So, you want to make sure that people go to your website. You’ve researched about some design trends and it compels you to implement some of them on your own site.
However, looking at your analytics, there is some improvement, albeit only a little bit and it is considered as negligible.
Most designers and website design agency often fall into the trap of believing that following the trends will make their websites stand out. I just want to quash that notion by giving you some reasons why design trends are overrated.
1. More Fluff, Less Functionality
Don’t get me wrong, the design of your website is actually something of importance as it can help drive traffic to your site. But, if you focus mainly on the graphical aspect, then you’re missing the whole point.
Yes, you want to attract customers initially with the use of aesthetics, but you ultimately want them to stay. And the only way for them to do so is if your website is actually intuitive to use.
Never ever forget about usability when it comes to websites. If it’s much easier to use, then that would be a more effective gauge than relying solely on your design.
2. More Appealing Doesn’t Necessarily Mean It is Better
If you run an e-commerce site, do you think people stay on your site just to look at the design and the graphics that you’ve put up? No, they’re actually there to purchase something.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that the more appealing the overall theme of your site is, that it is better than one that uses a minimalistic approach.
To be honest, I would rather have a plain-looking web page than to have those over-the-top designs that really serves no purpose other than to distract me from doing what I want.
3. It Doesn’t Make a Huge Difference
As I’ve said earlier, people believe that just by focusing on design trends that it will make a huge difference, especially when it comes to sales.
Although there is some improvement, the change is actually negligible and you’re better off using the design that you’ve used before rather than with these new changes.
4. Implementing Design Trends Cost a Lot of Money
One of the biggest reasons why following design trends are overrated is that they cost a lot of resources just to pull it off.
This can spell doom for small businesses who are on a tight budget. You see, using SVG, using a different layout, and incorporating stock images and videos truly make your website “pop-out” more in the eyes of your customers. However, keep in mind that those people are not there just to look at your website; they are there to do something.
So, instead of putting so much time and money into making your website beautiful using these design trends, why not focus on usability and your actual content instead? Believe me, the latter things are much more important in the long run.
Conclusion
Design trends are there to help improve your website. However, some of them do more harm than good. It is better to stick to your original ideas and focus more on the things that really matter: your content and a better user experience.