5 WordPress Trends to Look for in 2021

In this era dominated by technology and the internet, making the most of an online presence is a must for any business owner. Not only does it help to maintain a presence on social networking sites, but it’s also recommended to create a website for you and your services. Thanks to WordPress, creating a site has never been easier.

A whopping thirty-nine percent of the World Wide Web is built on WordPress, and millions of bloggers, small business owners, and Fortune 500 companies are regular users of the site-developing platform. This isn’t surprising, really, as WordPress boasts countless themes and layouts that are easy to use. However, with that kind of popularity, it may be particularly difficult for users to stand out unless they keep up with yearly trends.

If you’re a WordPress user or plan to become one in the coming year, here are a few things to keep in mind as you create and maintain your site.

1. Accessibility

Prioritizing inclusivity is so important for business owners, even in an online space, which is why it’s so important to consider the needs of those who are differently-abled. This includes, but is not limited to, deafness or hearing impairment, blindness or vision impairment, cognitive impairment, or motor difficulties. How can you create a WordPress site that’s easily accessible for all? Keep things like title tags to describe what the page is about, closed-captioning on videos, and interfacing with assistive technology (like ARIA) in mind as you design the layout and content of your website.

2. Virtual Reality

Thanks to the need to stay inside for the majority of 2020, companies that rely on in-person interaction to stay afloat have had to find other ways to offer their services. Teleconferencing applications, like Zoom or LifeSize, have come in handy, but in other instances, the use of 3D virtual reality programs has proven to be a useful tool, especially for real estate agencies, museums, art galleries, and more.

Even as businesses begin to re-open physical locations and a sense of normalcy emerges in a post-COVID world, virtual reality does not appear to be going anywhere any time soon, which is why it’s a trend worth taking advantage of. Consider the use of a virtual reality plug-in on your WordPress site to allow customers from different locations to interact with your site and services in a way that feels a bit more interactive than simply scrolling through text.

3. Thumb-Scrolling for Mobile Users

We live in an age where the majority who access your website will most likely do so from a smartphone, so designing a WordPress site that’s accessible on a mobile device is a must. But it’s not enough to simply make sure you can access the site from a phone; you have to consider the placement of icons, photos, and links, too. More than likely, a mobile device user is scrolling down the screen with their thumb, so consider making little changes to your mobile site’s layout, like putting icons and links in the center of the screen so they can be easily reached with either thumb and adding an easily seen and accessible menu.

4. Hire a WordPress maintenance expert.

Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for web designers to declare WordPress sites as their area of expertise. So, when attempting to keep up with WordPress trends, wouldn’t it make sense to enlist the help of someone who makes it their business to know exactly what’s most popular at any given time?

Design services like Alt Creative use WordPress to help organizations, businesses, and individuals find online success. Alt Creative, for example, takes the time to learn about your site and company’s design needs to create a brand new online space or renovate and market an already existing one. These kinds of services do their part to guarantee an appealing design and provide a user-friendly website for you and your customers.

5. Minimalist Themes and White Space

A design style previously dubbed as boring by many has made its way to the forefront of web design. Minimalistic themes are not only visually appealing, but also easier to navigate, as they eliminate the distractions created by an over-filled screen.

But won’t a somewhat empty screen bore website visitors? No! Never underestimate the power of white space. While you might initially dismiss it as wasted space that will drive traffic away from your website, white space actually draws people in and gives their eyes a much-needed place to rest in the midst of brightly colored photos and black text. And perhaps the most important advantage of white space is its ability to eliminate distraction. Rather than surrounding the most important elements on your website with other content, consider leaving the space blank so the viewer’s eyes are directed to the focal point quickly.