Navigating the future: 5 web design trends to elevate your digital presence in 2024

As the digital landscape evolves, web design trends play a pivotal role in shaping the online experience. In anticipation of the new year, we delve into creative and inspirational website design trends you can expect to see more of in 2024, and the benefits they can bring to your business.

Whether you are a Christchurch-based small business looking to revitalise your website design and take a fresh digital approach, or a new business looking for affordable small business website design packages, we’ve identified the trends of 2024 to inspire and motivate.

Here are Digital Presence’s predictions:

1.  A nostalgic visitor journey

Why is nostalgia having such a moment right now? When times are hard, nostalgia and simplicity become on trend. Nostalgia takes its audience back to a happy place, a step back away from contemporary challenges. Drawing on inspiration from the late 90s and early noughties, website designers are increasingly incorporating over-sized text, retro illustrations, and neon colours to infuse creativity into their web designs. However, blindly pursuing the trend is not the answer; you must stay culturally and brand relevant to captivate your target audience and communicate brand messages effectively.

2.  Vibrant gradients

What do we mean by gradients in website and graphic design? Think of the colour gradient of the Instagram logo – eye catching, attention grabbing and intensely memorable – a transition and blend of vibrant colours (like a tie-dye t-shirt). Used in backgrounds, images, or CTAs, vibrant gradients are full of energy and capture attention, prompt action, and encourage visitors to explore further. 2024 isn’t the first rodeo for gradient popularity; using bright, luminous colours and fabulous colour combinations keeps them feeling fresh and modern while giving a quiet nod to nostalgia.

3.  UX-focused design

User experience (UX) remains centre stage for 2024. Website development and design is geared towards creating an immersive online experience to cater to the needs and wants of visitors, while seamlessly delivering excellence. User experience means structuring every element of the web design to benefit the visitor. From intuitive navigation to engaging and relatable hero images, custom AI-driven recommendations – using web design to boost lead generation, increase traffic, and drive conversions. 



4.  Kinetic typography and interactive storytelling

Kinetic typography is a fancy way of saying moving text for headlines or subheadings. It’s a powerful visual way to capture the attention of users and keep them engaged without introducing web design elements that slow down its load time or how responsive the website is on different devices.

The integration of gamification and videos on the website presents an opportunity for interactive storytelling to connect the user and the brand, strengthening its identity so it stands out in a competitive market.

5.  Bento box grid layout

Although not a new website design, the Bento box layout has surged in popularity due it’s simplicity –a plain grid of rectangles and squares that support easy navigation and accessibility, a responsive website design regardless of the device used to access the website. In 2023 there has been a lean towards website designs having visible borders, which enhances clarity and structure but also delivers a contemporary creative way to highlight key information and products – the Bento box grid layout, is the king of the castle for 2024.

Digital Presence, a web design services agency based in Christchurch, specialises in creating custom web designs tailored to meet users' needs and strengthen brand identity. Unsure which direction to go in? Relax, Digital Presence creates mock homepages to showcase various styles, making the decision-making process more manageable and less overwhelming. To discover more about how Digital Presence helps online businesses grow, give us a call on 0274 278047 or click here to schedule a free, no-jargon and no-obligation chat.