We’re always out looking for new trends and inspiration. Recently, we’ve noticed a few things in the world of the web that have us pretty excited and, yes, inspired!
They chose not to allow the page to feel like one LONG straight line, but, instead, guide the user through in a thoughtful journey—which includes visual rest stops along the way.
1. Scrolling Pages
There’s been a trend in websites that embraces the scrolling page.
I’ll give you some history as I perceive it: there were a lot of people against scrolling pages for quite some time, using such notable phrases as above the fold. Anything below the fold the user had to scroll down to see and so people thought content in that space would be perceived as less important. There was another side to this though. At the same time designers were avoiding content going below the fold they were also avoiding clicks. Common knowledge is —that the more clicks needed through any site, the more people get lost. Users drop off the site in large numbers with each click.
Long sites are being embraced now though! Perhaps this is a result of problem-solving the click issue, but it may be as simple as stating that it’s FUN to be unique! Who doesn’t want their site to stand out? And here’s the exciting part, some of the designs that have emerged from this trend are really creative in the way they bring the user through the long pages. They chose not to allow the page to feel like one LONG straight line, but, instead, guide the user through in a thoughtful journey—which includes visual rest stops along the way.
Here are some screenshots of sites that we appreciate:
2. Immersion
For a designer to create an immersive experience it takes understanding the client and project—goals, audience, personality, tone, restrictions, etc. It also takes a great deal of adventure and experimentation to get to that perfect solution. Some of the solutions use artistic videos to pull the user into the mood and tone of the business—capturing and then imparting the feel of the business the site stands in for. Still other sites use interactive experiences to allow the user to navigate through the virtual space in ways fully symbolic of the business itself. It may be hard to explain, but you know when you’ve been immersed in an experience/journey and it’s distinctly different from the average site.
Here is a screenshot of a site that takes the user on an immersive journey by way of video:
Check out the Savoy site to see the video!
