Whenever the phrase “latest trends” pops up, webmasters already start worrying about the changes they need to make to corporate websites. In the B2B environment, keeping up with the trends is a must. It shows professionalism and an in-depth understanding of what the market demands from service providers.
Thankfully, the corporate world is less whimsical than the B2C sector – meaning that web design trends and marketing strategies have the tendency to remain in place for a longer term. Speaking of web design, corporate websites of B2C companies have undergone subtle changes over recent years (except for the major design wave induced by the responsive web design principle).
Today we will discuss what is here to stay in terms of web design – those features and design principles which are already popular and will continue to be so for some years to come. They define the general B2B web design trends seen at various levels – from large corporations to smaller companies – and, if you have already adopted them, your website is up to date and ready to bring you clients in the near future.
- Original Photography
The era of stock photos is over. People want to see images which represent your actual headquarters and your real staff, and which capture the true essence of your brand image. High quality photography is not as cheap as stock photos, but your brand image is worth it.
Plus, once you have your proprietary portfolio of photos, you can use them in various marketing materials such as banners, ads, brochures, and so on. These images will make your company easily recognisable by your followers across the internet and will define your image and brand philosophy.
- Card Design
Pinterest made this design feature famous – the computer or mobile screen is covered by individual rectangular shapes containing images and a short description. This type of design allows viewers to absorb information easily, by navigating among the cards and focusing on the ones they are interested in.
Card design in websites allows you to organise information in a concise and visually appealing manner. Instead of covering the entire screen with blocks of text and images, you call on the viewer’s attention by restricting information in a well defined area on the screen.
- Proprietary Typography
Just like photos, typeface and fonts should be easily recognisable by your clients and leads. Typography becomes more and more important among the core elements which define a website and create its unique character.
Creating a proprietary typeface is a complex process which involves finding the right combination of font style and size for regular text, for headlines and subtitles, finding the right colour (black is not the only acceptable font colour) and testing for compatibility with various desktop and mobile browsers.
- Micro-interactions
B2B clients want to enjoy the same level of interaction as they do as individual consumers on B2C websites. A professional website does not have to be boring and static. Swiping slides, social media buttons, the option to Tweet a memorable quote and collapsing menus are simple but effective – they keep your website visitor engaged, create UI habits and help increase brand loyalty.
- Minimalism
Less is more – especially for busy corporate decision makers who need to find the information or the product they need fast and 100% hassle free. Keep your page design clean, with lots of white space, and organise your website menu, as well as sign-up form so that it is simple and easy to navigate.
Minimalist design is probably the longest lasting trend of all of the above, especially given the slow but certain transition from large screen mobile devices to wearable technology.