Tons of businessmen have adopted the idea of online marketing as it proves to be very important. It gives way for them to not only reach a wider market but also be on top of their niche. A formula for good online marketing contains a website with an effective SEO campaign, relevant and interesting content, and an eye-catching web design. However, as the saying goes, “nothing is permanent in this world but change,” and that applies to websites as well; the attractive site yesterday may not be as attractive today.

With that being said, it is important to be “in the loop.” Below are some latest trends in web designs for 2013:

Go mobile 

These days, everybody’s crazy over how hi-tech smartphones can function like a computer, leaving laptops to collect dust. This is why responsive websites are in these days. Having a responsive website means that it can adopt regardless of what devices (mobile, tablet, personal computers) is used. In other words, it’s more like creating a website that has a single set of codes that can run in all environments. Sounds nice, don’t you think so?

CSS3 media queries can help you achieve this as these allow developers to customize layouts based on limited or expanded screens.

Simplicity is beauty

Your landing page is very important to attract your customers and create leads; furthermore, web designers of professional sites know that a flashy design will turn them off. An overly creative design has the risk to be an eyesore, which is why these days minimalism is strictly followed by most websites, especially those that cater to products and services. In other words, these sites are kept simple and focused on the core products.

User friendly

Visitors don’t want a website that would make them feel as if they are Indiana Jones looking for a hidden artifact in the depths of a jungle. No, they want fast and easy which is why websites that are easy to navigate through – this is what they want.  Adding a search bar is one of the ways in order to achieve this.

Furthermore, two more ways to have a user-friendly website for the visitors that are “all the rage” with web designing are:

1. Fixed Header Bars

Having fixed header bars means that as visitors scroll down, the header would follow their navigation which will offer constant support and an easy trip back to the home page. This type of design is very trendy these days and looks great paired with most layouts. Aside from that, this bar also provides an exceptional experience for users as they won’t need to look far to navigate through the website. Using the CSS position; fixed; property can help you achieve fixed header bars.

2. Infinite Scrolling

One thing e-commerce sites can adopt which would make it easier for visitors to navigate is the infinite scrolling layout similar to Pinterest and Tumblr. This type of design offers visitors a seamless interface without the need to reload the page. However, keep in mind that this type of design is not really advisable.

Content first

Some people look for a good read when they search the web; a good read means articles that would give them brain food worth sharing. These days, content is the most talked about in social media sites which is why, if you have something relevant to say, design your website where they would see your content first.

With regards to your content, adding a social media badge or widget is important and convenient for your viewers as most, if they find your content relevant, they would post it on their social networking sites. This way, you gain more exposure as well and social media badges are very popular in websites these days.

First-hand feature tours

Sliding image presentations and demo videos are both very common for new products on the web and it proves to be effective as well as it entices users. This is very important especially if you have a product or service that is new so your potential customers can easily understand how your business works.

The aforementioned trends would surely help you gain more visitors to your website, hence, achieving a high search rank and being on top of your niche. However, keep in mind that some designs may not work for certain businesses so choose only those that you think would showcase your business better.