The Top Website Design Trends of 2021 (And Why They’re Trending)

The Top Website Design Trends of 2021 (And Why They’re Trending)

Like the other components of digital marketing, website design trends are ever-changing… and the top website design trends of 2021 (and the reasons behind why they’re topping the trends lists) are no exception.

Today’s blog breaks down which website design trends of 2021 you should be looking to to inspire your next web dev endeavor. 

Prioritizing Site Loading Speed

Web design accounts for 95% of a visitor’s first impression of your site and has been proven to improve conversions when done right.

However, an effective website design can only take hold if the landing page loads in time. With a staggering 53% of visitors reporting that they abandon a website if it takes longer than 1 – 2 seconds to load, to say that site speed is a priority would be an understatement. (This is a big reason why site speed is a key factor in Google’s ranking algorithm!)

What can you do on your website to improve its speed?

  • Enable compression on HTML, JavaScript, and CSS files
  • Reduce the number of redirects on your site
  • Utilize a content distribution network
  • Optimize on-page images by ensuring that they are in the best file format and compressed for web use
  • Choose a team, like Time2GetOnline, to do this for you

Showcasing A Seamless Online Store

As outlined in a recent blog of ours, “Upgrading Your Brick-and-Mortar Business in Victoria to an E-Commerce Model”, seamless online store functionality has become a top website design trend in 2021 due to a pandemic-related uptick in online shopping.

If you are located here in British Columbia and are a small or medium-sized business, then following this trend comes with an extra incentive: the BC Economic Recovery Plan has announced their Launch Online grant program, which offers to pay up to 75% of the costs of bringing your business’s catalogue online. Visit the Launch Online grant program portal today to determine if you meet the minimum eligibility requirements. 

Looking for help securing your funds? Time2GetOnline is working alongside business owners to develop their grant submissions; reach out today for more information.

Offering Dark Mode

First seen across apps including YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram, dark mode (also known as “night mode”) refers to the use of light-coloured icons, text, and general interface elements overtop of a dark or black background. 

Utilized mainly for preserving a device’s battery life while being easy on the users’ eyes as they scroll through a site at night or in dark environments, dark mode is now a trending website design choice due to its sleek look and elegant pairing with white design elements and fonts. 

Looking to combine dark mode with a pop of colour? Neon typography is a go-to choice to complement dark mode, creating an eye-catching homepage focal point.

Integrating Visitor-Triggered 3D Animations

Visitor-triggered 3D animations have entered the scene as an interactive, creative, and attention-grabbing way to lengthen the amount of time spent on website pages.

Examples of visitor-triggered 3D animations include:

  • Clicking on an element to have it grow or shrink in size
  • Hover above an element to have it move 
  • Scroll past an element to have it change design

Having these elements in 3D adds that extra bit of “pop” to make it stand out. A word to the wise, however: 1 – 2 elements per website is enough. No need to have the novelty wear off by incorporating them on every page at the cost of slowing your site speed.

Minimalism

Gone are the days of cluttered website design: minimalism is in, and it looks like it’s here to stay.

Originally a classic website design trend, centering your website around minimalism means two things: simplicity and usability. Whether it be a slim colour palette, minimalist elements, scarce text, or a limited website navigation, simplicity and usability need to be the name of the game if minimalism is what you’re after. 

Looking for ways to scale back on text and images in particular? Opt instead for a graphic with text or explanatory video to condense your brand positioning, offerings, and/or contact information.

Which of These Top Website Trends of 2021 Are You Onboard With?

Let us know which of these 2021 web design trends have caught your eye in the comments section below.

 

 

Upgrading Your Brick-and-Mortar Business in Victoria to an E-Commerce Shop

Upgrading Your Brick-and-Mortar Business in Victoria to an E-Commerce Shop

In 2020 and beyond, upgrading your brick-and-mortar business to an e-commerce model has never been more important. This is an important step for most small businesses, whether they’re here in Victoria or around the world.

In 2020 alone:

And that’s just the tip of the e-commerce iceberg. 

