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As 2015 comes to a close (we can’t believe it, either!) we are looking ahead to the new year. Website design trends change rapidly in this day and age – so we wanted to get a head start on what will be popular in 2016. Check out our list below and feel free to leave your predictions for trends in the comments!

Responsive Design

We know, we know – this is nothing new. But we think it’s important to reiterate that with the rise in mobile devices/tablets to conduct Internet searches, responsive design isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, mobile Internet traffic has now overtaken desktop traffic. Many businesses used to have to maintain two separate websites (one for desktop and one that was mobile-friendly) however, with responsive design and the use of HTML5, your website will automatically scale to fit the size of the device someone is using to browse. liveBooks’ new platform – liveBooks8 – is built entirely on HTML5 and allows you to easily preview what your website will look like on any type of device.

Unique Usage of Image Galleries and Layouts

With many website design companies offering templates to create your website, it is easy to feel as though your site is “cookie-cutter.” The good news is that 2016 will see a rise in unique website layouts and usage of galleries (and liveBooks8 has some pretty cool options for customizations!) that will allow you to tailor your website to completely fit your business. Plus, these new options for unique layouts will give the user an entirely original experience when browsing your site – automatically making it more memorable.

Focus on Typography

Google Fonts has made finding a font to fit your business readily accessible (and free!) – and expect a lot more emphasis on font styles, sizes, and weighting in 2016. Customizing the typography used on your website not only allows you to make those templates your own, but can add a ton of value to how users and potential clients perceive your website and business. With the new liveBooks8 platform, you will have access to Google Fonts directly in the edit screen.

Full-Bleed Photos and “Hero” Images

With the updates in technology and the fact that most websites can now support high-resolution photos without compromising load time, full-bleed images that span the entire screen and hero images will conttinue to be a trend in 2016. The idea is that these large, high-quality images grab the user’s attention as soon as they hit the site – and by choosing the images on the homepage you can direct your audience’s attention to the things that are most important about your business.

Social Media Integration

Just like responsive design, the integration of social media into your website is not a new trend. However, in 2016 and beyond it will be almost imperative that all websites have a way for users to engage on social media. Having your social icons (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) on every page of your website will give your audience more ways to keep consuming your work in different types of settings. Allowing for a “Pin It” button on your images will make it incredibly easy for potential clients to get your photos on their Pinterest boards. Bonus: the “pin It” button will automatically link directly back to your website when someone clicks on one of your images on Pinterest.

What are your predictions for design trends in 2016? Are you making any new updates or refreshes on your website? We’d love to hear about them!