Web Design Trends Vs. Web Design Conventions
On the other hand, web design conventions are standards. They do not change and should never be altered because they are universally understood. While we are a web design agency that advocates differentiation in order to stand out from your competition, web design conventions are the one area where we don’t deviate.
Examples of Tried & True Web Design Conventions
- Navigation Item Titles: For instance, if you were a developer it might be fun to label your About section “Brick by Brick” or your Testimonial section “Truth Be Told” in your navigation. This language isn’t the pre-established convention that most users on the internet are familiar with. They are more familiar with the simplest of terms “About” and “Testimonials.” A primary goal of any website is to allow users to easily find an item. Using conventions assists this effort greatly. Clear, simple language in this case is unmistakable and appreciated to new users on your site. Clever wording is best used as headlines.
- Home: It’s widely accepted that clicking a company logo in the header will bring you back to the homepage. Therefore, it’s unnecessary to create a “Home” button in your navigation.
- Contact Info: Another web design convention that positively impacts user experience is the location of your contact information. People typically look for a phone number at the top of a page, while they expect to find the rest of the company’s contact info on the bottom of every page as well as the dedicated contact page.
Why You Shouldn’t Blindly Follow Trends
Imagine basing your website around a certain fad that ends up fizzling out faster than it came onto the scene. Once it fades, you are left with a dated site and a huge bill. Figuring out how to best design your website for your target audience is definitely best left to the professionals.
Where Web Design is Headed in 2018 Techzach-Approved “Trends”
So, we encourage your to be bold with your web design choices—as long as they have been researched and vetted to be effective—and to remember to use conventions. Coupling conventions with bold design is a recipe for an awesome user experience and successful website.