New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/13/2014 -- Online marketing is all about staying updated with the latest trends, and running ahead of the pack, if possible. What may have worked last year on a personal or business website may not drive as much traffic to the websites this year. Web design trends are always in flux, as technologies and new design standards evolve. Keeping on top of these trends gives a great advantage, especially in building a new website or updating an existing one.

Just a few days ago, Forbes.com released its concise list of most important web design trends this year. Take a look at what is definitely in this year.

Responsive Design

Responsive Web Design (RWD) is here to stay, so long as there are smartphones and tablets. Websites designed for the usual computer screen have to be customized for it to look good and be user-friendly on much smaller screens. This is critical for small businesses as more people stay online using mobile phones and tablets nowadays. It is most important to adjust web elements to make sure people enjoy its smaller version and to ensure the message gets across effectively.

Simple Design
Simplicity is beauty – this also applies to web design. Effective web design does not equate to information overload. It does not need to be simple and plain, but the main idea is to follow to best usability practices. Do not think being simple means being boring. The less clutter or distracting element there is, the simpler it is for people to digest information on a website. Do not put any element which will divert the user's attention from what is being conveyed.

Storytelling Design
Nothing beats the strategy of stimulating human interest using stories. A 10 paragraph story can be harder to comprehend by forcing the user to read it, as compared to watching its short clip version. Storytelling on a website can be achieved easier these days, with the abundance of different kinds of online multimedia tools, making it easier for a web designer to engage the user interactively, yet effectively. Using video clips, flash animations, pictures, infographics are just some of many possible ways of online storytelling. Making it simple yet fun makes a big difference.

On the other hand, Shutterstock released an infographic last January which showcased other visual trends this year, which was based on their all-time download data. The list compiled other design trends predicted to be big in 2014.

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