2020 was a whirlwind of a year. E-commerce businesses experienced an increase in traffic and sales due to the global pandemic. Now more than ever, consumers browse the web from the comfort of their homes for their next big purchase. Is your business ready for what is to come? After all, simply having a website is no longer enough to entice and retain users. A website should look good while remaining user-friendly. Right off the bat, the homepage is the first impression visitors have of your business. You only get one chance to make a first good impression. Make it count.
Your web design layout is so much more than the look and feel of your website. It is how you effectively guide users through your products and services to make their way through the buyer’s journey. You don’t want them to leave empty-handed. As we eagerly enter 2021, we can practice many of the web design trends learned from previous years and apply new ones. Here are a few e-commerce web design trends we can expect that will boost sales.
- Mixing Photography and Graphics
One of the rapidly growing trends is combining photos and graphics to convey messages about your products or services. It is a sure way to stand out from competitors. Moreover, the trend allows businesses to showcase the creative side of their company.
Take a look at the Bespoke Extracts website above. Bespoke Extracts sells CBD-based products that help consumers regulate their sleep, mood, muscle formation, and much more. The use of photos and graphics create a unique image that effectively displays how serene the product can make users feel or how quickly it can help sports professionals recover. It enables users to see themselves in the products as well.
- Enabling Advanced Chatbots
Chatbots are not new but are part of a trend that keeps getting better and growing in popularity. By enabling chatbots, your company will have the ability to assist users whenever and wherever. In the age of immediacy, this is vital. Customers want and expect almost immediate answers. That’s where chatbots come in. Chatbots can reply to questions and offer 24/7 support. Moreover, chatbots will tailor the buyer’s journey to fit the needs of the user. For instance, when the chatbot receives a query, they may ask for the user’s name and direct them to the resources and services they need. The system can also schedule a call or demo with the user during a more convenient time.
Additionally, chatbots provide unique insights about your products and services, such as repeatedly being asked questions. In the long run, this will help you implement designs and provide resources for your users, so they no longer have to do additional research. Without a doubt, they are a powerful tool for any e-commerce website to implement.
- Personalization
Personalization is a significant factor in creating trust and establishing relationships with your brand. This is a user-friendly trend that offers visitors the resources they want without conducting research. B2B websites should use personalization to their advantage to create engagement among leads and prompt a sale. Your customers want products, services, resources, and offers tailored to their unique business needs.
- Simple Navigation
The navigation serves as a map for your users. Cluttered navigation without rhyme or reason will cause visitors to exit your website without a second glance. Opt to use a simple yet effective navigation bar that users can explore with ease.
For instance, Square, a software service that helps small businesses take digital and online payments. Users can quickly navigate their product offerings and find what they are looking for without getting lost in a tunnel of pages. By simplifying your navigation, it will be easier to funnel users to the next step in the buying process.
- Enhanced Online Shopping Experiences
The ongoing pandemic caused many retailers to close their doors, causing a surge of shoppers to make purchases online. Businesses of all sorts had to get creative not to lose profit. By leveraging the power of augmented reality (AR), businesses were able to provide a unique shopping experience online. After all, shopping online versus in person are two very different experiences. This will also prevent an influx of product returns and possible negative reviews.
- Minimalist Layouts
A minimalist layout is a web design best practice for a reason. Welcoming white space into your website will allow images, graphics, and text to stand out and make a statement. It will also prevent users from getting lost or bored with too much information as they’ll be able to navigate the page without distractions. Emphasize your products’ most important features or services right off the bat instead of funneling them through various pages.
Although simple, a minimalist layout has numerous advantages. For starters, it’s visually appealing. It’ll also reduce loading times, thus creating a better user experience.
- Dark Mode
One of the most popular emerging trends of the year is dark mode. This is not a new trend among social media sites like Twitter and Twitch, but it’s one that is catching on for a reason. Not only is this layout easy on the eyes, but it’s also visually appealing.
To make the shopping experience as user-friendly as possible, let site visitors choose between light and dark modes. Some strongly prefer one over the other.
The Bottom Line
All the web design trends mentioned above will make your website more user-friendly, customer service oriented, and visually appealing. In return, sales are sure to follow. However, the most important aspect of your website should be offering a mobile-friendly and responsive design.
The numbers don’t lie. If 2020 has taught us anything, businesses should be able to cater to their customers’ needs, anywhere and anytime. At this point, this is no longer a trend but a necessity. As time goes on, these numbers are only expected to increase. Don’t let a bad web design come between you and your customers. Start looking at areas you can improve today.
Gladis Gomez
Gladis Gomez holds a B.A. in Creative Writing with an emphasis in fiction and poetry. She proudly received her education at the University of California, Riverside. Shortly after graduating, she entered the world of marketing and fell in love with copywriting. She has been happily doing it ever since currently writing for 365 Business Tips. In her free time, she enjoys cuddling with her dog, reading a good book, and traveling.
