Reputation Doctor: What are the web design trends for 2010?
Will Critchlow founded internet marketing firm Distilled in 2005. A digital marketing expert, he has volunteered his services to Real Business readers to help solve pressing PPC, SEO or general internet queries. This week, director of Sports Club Services Kenneth Fell asks which web design trends he should be keeping an eye on in 2010. Critchlow and Distilled’s web designer, Leonie Wharton give us their 2010 wed design trend report:
Q: What are the web design trends for 2010?
It is easy to forget how young the web is as a platform, which explains a lot of the fluctuation in style and fashion online. Even in the few years since the dotcom bubble burst, we have seen an evolution of style influenced heavily by the platforms that have made it big this decade.
As a general rule, small businesses should look at the successful online businesses as a template for how to do things. Web users understand how to “check out” on Amazon, how to search on Google and how to leave a comment on Facebook. Using their design patterns will tend to make your business safer and allow you to focus on the things you are good at.
Don't try to reinvent everything at once.
Heading into the new decade, the advice in this slidedeck summarises the biggest trends: – Avoid cliched stock imagery such as generic business people, globes, lightbulbs etc. – Keep it simple: web-safe fonts like Arial Black and pastels with subtle contrasts – Allow appropriate complexity to emerge through user interfaces modelled on computer desktops, enhanced by transparency and latest HTML /CSS/JavaScript technologies – Grab attention with big text-based titles and headings with clear calls-to-action
Remember that the web is grown up enough to allow more creativity than ever before, but it’s always best to keep it simple (see point two).
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