Mastering Digital Design: Design Trends in Personal Websites

Not following design trends in personal websites is a dangerous game. One you better not play. 

Writers, painters, designers… Despite our differences, we all have that one thing in common. We tend to long for the past and hate on the future. Trends are there to be scorned.

Artistically, this can be inspiring. Business-wise, though, it is a sure path towards self-destruction.

As a writer, I spent years and years hating on blogging. Until I realized that some trends are there to be followed.

Scorn all you want. But, with change comes growth.

Design Is a Never-Ending Game

Digital design is not something you learn in one sitting. It is an ever-evolving concept that thrives on creativity. A never-ending game of invention.

You can be the inventor, or you can follow the inventions. You can even do both. What you absolutely can’t do is stick to the old guns and never fire a new shot.

After all, greatness can be but one shot away. And it is always a shot into the unknown.

Why Incorporate Design Trends in Personal Websites

Ready to get off the self-destruction train? A difficult thing for an artist to do, I know. Yet, it has to be done.

Incorporating design trends in personal websites will be your step into the right direction. Let’s talk about why.

Attract and Retain Audience

The idea of creating for the sake of creating is so utterly wrong. You need an audience. And, people are attracted by trends.

Digital trends are, therefore, your not-so-secret weapons. Not of self-distraction, but of fatal attraction. You’ll love what you can do with them.

Because you’ll love it, you’ll keep doing it. When you keep doing it, you’ll keep the audience engaged. An engaged audience is an audience that will stay loyal to your brand.

Show What You Got With Design Trends in Personal Websites

Audience wants content. Painters have galleries, digital designers have personal websites. 

Flaunt your skills. But, do it with style and don’t exaggerate. A new trend here and there will make it known that you know what you’re doing.

Make Small Changes for a Big Impact

This is not about changing your whole website the minute a new trend appears. It is about making small changes from time to time.

Keeping the website fresh with trends will keep your brand fresh. And, a fresh brand is a brand that lives on.

Design Trends in Personal Websites: the Must Haves

Time to put your foot through the door with some concrete design trends.

Let’s explore the latest must-use techniques, talking both about why they matter and how you can incorporate them.

Negative Space

With more and more users valuing an app-like and streamlined web experience, minimalism has found its place in digital design. It has long been a philosophy worth following.

• Why:

Negative space will draw visitors’ attention to the right elements. Elements you choose.

Then, with a streamlined interface that embraces white space, the site will be more responsive on all screen types. Navigation experience will shine. Overall UX will thrive.

• How:

Add just a bit more white space into your web design. Don’t cram the pages with too many elements.

Hero Sections

As the first thing customers see on websites, hero sections need to be done right. If you have them, they need to make an impact.

• Why:

As emphasized in all digital design tips, grabbing attention in the first five seconds is vital.

That’s where the hero section plays its role. If you don’t do it right, you risk losing visitors before they can pronounce the name of your brand.

• How:

Headings, images, videos, buttons… Adding all of those at once can overwhelm the audience.

One key image with a catching headline, a streamlined copy and a tempting CTA will be just enough.

Typography That Stands Out

You want to communicate the important messages on your personal website. But, you don’t want to be boring.

Especially for a designer, written content can come across as rather dull. How about transforming it into a captivating visual element with typography that stands out?

• Why:

Oversized typography grabs attention. It makes a statement. It is a designer’s way of showing that even simple textual content can be visually appealing.

• How:

Keep the background simple and the color contrast high. That way, the UI won’t be cluttered, and the message will stand out.

Retro Is Back In

Just because you’re following trends, it doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to the past. Retro is actually back in!

• Why:

All design appeals to emotions. Retro takes people on a journey back to the good old days. Nostalgia breeds connection. And connection leads to brand loyalty.

• How:

Simple shapes, old-school textures, vintage-style typography… Use them to recreate the past and add a retro vibe to your site.

CRM + Lead Nurturing Forms

Lead generation forms are an essential part of every website. Why not level things up by integrating those with your CRM?

• Why:

Too many form fields can frustrate the visitors. Yet, too little can leave you wanting for information. With the integration, you can get the info one step at a time.

• How:

The CRM will recognize the leads that come back to your site. Allowing, thus, for customized form fields to appear on the landing pages.

Voice Activated Interface

Generation Z doesn’t bother typing. Generation Alpha even less so. Growing up with Google Assistant and Alexa, they’ve become used to voice activation. Plus, they want to say as little as possible for it to function.

They may not know who Kevin from The Office is, but they seem to follow his advice. “Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?”

• Why:

Keep pace with the virtual assistants and the chatbots. And, offer a solution to the screen fatigue issue. It may not be that common in web design just yet, but voice activated interface is here to stay.

• How:

Find a good speech recognition software solution. Integrate it with your personal website and watch the magic happen.

Blogging

Not a design trend per se, but you can’t ignore the importance of blogging.

• Why:

Designers focus on visuals, and that’s natural. Too focused on not making design portfolio mistakes, you could easily make a serious strategic one. Disregarding blogging.

Writing relevant posts will establish you as authority in your niche. And you’ll reach a wider audience.

• How:

Pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? Add a blog section to your site and start writing. Be consistent, and use the best SEO practices to make your posts visible.

Wrapping Up

In the never-ending game of invention that is design, trends drive success. Use them to show what you got and to keep your audience engaged.

It is the small and the simple changes that leave a big imprint. With change comes growth, and it is time to accept that.

Incorporating digital trends in personal websites will keep you relevant. It will get you off the self-destruction train that artists cling to incessantly.

You don’t need to give up the past. But you have to keep your eye on the future.