How can you upgrade your brick-and-mortar business to an e-commerce model? Is there a surefire way of knowing that it will benefit your business? What resources are available to you? Let’s start with the first question.

Upgrading Your Brick-and-Mortar to an E-Commerce Model: How to Get Started

One of the most frequent questions Time2GetOnline fields is, “I already have a website. Can I add e-commerce?”

In short? Yes. More specifically, however, there are three main ways of doing this:

1. Adding a Payment Gateway to Your Existing Site

Pros: As the most basic form of e-commerce, adding a payment gateway (or shopping cart) to your existing website is relatively easy;  it can even be considered beginner-friendly due to its simplicity. 

Cons: Suitable for those who need a basic way to offer a handful of products and collect basic payment, adding a payment gateway to your existing site is likely not the best option for those who have a large catalogue or are seeking a sophisticated e-commerce set-up.

A payment gateway, like Bambora, is an easy way to let your clients pay their invoice via your website. 

2. Integrating an E-Commerce Platform into Your Website

Pros: Viable if your existing website has been built via WordPress or a similar content management system (CMS). This is typically done via  plugins and integrations, like WooCommerce, are added to your website, making direct e-commerce sales possible. If you have more than a handful of products in your catalogue, this option is recommended over adding a simple payment gateway.

Cons: You will require your website to be up-to-date in order to download and attach your required plugins. Depending on the CMS, these plugins vary in complexity and the time required to configure them. 

upgrading to eCommerce

3. Adding A Separate E-Commerce Site 

Pros: If your website is not compatible with an e-commerce extension, has been hand-coded, or has been built using outdated CMS, adding a separate e-commerce site that is then “joined” to your existing website via a link may be required. If this is required, it also provides an excellent opportunity to overhaul your existing website to ensure it is on par with competitors’ functionalities.

Cons: Perhaps the most time intensive, this method requires either outsourcing or website development know-how. Typically involves an annual fee as well as transaction fees.

Recommended E-Commerce Platforms

Depending on your needs, the following e-commerce platforms are currently the highest-ranked by users:

While Shopify is probably the best known option for this model, each has various pros and cons for your business. We can help you find the right fit for your scenario.

 

The Benefits of Upgrading to an E-Commerce Model, Continued

E-commerce’s surge in popularity has been a long time coming. 

Whether you are a small mom-n’-pop shop, a medium-sized business, or an international brand looking to further your success, focusing on and refining your e-commerce options promotes:

  • Flexible buying options for your customers
  • Eliminating geographical limitations for brick-and-mortar retail outlets
  • Easy integration of deals and/or coupons
  • 24/7 purchasing availability
  • Increased web traffic to your site
  • A substantially improved  shopping experience for your customers

On top of reaping the above benefits, upgrading your brick-and-mortar business to an e-commerce model circumvents the price point associated with listing your products on marketplace sites.

Financial Aid for E-Commerce Development: The Launch Online Grant Program

If you are a small or medium-sized business located and registered here in British Columbia, Canada, the BC Economic Recovery Plan has unveiled the Launch Online Grant Program offering to pay up to 75% of the costs of bringing your business online. 

Geared towards small and medium-sized businesses throughout BC upgrade their brick-and-mortar business to an e-commerce model in order to improve their earnings and online visibility, the Launch Online Grant Program is investing up to $12 million (up to $7500 per business.)

Check out the Launch Online Grant Program portal to see if you’re eligible (over $30K in sales in 2019, registered in BC, and have a GST number are some of the qualifiers). If you meet the minimum requirements, you can fill out the grant application yourself, or we can work with you to develop your submission, and credit a portion of it towards your site development costs, when your grant is approved. (New changes announced on March 17, 2021 opened this up to service-based industries as well, specifically to incorporate online bookings. If you have a service-based business, let’s chat about adding online booking to your website)

If you’re interested in taking advantage of this program, or you’re looking for more information for your current website, let’s chat. Give us a call and see how we can help you start earning 24/7/365.