As we approach 2025, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on business growth and evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies. This is also the ideal time to make strategic decisions that will help navigate the digital landscape with clarity and confidence.

In web design, this involves analyzing emerging trends and consumer behaviors to adapt your online presence to meet the ever-changing demands, preferences, and expectations of the market.

Over the past year, we witnessed the rise of hyperreality, immersing users in captivating surreal experiences. Elevated brutalism pushed the boundaries of creativity within constraints, leaving audiences amazed. Whimsical and unexpected storytelling captured visitors’ imaginations, while maximalism gained traction with bold, dramatic fonts and oversized visuals that held attention longer than ever.

1. Dynamic Layouts

For years, website design followed strict guidelines, often relying on grids or columns to create structured and organized layouts, typically dividing content into left and right sections.

However, this traditional approach is evolving into more dynamic layouts, a trend that has been gaining momentum over the past year and is poised to become the new standard in web design.

Dynamic Layout – Luca Dini Lucadini.com

Dynamic layouts break free from rigid grids, distributing content more fluidly across the page. This approach enhances user experience by offering greater flexibility and encouraging users to navigate and explore the site on their own terms.

2. AI

Assisted Web Design

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, are transforming industries—and web design is no exception. AI-powered tools are set to play a significant role in the design process, reshaping how websites are created.

Many website builders already incorporate advanced AI features. Platforms like Framer enable users to build entire websites with simple text prompts, while Divi integrates AI tools into its WordPress builder, allowing users to generate images, text, and even modules effortlessly.

Even if you don’t rely on website builders, AI tools will inevitably become part of your workflow. Tools like ChatGPT can assist with crafting website copy, while platforms like Midjourney can generate unique art, icons, and illustrations for your designs.

This year, expect to see a surge in AI-generated content across websites, from art and animations to videos, interactive elements, and beyond.

Web Accessibility With AI

The impact of AI on the design industry sparks mixed feelings among designers. However, one area where AI’s potential is universally acknowledged is web accessibility.

AI Accessibility tool Accessibe.com

Creating websites that are accessible to people with disabilities remains a significant challenge. Many business websites still lack essential accessibility features, and some are unaware of the legal requirements for compliance. AI offers a promising solution to bridge this gap.

Platforms like AccessiBe are already leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance web accessibility tools. They’ve introduced features like AI-powered screen readers and keyboard navigation tools, making websites more inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.

The future holds even greater possibilities for AI in accessibility. Imagine AI-powered browsers that automatically optimize websites to meet individual users’ needs or intelligent AI assistants embedded in websites to guide users with disabilities seamlessly. These advancements could revolutionize web accessibility, making the internet a more inclusive space for all.

3. Illustrations – Intricate

Illustrations Intricate – Newpeact

If you’re looking to add an artistic or personal touch to your website design, intricate illustrations are a trend worth exploring. These detailed designs bring a sense of authenticity and connect with users on a deeper level, creating an immediate visual impact.

Intricate illustrations can be beautiful and engaging, though they’re often time-consuming to create due to their fine lines, hidden details, gradients, patterns, or expansive scenes.

While this trend works wonderfully as a full-site aesthetic, it can also be applied to specific elements like single images, icons, or even team photos. The style varies greatly, but one common thread is the high level of detail in the illustrations.

You may also see elements like rich colour, texture, realistic touches, busy scenes, cartoonish styles, and minimal animation, all contributing to a distinctive, visually rich web experience.

4. Soft Colours

Over the years, web design has embraced a variety of styles and colour schemes, from flat design and gradients to bright neon hues and material design. The latest trend making waves is the use of soft pastel colours.

Soft Colours Nod Hero Image

Soft colours go beyond being visually pleasing—they create soothing experiences that evoke emotions. Whether it’s to convey calmness, growth, melancholy, or romance, pastel tones are remarkably effective at influencing user perception and mood.

Soft Colours Illustration Nodcoding.com

Recently, both small businesses and major brands have been adopting these gentle, pastel colour schemes for their websites. This trend is gaining traction and is likely to become a popular choice in web design this year.

5. Retro and Nostalgic

As AI art and 3D websites become increasingly ubiquitous, many people will start longing for a touch of nostalgia and the simplicity of the past.

This creates an excellent opportunity for designers to embrace retro-inspired web design. Drawing from early 2000s website layouts and even the vibrant aesthetics of the 1990s, designers can craft sites that transport users back to simpler times—while still integrating modern design trends for functionality and usability.

This retro-themed approach is set to be a popular trend this year, offering a refreshing counterbalance to the influx of AI-generated websites and creating a more diverse and engaging web experience.

6. Elements

Interactive

Studies show that users spend an average of 45 seconds on a website, with attention spans dropping to all-time lows due to the constant distractions in the digital world. This presents a significant challenge for designers striving to maintain user engagement.

One effective solution is incorporating more interactive elements on websites. By encouraging users to engage with the site—whether through clickable features, dynamic content, or interactive tools—browsing becomes an activity users actively participate in rather than passively scrolling.

While this approach isn’t suitable for every website, adding interactivity is one of the best ways to help users absorb information and stay engaged longer.

Off-Screen

Sometimes, what makes a design truly captivating is what isn’t immediately visible.

The off-screen elements trend embraces this idea, featuring moving graphics, text, or other elements that appear to move off the screen. This motion can happen automatically or in response to hover or scroll interactions.

What makes this trend powerful is that it encourages users to engage more deeply with the design, prompting them to think about what they’re seeing and its meaning. However, if overused or overly complex, the message can get lost. For the best effect, this trend works best with simple, easily understood elements that maintain clarity while still intriguing the viewer.

