Keeping up with design trends is one of the most important parts of sustaining a successful website. If you want to succeed in the minds of your customers you’re going to have to be hip. While trends of the mob are fickle it is important to keep up with them, at least in part. Web 2.0 is perhaps the most popular new thing in the web design, internet marketing industry. Web 2.0 is associated with a certain “type” of website; however the design is a large embodiment of what web 2.0 represents. Gradients, rich imagery, simple navigations and interactive frameworks are all commonly associated with a Web 2.0 site. We will explore some of the features of Web 2.0 design and how you can integrate them in to your current or future websites.

1. Simplicity

Web 2.0 is the embodiment of simplicity. Everything on a Web 2.0 website is clean, simple and easy. Maybe this is why users love Web 2.0 designs so much. They look great and work. One of the biggest reasons simplicity is key is because with less clutter the physical content of your website becomes the focus. It’s one of those things that the user doesn’t realize or acknowledge but subconsciously understand.

Every website has a different goal in mind. Basic Psychology is important when thinking about web design. Your users have their own motivations and are there for their own (selfish) reasons. The more things there are on your website the more things there are to distract your users away from the most important things.

Very Simple

Not So Simple

2. Structure

Structure is hugely important. The way your website is structured determines how users are going to get to areas of your website and why. Again simplicity applies. Most web 2.0 websites have a very centralized website without a lot of perks. Minimal columns are also very important. Fewer columns make your website simpler, easier to navigate and communicate your information much more clearly than with 4 or 5 column layouts.

Minimal Columns

Too Many Columns

Another thing that’s important is not over designing. One of the problems designers often face is they are visually oriented, which in this case is great. However the problem comes when designer forget about the content which is going to be the main focus of the site. Make sure when you create a site it’s minimal, and has lots of space for future content. A solid area is going to far more efficient than separated content, you’ll want to center and localize.

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