We saw an influx of responsive website design in 2013 and our thoughts here at ICND are that this is here to stay. We continue to recommend, if not strongly urge, all of our old and new clients alike to push for a responsive website design. You can read more about responsive design on our website or blog feed. However, new trends and developments for web design in 2014 continue to focus on user experience. Simply put – provide your users with a pleasant experience on your website and they’re likely to return. The more time spent on your website, the more chance you have of converting leads. We’ve brainstormed a few innovative website elements that we’re pushing for 2014. 2014 is the time for impressive designs that foster a unique user experience.

Parallax

Although you may be unfamiliar with the term “Parallax” you’ve more than likely stumbled upon a website using this new script and thought to yourself “Wow!” The key is to use this modestly, so as to not overwhelm the browser experience. Parallax design provides a story-telling approach to display who and what your company is online. Essentially the background of the website moves at a different speed than the rest of the page. Other positive effects of a new age design like this are that it directs attention to calls to action, engages the user due to curiosity and provides potential for more page views. We’ve had many clients requesting this element, but without knowing what exactly it is…so make sure to contact your account representative today and ask about Parallax design. Visit the Spotify website to see a popular brand implementing this technique.

Sticky Elements

Another trend we’ve implemented for many of our clients involves programming elements that remain with the user as they navigate throughout the site. For example, Lewis Farms has a navigation that remains as you scroll down, allowing visitors to click through to interior pages with ease. Saferack, another website we’ve developed, has contact information that is ever present as you move through the site making it extremely easy for clients to call in or email if they’ve got a question about one of their products. This is just another way we’re developing our sites to make sure valuable information stays top of mind, while simultaneously promoting an impressive website.

Integrated Social Media Feeds    

Social media feeds within a website are not necessarily a new trend, but the importance of a socially integrated website is certainly important now more than ever. With Google shining its favorable light on social signals in terms of search engine rankings, now is the time to get your Twitter, Instagram or Facebook feeds live streaming on your website. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to integrating social media on your website, contact us today to schedule time with our Social Media Director, David Hutnik, and learn how to get your site and social media channels up to speed. See the below Twitter feed on McKinley Building’s website.

At InterCoastal Net Designs, we are here to keep you up to speed on our industry. While we realize that not everyone can keep up with the changes, there is a real need for every business to have an impressive web presence. Simply writing websites and online marketing off as something that doesn’t make sense or apply to your clientele doesn’t cut it anymore. We want to navigate the web world with you, making sure your websites have the best elements for lead capturing or story telling. Please stay tuned to our Web Design and Internet Marketing blogs as we provide first hand insight to developing marketing tactics.