livebooks blog

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!

Norway-based freelance photographer Trond Teigen specializes in news, sports, and adventure – with a passion for the outdoors and the extreme. His website clearly showcases this passion and the imagery is absolutely stunning.

We think you’ll love our featured website this week – and don’t forget to head on over to www.trondteigen.com to see even more amazing photos!

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

TT: Simplistic, Stylish, Clean.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

TT: The hardest thing about having a portfolio is choosing what to put in it! But I tend to go for photos that have a lot of contrast and a lot of things happening in them. But still, it’s always hard to pick which ones go up and which ones don’t.

Q: How often do you update your website?

TT: Not often enough! But every other month or so.

Q: What is your favorite feature that liveBooks offers?

TT: I love the fact that nothing is local, it’s all cloud-based. And I can access and edit my liveBooks site from anywhere in the world. The editSuite is nice and simple and easy to understand and the pre-designs are great!

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

TT: If I were to give any advice to future liveBooks users, it would be to consider the fact that most people who will be viewing your site, that are potential clients, will be viewing it on nice, big monitors, so I would opt for a Scaler site. I would aim for the simplistic and easy-on-the-eye designs (less is more). You have to capture people’s attention, and the more stuff you have on your page, and the more cluttered it is, the less likely people are to spend a lot of time on it.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com!

Photographer Stephen Guenther has been all around the world taking stunning photos and videos. We absolutely love how his images command the screen on his website and his video integration – which is why we wanted to feature his site this week.

Enjoy his commentary on his site’s creation and then head on over to www.stephenguenther.com to see more amazing work!

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

SG: Contemporary, Clean, Inviting.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

SG: It can be challenging. Of course every photographer has a “new” image that they are in love with, but keeping the client’s eye in mind is important. Finding the balance between a personal aesthetic and one that is marketable is also important. Using creative friends to double check your selections can be enlightening.

Q: How often do you update your website?

SG: The landing page and color palette is adjusted quarterly so that regular visitors will easily notice the change, which will invite them to explore and look for other new images.

Q: What is your favorite feature that liveBooks offers?

SG: Actually a couple features. Low learning curve was key, and recently the ability to link a Vimeo collection of videos is amazing, as many photographers move into motion work.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

SG: Look at a lot of other photographer’s websites. Have a strategy before you begin, remember do not just “populate” your website with images. And be willing to showcase your personal vision and to take some calculated risks in the process to help differentiate your work from others.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com.

Kyle Froman started off as a dancer for America’s premier ballet company and has transitioned into one of the country’s best-known dance photographers. His entire website design exudes grace and elegance, clearly depicting the style in which he photographs. We couldn’t wait to feature his website this week!

Don’t forget to head on over to www.kylefromanphotography.com to see more!

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

KF: Clean, Elegant, Dramatic

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

KF: Since the homepage of my website is a grid display, I chose an overhead photo of New York City Ballet dancers laying on the marble floor of their Lincoln Center Theater. The floor has a grid pattern too, and I thought it worked well together. There was also a good amount of negative space in the image to show off the portfolio key images in the grid.

Q: How often do you update your website?

KF: I update my website usually once a month. Sometimes when I haven’t looked at it for awhile I’ll go through the entire site and see what could be improved, what could look better, but also what stands out as good!

Q: What is your favorite feature that liveBooks offers?

KF: My favorite feature in my liveBooks website is the editSuite. I like how easy it is to change content whenever I want. It’s simple to keep everything up to date.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

KF: My advice to someone designing their website is to keep their design simple. Whittle down your shots to the best, and leave the viewer wanting more.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com.