best trends, optimal functionality, and properly-placed design elements that help you stand out, maintaining positive momentum on search engines and in other arenas, too.

Here is your countdown of the best web design trends you can put to use on your website.

AI Elements, i.e. Chatbots

AI web design tools are quickly advancing. A simple way to use AI in UX or UI design is through a chatbot.

Ensure users can get questions answered and receive support when customer service agents are offline or non-existent with an AI chatbot. As we launch into the next quarter of 2023, we expect more conversation around AI web design elements that may be useful for brands of all shapes and sizes.

Refined Typography That Is Audience-Targeted & Brand-Appropriate

Typography plays a massive role in the feel of a website’s design. The font or typography you choose can come in all sorts of aesthetics but, no matter what, at all times, it should be appropriate for both your audience and your brand. Here are some web design typography tips.

• Big, bold font is popular for headings and home pages
• Blending two or three contrasting fonts works for some brands, tagged with dynamic effects, i.e. rollover or hover
• Mixing typography with animation, visualizations, and interactivity is a web design trend

Interactive Web Design Elements In Navigation, Scroll, & Clicks

Web design in 2023 is not static. It is interactive. Think slide-out menus, scroll interactions, hover interactions, large 3D interactive infographics, interactive eCommerce product displays, and more.

Some studies suggest interactive content is twice as likely to engage the average visitor compared to a static site. For this reason, more websites are being created as living, breathing bodies of content, with unique interactive elements spread out site-wide where it makes sense stylistically.

Colorful Gradients In Web Pages’ Background

As you will find across social media platforms like Instagram, online ads all over the Internet, and on your favorite web pages, colorful gradients have been very popular in recent years and this web design trend will continue into the foreseeable future. They’re visually exciting and not distracting so long as they are used properly.

From simple monochromatic gradients to multi-colored gradients, you’ve got some visually-appealing elements to play with.

Layering With 3D Images, Simple Text, & Patterns

Layering in web design is taking its cue from the world-building design of the metaverse and similar trends.

When you layer elements, you can do so in so many creative ways and add animations, full-page effects, illustrations, and more. It can be very in-your-face or be more soft and subdued. How dynamic the experience is should depend on what users are expecting, what your target audience is, and what aesthetic you are adopting as a part of your visual design.

Mobile-First Web Design

Most websites see the vast majority of their users come from mobile devices. A smartphone can almost do anything for a user, i.e. order food, schedule service repairs, and shop for all types of products. A website should be designed for smartphone screens as opposed to desktops.

More users are moving to mobile-only Internet use, leaving behind the world of desktop screens altogether.

Original Photography As Your Website Centerpiece

High-quality mobile-responsive original photos of your products or services is an effective web design strategy that’s sure to get you more clicks when done right.

Think about what your website is selling. You want that featured front and center, whether you’re an eCommerce brand or a construction contractor website. Your products or services should have the center stage. This way, users know exactly what you’re all about and what you’re offering.

AR Elements In eCommerce Web Design

AR, or augmented reality, is more popular in eCommerce web design than anywhere else.

Amazon offers a virtual try-on service which allows shoppers to try on shoes virtually, testing different colors and styles. This has helped boost their sales and minimize returns. IKEA has done something similar with AR web design. Users can create a 3D layout of their room to experiment with custom combinations of furniture and accessories.

Minimalism Is Still A Web Designer’s Favorite Trend

Minimalism makes bold colors feel all the bolder. Messaging is clearer. Design elements are more impactful. It’s also easier to balance columns and rows, and individual items on a page, when white space is there.

Minimalism allows users to scan through web pages faster, get more information, and prevents them from being overwhelmed by what’s in front of them.

Animated Illustrations To Convey Complex Information

Illustrators and graphic designers are finding a lot of work alongside web design with creative illustrations incorporated into all types of websites.

Illustrations can be interactive with a hover or still. They can be used in infographics or independently. They help websites feel more fun and add some personality. There are lots of ways to apply illustrations as well as varying types of illustrations.

Audience-Targeted, E-A-T SEO Content In Your Web Design

SEO content within the scope of your web design should adopt a strategy focused on audience targeting and E-A-T.

Firstly, web design SEO content should not target traffic but target the right audience. Traffic will naturally occur if you do this well, with the right tone, images, and keywords. Secondly, all web content should be formatted using a mindset of E-A-T, aka Expertise-Authority-Trust. If you can’t speak on something authoritatively or have real-world experience on that topic, move on to something else.

Retro Classic Color Schemes & Nostalgic Imagery

More web designs are utilizing nostalgic colors, fonts, and imagery to remind customers of past decades.

This is a tricky line to walk though, and can look dated fairly quickly. For brands where it’s appropriate, pulling from the 1980s or 1990s is a sure way to catch the attention of specific demographics.

Invest In The Best Web Design For Your Business With Magenta Design

For the best in web design, use Magenta Design. Our team is skilled and knowledgeable with these trends and so many others, applying them appropriately through our web design portfolio, customized to the needs of the client and their target audience.