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Top Trends in Web Development for 2014

With the consistent growth in internet usage, website development is one of the fastest growing technological areas – and 2014 is set to be no different. Website developers don’t just sit back and create stunning websites for their clients, they keep up-to-date with emerging internet trends and applications.
So here are some of our favourite trends that we think will make 2014 very interesting indeed!

Mobile platforms

Responsive designs will continue to hold the fray – they are not so much a trend but an essential next-step for online communications. They adjust and reformat web pages and provide customers with the same viewing and user-friendly experience whether on a PC, smart phone or tablet.

And with the increases in internet browsing and eCommerce, a website that can display correctly across all mobile devices is a vital component of an effective and successful marketing strategy.

Single page sites

One of the applications for simplicity is using long scrolling pages or progressive loading of content – which is becoming more and more popular. This popularity is due to the increasing use of mobile devices where clicking from page to page is not user-friendly – so in the majority of cases we just swipe the screen to move down the page.

If you want to investigate using a simplistic design such as a long scrolling page on your website then you need a good mix of content, images and if appropriate, video. This will keep the viewer interested and break the text into smaller chunks. You can be sure that website developers understand both good design and content hierarchy in the context of scrolling pages.

Hero areas

In 2013 we saw the popularity of sliders or carousels increase dramatically on home pages. Sliders are panels of images that move horizontally across the hero area or top part of the home page, and in the past few years we have seen just about every web site with a slider.

Their popularity however, is on the downturn because one of the problems with sliders is that they take up too much room in the hero area. This is where your most important content should be placed for maximum exposure. With sliders, content is placed below the fold and unless your business is selling images, it is your content that will sell your product.

So a big trend in website development for 2014 will be a movement away from sliders to full page or full width imagery or designs. These images will be more like canvases overlaid with text – and another visual tweak is to make the entire background image blurred – a technique that is also gaining in popularity.

If you use these large images on your home page, it is important that they are relevant to your content, otherwise your site will be off-putting and confusing to the viewer. If you are unsure whether this type of imagery is appropriate for your website make sure you consult your website developer.

Using a large hero image can be very engaging to clients – it can reinforce your brand, tell a pictorial story or even evoke emotional responses.

Typography

Website developers are moving away from the usual fonts and into more custom-made fonts, such as Google Fonts, with added personality. This is a tricky area as too many different font types can make your website look confusing to the eye. But if you can get this right – your can add a touch of artistry and personality to your website without missing out on the professional and polished look you seek.

So in 2014 look out for simple hand written fonts, and larger easy to read fonts with clean lines.

Know of any other trends or have questions about any of the above?  Leave a comment below, give us a call at +61 2 8211 0668 or send us an email.  Look forward to hearing from you

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Jason Lopez

Jason is a Web Developer at Cornerstone who appreciates building websites that delight and inform. He is a curious person, and enjoys work that challenges him to learn something new and stretch in a different direction.