5 Web Design Trends you Should Use with Caution

• Hiding things by using a ‘Hamburger’ style menu

These types of menus are most commonly used for mobile Optimisation of websites as they allow the global navigation system to be condensed into a smaller space (to fit your phones smaller screen) Now these menu styles have been cropping up on desktop versions of websites too. Hiding the navigation of your website behind this dropdown option can prove negative as it makes the website harder to use for the average viewer. Personally, I think it’s best if this feature sticks to the mobile version of your site.

• Front Page Carousels

Carousels add movement, visual interest and reduce clutter to your webpage. They can be used to inform, advertise and attract the eye however, there are some negatives to this design trend. Here’s a few things to consider;

– They are not good for SEO

– They have negative impacts on performance and load time

– They push other content below the fold of the page

• Paralax Scrolling

This technique features the foreground and background of a site scrolling at different speeds. This can be a useful tool for interactive design however it does have a few downfalls;

– Again it is bad for SEO

– Will reduce the speed and performance of the website

– Some users complain that this movement on the website can cause confusion and makes the page harder to look at.

• Complex Load Screens

Avoid complex loading in screens or flash animations that have no real relevance to the site. Polls show that people will only wait an average of 10 seconds on a website before clicking off if the content is not relevant to them. However id you load screen is interactive you may have a good chance of capturing audience attention.

• Complex Typography

Using multiple typefaces in your work can add depth and attract attention but I would not recommend using more than 2! You’re not making a poster or a fancy infographic this is a web page and your users should be able to easily scan through the information presented to them.

The main point to take from this post is that whilst all these design trends can have a positive influence on your webpage you must remember to use with caution as you don’t want to take away from the basics of your site.