Now that 2022 has officially arrived, there’s a lot to think about in terms of what the year has in store for businesses and the Internet in general. Web design is an area that’s always interesting to look at. While web design trends don’t usually change dramatically over the course of just one year, new practices inevitably arise that will significantly shape how design is viewed in the coming years.

Although it doesn’t necessarily make sense to incorporate all-new design trends into your web development workflow, it is worthwhile to have a strong grasp of what’s going on. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what trends are likely to define 2022:

#1 Large Headers Without Background Images

It wasn’t that long ago when large header images were a new design trend. But now that they’ve become the standard for sites all across the Internet, people are looking for a way to stand out. One trend that will continue to grow is creating a large header that doesn’t include a background image. The two keys to making this approach to design work are to use an interesting font and write a headline that has an impact.

#2 Using a Fixed Width Layout That’s Centered

Over the last few years, the standard approach to width has been to design sites that fill up the entire screen. However, a growing number of sites are opting for designs that are both fixed width and centered. This approach is an update to an older style of design.

#3 A Decline in Stock Photography

The Internet has become saturated with stock photography. While those images can serve a purpose, they generally aren’t the best choice for a key web design element. Given the continued growth of Instagram and people’s major interest in nice photography, integrating custom photography into a site’s design can be a powerful way to connect with visitors.

#4 Main Menus That Are Hidden

Since mobile phone screens have such a limited amount of space, it’s standard for responsive designs to collapse menus into a small box that can open if needed. Because responsive design has become so influential, this approach is spilling over into designs that display on standard screens.

#5 Functionality Over Frills

There was a time when many people thought that the more elements a website had, the better it looked. However, a growing percentage of individuals are realizing that’s simply not true. Not only can a large number of elements create confusion for visitors, but it can also slow down how quickly a site loads. By taking a more refined approach, many businesses will be able to significantly improve their sites.

If your website design hasn’t been updated in a long time, 2022 may be the perfect time to change that. Learn more about our web design services.