25 Innovative Web Design Trends for 2019 Brands and Product Companies Must Consider!

My 25 Innovative Web Design Trends for 2019!

In case you haven’t noticed between natural disasters and political shenanigans but fall officially started a few days ago. And as our collective thoughts turn to what lies ahead I personally like to explore innovative web design options. You know, things that the highly caffeinated agency can do to improve your online presence in 2019, and beyond. So here is my own personal roundup of innovative web design trends heading your way in 2019.

Why you should care about innovative web design trends …

It used to be that businesses and product companies could build and launch a website, and then pretty much forget about it. Those days are long gone! If you want your business website to support your short and long-term business objectives, you have to keep working at it. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get a completely new website every year. Instead you should make gradual improvements and updates to your website.

My innovative web design trends for 2019 will give you some ideas. Experiment and play around with your website design, navigation, page layout, typography and graphics and see what other innovative web design trends you can create yourself. Go ahead and have some fun with it. Let your own personality guide you, and your online presence will start to function as an extension of your brand image, voice, and personality.

The thing about trends …

But before you get all excited and start hyperventilating at the mere thought of implementing all of my innovative web design trends let’s focus on the actual “trend” part for a moment. Because trends are just that, trends! Yes, some of them will become mainstream. But others will remain trends, and slowly fade from mainstream view.

So, before you start salivating on your keyboard at the thought of all these tasty innovative web design trends do yourself, and your web designer or agency, a big favor. Take a good look at my innovative web design trends. Which are appealing to you? Which make sense for your business? And which will actually appeal to your target audience? Then start with those!

A Quick Note Before We Get Started!

As I was researching this post and innovative web design trends for 2019 in general I was both shocked and surprised that mobile-friendly or responsive web design are listed as 2019 web design trends. The thing that confuses me is how something that became a requirement in 2015 is now a trend for 2019?

So, to make this absolutely clear: if you do not have a mobile-first website stop reading this post. Now! None of these innovative web design trends will work on an outdated website or provide you with any measurable or sustainable benefits. Stop wasting your time and call your web designer or agency instead. Yes, really! I mean it!

The rest of you may keep reading …

25 Innovative Web Design Trends to Implement in 2019

1 – Use Mobile-First Thinking

Ever look around you? See all those humans squinting at mobile screens? Like it or not, that is the way of the future, my friend! So why not make that work to your advantage? Early versions of mobile websites simply shrunk desktop sites down in size. That did not work too well. Later versions improved, but there was still too much visual clutter. To provide a better mobile user experience in 2019 focus on the essentials required by your audience. Add additional elements carefully, and potentially restrict them on mobile devices.

2 – Build More Creative Websites

Back in the day when I started building websites back in 2004 things were quite a bit more limited. As a result, many websites looked the same. You know, boring! Yawn! But a lot has changed since then. Modern mobile consumers have become much savvier and more sophisticated. Elements no longer have to be above the fold to be seen. Website visitors are used to scrolling, so you no longer have to follow traditional design strategies. My own recommendation is to have fun and mix it up a little bit!

3 – Add Website Animation

Forget about intrusive popups or opt-ins! If you want your business website to appear modern and relevant in 2019 definitely consider adding video or other animated elements. Auto-playing or background videos have been around for a while. The new thing for 2019 are animated graphics, a still image with a single moving element.  And personally, I consider this to be one of the more appealing innovative web design trends for 2019.

4 – Use Custom Images and Illustrations

Ever notice something about stock images? Everyone is using the same ones. And does your team really appear that happy and engaged looking at a blank notepad? I thought not! So here is another of the innovative web design trends for 2019 you should implement in 2019. Stop using stock images! All they really do is make you look like your competitors, which is not what you want! Instead use custom images and graphics that match your brand image. This will also give your website a more uniform look instead of a mixed bag of styles and graphics.

5 – Incorporate Visual Storytelling

Many of you don’t know this, but before I became a web designer I was a photojournalist for many years. Back then, before the Internet age, you had to tell a story in order to engage the reader. For that you needed both effective images and message. The same is true today. If you want to attract, engage, and convert your target audience you have to reach them first. With all the digital noise out there, that alone can be hard. Using a simple and effective narrative works best!

