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Virtually anything can be done via the Internet thanks to today’s digital evolution, from connecting with friends oversee, to “researching” data to purchasing items you sometimes don’t need. This led many businesses to take their stores online, riding on the wave of technological advancements and reaching billions of potential consumers. What many of these businesses don’t realize is that a website is just the beginning, and it isn’t enough to propel your business to the top of Google’s search results page.

Your site must also convert. Because of the cutthroat competition, your own business must take extra steps to make your brand stand out. This starts with a carefully, and strategically, thought-out web design.

Here are top website design trends that could boost conversion rates and sales and increase consumer loyalty:

Parallax Scrolling

Parallax scrolling is one design trend that has stuck around. It refuses to go away. In fact, this trend has made a big impact on UX design, for both websites and mobile apps.

But for those who are unfamiliar with the term, what is a parallax effect?

Derived from the Greek word ‘parallaxis’ which means ‘alteration,’ this creates a 3D scrolling effect where the web page’s background layer moves at a slower rate to the foreground layer. This is one of many scrolling patterns allowing you to easily adjust how the users will receive the content.

Although sometimes it can come out as overwhelming, if sparingly used, it can provide a seamless UX for both the mobile app and your website. The result will be a subtle element of depth, making your site memorable and distinctive.

Animated CTAs

CTA (Call to action) buttons are an integral part of an effective web design since they’re essential to making conversions. Regardless if your users are well-informed, they still require a little prodding leading them to finally hit that “Buy Now” or “Join Now” button. Having a CTA for every page is not enough. You need to consider the shape, size and its placement.

Lucky for you, there is another trend that could help improve conversion rates—this is adding a subtle animation to your CTA button. However, this animated CTA should be subtle enough to draw the user’s attention, but not take away their interest in the brand’s product or other vital visuals. Keep in mind that the animation should be tasteful and carry the feel and visual look of your site. The movement is only another way of enhancing the button’s visibility.

Video on Landing Page

We can’t stress enough how vital your landing page is. So, how else can you improve this page and attract consumer attention?

What about a video?

Well, the answer to this is obvious. Approximately 78% of Internet users watch online videos on a weekly basis, while around 93% of today’s marketers admitted that their medium for communication, sales and other forms of digital marketing is video.

This just shows us that online videos go are more than cute kittens or adorable puppies.

Video content is dominating online traffic figures.

But wait…

Don’t just embed a YouTube clip on your landing page. Take it a step further with a video landing page.

You could create an immersive video that automatically plays on your site’s home page or a video that directs toward a CTA on a specific page. Either way, this strategy will definitely improve user’s impression of your brand and boost UX.

Cinemagraph Hero Photos

Yes, they’re very captivating. Theirs is something about the continuous subtle motion of cinemagraphs in an otherwise still image that easily captures user attention. And this is the first step in getting web visitors who are sometimes too busy. This will make them take a pause and notice the message or content of your site.

The plus side—you can use cinemagraphs for social media marketing as well, saving your marketing budget.

Simplicity is key!

A well-designed website is uncluttered, simple, deliver the message and interacts with the consumer, creating a lasting impression. But above all, a successful website converts! An effective web design is an art—it requires a lot of careful planning. Your brand’s website should not only have aesthetics in mind but also you need to consider your brand’s goals and the end result.