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Web Design Trends

Web design isn’t just about creating a visually appealing website. Visual appearance matters. But some of the most attractive websites on the Internet are also the lowest performing ones, primarily because they fail to take into account navigation, page load times, user-friendliness, and other essential site characteristics.

At Walker Sands, our web design team understands the value of achieving the right combination of appearance and functionality. But with online technologies evolving at a lightning pace, we also recognize the importance of staying informed about the latest web design and consumer technology trends. We approach each project with insights about today’s most effective site strategies and translate those insights into practical design components. There are several web design trends we’re watching and leveraging to our clients’ advantage.

  • JavaScript vs. Flash. Good web design creates sites that have been optimized to meet tomorrow’s browser standards as well as today’s requirements. As browsers move away from flash, the knowledgeable application of JavaScript is becoming a higher priority in web design. From site managers and users, Java means more stability, faster load times, and other features that haven’t been possible using flash technology.
  • Speed & Simplicity. These days, Internet users are an impatient and demanding group. Whether they’re accessing your site from a desktop, laptop, or mobile device, users want your site to load quickly and offer a friendly online experience. If creative elements and features increase load times or navigational complexity, users will instantly abandon your site.
  • Widescreen, Less White Space. Widescreen LCD and LED displays are becoming standard for many users. Great web design has to accommodate and even cater to widescreens and enable users to easily scroll to the content they want to see. At the same time, most websites are becoming less liberal about unused, white space. This year’s mantra is “space is money” and as long as the site’s overall integrity is uncompromised, designers are filling every nook and cranny with either content or advertising.
  • Google Instant Preview. In 2010, Google unveiled Instant Preview, a feature that lets search engine users preview a site prior to selecting it. At Walker Sands, we immediately understood the implications this would have for web design and began incorporating elements that maximize the preview value of our clients’ sites.

Walker Sands is Chicago’s leading web design firm. We know what it takes to create high-performing business websites and would love to talk about how we can help improve your site’s design and performance.

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