6 – Switch to Modular Frameworks

This is the favorite of my innovative web design trends. I love modular design, and therefore modular frameworks. The world can be very complicated, and so can innovative web design. By using a modular framework as opposed to a rigid theme or template you can better section even the most complex website into easily organized individual modules and segments. Even better, this is very effective for overall website usability and navigation as well.

7 – Break the Grid

The very popular grid-based approach to web design has been around for a while. And personally, I like it, up to a certain degree. But it doesn’t really allow for any visual creativity, if you know what I mean. Very little in the world actually fits neatly into a grid, so why does your website have to? Have some fun instead and let headlines and other elements break out of their grid.

8 – Use Asymmetrical Design

Want your website to appear stylish and modern, and still provide a great mobile user experience? Give your site a fresh new look with another of the emerging and innovative web design trends and incorporate asymmetrical design. Simply give your site a middle or center line, and then balance your web design elements on either side. Even better, this works for any design element from icons and images to text and video.

9 – Focus on Minimalistic Design

Minimalistic design, or minimalism in general, have been around for a while. I am sure you have noticed it everywhere from fashion design to architecture in recent months and years. So why am I including it in my innovative web design trends for 2019? Very simple, it is one of my own favorites. I just love the way minimalistic design uses negative space for more effective and engaging website section s and pages.

10 – Hidden (Hamburger) Navigation

Those of you who read this blog regularly may remember that I used to be against this particular web design trend. And hamburger or hidden menus still work better for tech savvy audiences. But I am including it in my innovative web design trends for 2019 for two reasons. First of all, the three parallel lines of the hamburger menu are becoming more recognizable, which makes them more usable as well. And they do fit extremely well with the above-mentioned minimalistic design. So there you have it, I changed my mind! Happy now?

11 – Utilize Geometric Design Elements

Geometric elements in web design have never really gone away. But in 2018 they started becoming more prevalent everywhere, so expect to see more of them in web design in 2019. More visually interesting than their predecessor, Flat Design, geometric elements can add a nice, clean, simple and modern look to your website. Even better, they also work great with another of my innovative web design trends, modular design.

12 – Be Bold, Get Colorful

Those of you who know me in person know I have a passion for bright colors. Everything from polka dot socks, hot pink sport coats, and bright cyan Converse All Stars get my creative juices flowing and attract a lot of interest, which may be on purpose! (Expect a post on the value of personal branding soon.) One of my favorite innovative web design trends for 2019 is to get colorful! Build visual excitement by adding more color to your website and make the important elements stand out more. Feel free to add gradients to the mix. Just don’t overdo it; nobody likes the “explosion in the paint factory” effect!

13 – Use Blurry Background or Hero Images

Background or hero images started gaining in popularity a few years ago, and today it is hard to imagine a website without them. These images can create a sense of depth and add visual excitement. But they have a major drawback, they can make text hard to read. One of my innovative web design trends for 2019 is an easy fix! Simply blur your background or hero images a bit! It will create an additional sense of depth and make text much easier to read.

14 – Use Color Overlay or Gradient Images

Another option for adding visual interest to your website headers or backgrounds without obliterating your valuable website content is to use images with color or gradient overlays. Not only will it preserve readability while adding a nice elegant touch, this type of image treatment lends itself very well for developing a consistent theme across your online presence. (Take a look at our own site to get some ideas)

15 – Drop Shadows are Back

Yes, you are reading this correctly. Poopooed only a short time ago as an outdated web design element the good old drop shadow has been updated and improved. Instead of appearing clunky and unsophisticated they are now very sleek and sophisticated and can be applied to any element. Which entitles them a place in my innovative web design trends for 2019.

16 – Visually Exciting Website Typography

Yes, there used to be a time when web designers like yours truly were limited by something called system fonts. Yup, extremely boring. Thankfully we have come a long way since then. Modern web fonts allow web designers and content creators endless options for styling and presenting website content. Different type faces, styles, hand-drawn and even animated web fonts are one of the more exciting and innovative web design trends for 2019.

17 – Stand Out Through Bold Typography

Hello, we are in late 2018! In case you haven’t noticed, but flat design is appearing a bit 2017 by now. If you want to appear bold and relevant online why not consider some bold typography for your online presence? I am sure you have already noticed that bold, colorful design is back, but a bit more elegant than before. So why not combine bold typography, in different colors, with your existing design elements for a new look?