7. Neon Glows

Neon glowing backgrounds are making a vibrant comeback. While not entirely new, this trend has recently gained renewed popularity, with many websites adopting it to create eye-catching and colourful headers.

The neon glow effect is an excellent way to enhance a website’s background, adding visual appeal while ensuring strong contrast between the text and its backdrop. This combination makes headers more engaging and readable.

Some designers have taken this trend to the next level, incorporating dynamic interactions and animations with neon glowing effects, adding an extra layer of creativity and user engagement.

8. Storytelling

Opium War – Storytelling

Over time, websites have evolved from simple information hubs to platforms for storytelling. Today, many brands and businesses use their websites to create memorable experiences, with storytelling playing a central role in this process.

While storytelling on websites isn’t new, there’s a growing trend of using illustrations to tell stories that resonate deeply with audiences.

These illustrations are powerful tools for setting the scene and presenting big stories, helping to capture and hold the user’s attention. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” and this principle applies to this trend by conveying complex ideas, messages, and concepts in a more accessible and engaging way.

9. Micro-Animations

Inspired by the playful GIFs on Instagram stories, more websites are now incorporating micro-animations in the form of sticker-style GIFs.

Even sites you wouldn’t typically expect—like eCommerce platforms—are adopting this approach to capture user attention. These animations can range from small images that pop up on the screen to moving text elements, adding a touch of interactivity and personality to the user experience.

10. Overlapping Design Elements

Not every design element needs its own container—overlapping elements can add depth and dimension to your designs. This approach also helps guide the user’s eye seamlessly from one element to the next, creating a natural visual flow.

Overlapping Design Elements from Colormonkey

However, there’s a key challenge with this trend: overlapping elements must be carefully designed and layered to ensure readability. It’s especially crucial that the layout adapts effectively on mobile devices, where space is limited. Without proper adjustments, this design technique can quickly lose its impact.

11. Content Loaders

Pre-loading screens were once a source of frustration, with their monotonous spinning circles testing users’ patience and often driving them away before a website fully loaded.

Now, content loaders are making a comeback—this time as an engaging design feature. Many websites are reimagining pre-loaders, replacing the boring spinning icons with creative and interactive loading screens that spark curiosity and hold users’ attention.

These innovative content loaders not only make the waiting experience more enjoyable but also help websites establish a unique and memorable identity, turning a once-dreaded feature into a delightful aspect of the user journey.

12. White Space

Minimal design styles are becoming even more streamlined with the use of exaggerated white space.

One of the main reasons white space is so popular is its ability to draw attention to specific elements in the design. The space around an object highlights its importance, making it stand out more than if it were surrounded by clutter.

White space also carries a timeless, classic appeal, making it versatile and adaptable for a wide range of projects. Whether for modern websites or more traditional designs, it creates a clean, sophisticated aesthetic that works across various styles and industries.

13. 3D Experiences

Websites are no longer just platforms for sharing information or promoting businesses—they are now about delivering immersive, memorable experiences for every visitor.

Many major brands are investing heavily in creating websites with immersive 3D experiences, allowing users to interact with their products, services, and even shops in a more virtual environment.

History Of Blockchain

These 3D web experiences offer two key benefits. First, they make websites far more memorable. Visitors are more likely to recall these sites long after their visit and even share them with friends and family.

Second, they provide a more interactive, engaging experience for users, offering a deeper connection to the business and its offerings. This year, websites that feature 3D elements will have a significant advantage over traditional static sites, giving brands a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

14. Scroll Arrows but Creative Ones

Scrolling is a fundamental part of web navigation, and there’s no reason your scroll arrows and instructions can’t be fun and creative.

There are no strict rules when it comes to this—just let your creativity flow! The more engaging and unique your scroll arrows and animations are, the more likely they are to capture users’ attention. Common design techniques include adding animations, colours, and shapes that complement the overall design while guiding users to the next section of the page.

Performanse

You can also enhance the experience by connecting hover states to the arrows, adding an extra layer of interactivity and encouraging users to engage further.

15. Typography

Fills and Outlines

Combinations of filled and outline typography are gaining popularity as a dynamic design trend.

Typography Outlines – Wondermake

This approach pairs typography in filled and outlined styles, often with or without interactive features. For example, filled text might appear as a hover state to indicate that an element is clickable, while outline text is used for non-interactive elements.

The result is a visually intriguing effect that adds personality and interest to the design. It’s a versatile technique that can be applied in many ways, making font pairing easier since you’re using one font in two distinct styles.

Serif typography

Serif typography, once considered difficult to read on the web, is making a major comeback. From simple, clean serifs to more intricate lettering with longer strokes and tails, these typefaces are designed for readability.

A key factor behind this trend is the rise of high-resolution screens, which eliminate the blur or distortion that used to make serifs challenging to display on lower-quality displays.

Today, almost any style of serif—whether modern, transitional, or slab—can work beautifully. Serifs are now being used effectively for both display text and body copy, bringing a touch of elegance and sophistication to websites.

Experimental Typefaces

Experimental Typefaces from Dondre Green

New, unconventional, and unique typefaces can elevate a design, and with more projects focusing on typography as a central visual element, experimental typefaces are becoming an essential tool for designers.

The defining feature of experimental typefaces is their uniqueness. Some might even be unfinished designs released early by typographers or custom creations. These typefaces often feature unexpected shapes, lines, 3D effects, animations, or bold colour choices, offering a distinct look that sets a design apart.

Experimental fonts are ideal for large, impactful hero headlines on homepages but are generally not suited for body text or smaller copy, where readability is key.