18 – Switch Up Horizontal and Vertical Text

Since I am on the subject of web typography, here is another one of my personal favorite innovative web design trends, mixing text orientation. Not only vertical and horizontal text but try having some fun with slanted or rotated text as well. I started experimenting with this a little while ago myself, and I really like the results you can achieve. Even better for my innovative web design trends, this is brand new, so it has not yet been overused!

19 – Increase Engagement through Chatbots

Personally, I am not that keen on, or impressed by chatbots. To me many of them are more of a nuisance than really beneficial. But in an effort to keep an open mind, and because I do see some value in them, I include them in my innovative web design trends for 2019. Chatbots can handle certain web-related tasks faster, and free up your time.  Plus, the information they collect can help you personalize follow-up messaging.

20 – Consider Adding Virtual Reality

No, you are not misreading this! Not long ago (like in early 2018) I would have considered something like virtual reality (VR) a bit beyond many of our clients. Now it is definitely something I urge at least our e-commerce clients to consider seriously. VR’s ability to allow e-tailers to showcase their products in real-life like situations makes this one of the more exciting and innovative web design trends for 2019.

21 – Experimental Scrolling and Navigation

This may still be a more personal favorite of my innovative web design trends for 2019. Experimental scrolling and navigation are extremely new, and only a few sites have already implemented them. But if you are going for an extremely minimal look by focusing on images rather than content this is one way to keep your visitors interested and engaged. I predict we will see more of this web design trend in 2019.

22 – Advanced Animation Techniques

No, I am not taking about little animated GIFs or other simple website animations here. Actually, neither is still innovative or a trend. Modern consumers are way too sophisticated for that. The advanced animation techniques I consider part of any innovative web design trends are subtle image animations or movements to draw attention to a particular element. Another example are parallax animations, who keep evolving year over year. The latest versions allow for both vertical and horizontal movement and can really add an impression of depth to any web page.

23 – Create and Use Multimedia Elements

One easy way to avoid excessive use of stock images is to use multimedia techniques to create your own branded visual content. Multimedia is the process of including two or more of the following in the same element: text, images, video, graphics, animation, and audio. Common examples include placing a brand logo on top of your images, using a background video with text overlay, or simply having an image with a short animation. A word of advice; take it easy on audio elements as they tend to be the ones most disliked by visitors.

24 – Simplify Concepts Through 3-D Modeling

The world is not flat, and flat design is on the way out. Yet many website illustrations are still two dimensional, which is not helping modern consumers. Especially complicated concepts or processes become much easier to understand in a more life-like setting. One of my innovative web design trends is to use 3-D modeling as much as possible. Modern website users expect realistic product models and virtual reality tours as part of their website experience.

25 – Have Fun with Your Website

No, you will not find this listed as a web design trend on most blogs. But I personally firmly believe that having fun with your website is absolutely essential for any innovative web design trends, regardless of the year. First of all, if you actually have fun with your website it becomes much less of a chore.

Which means you may very well create a very innovative and fun website. And that type of innovative website really appeals to your online audience. Which means they spend a lot more time exploring it, which is what you want.

See how this all fits together? There is madness to my highly caffeinated methods, you know!

So, What Happens Next?

OK, here you have my innovative web design trends for 2019. Will all of them become mainstream by the end of 2019? Most likely not. Should you immediately go out and implement all of them on your business or e-commerce website? Definitely not! Should you play around with one or two of them? Definitely!

If you want to thrive and survive in the digital age you should constantly update your online presence. My innovative web design trends are intended to keep you on top of current web design standards and functionality. There is nothing worse than working hard to build your online presence or e-commerce store simply to watch it become outdated and boring.

How are these innovative web design trends working for you?

Have you implemented any of my innovative web design trends already, or are planning to do so? Are any of them giving you trouble? Feel free to look through our innovative web design blog for more ideas and tips.

Need help implementing our innovative web design trends, or want to share some of your own? Feel free to reach out to us any time!

Now go and spend some quality time with your website. It looks like it needs some love and attention!

Thanks, we appreciate your help in eradicating bad business websites!

By Gregor Schmidt Co-Founder / Digital Strategist @gregorspeaks