Top 12 WordPress Web Design Trends to Follow in 2023

Powering over 43% of all websites, WordPress is continuously dominating the content management system market (CMS). Not just for the customisability or user-friendliness, this platform has improved across several fronts to hold its unshaken position as the first choice for website development around the globe.

On top of that, it is continuously evolving, improving and adding new features to adapt to changing trends and user needs. No wonder the demand is growing with each new version and the enhancement in each release.

And that is why, no matter whether you are finding yourself at the crossroad when it comes to your WordPress website redesigning or you are a WordPress beginner and planning a brand-new build, make sure your site is being built using the latest WordPress web design trends.

Popular WordPress web design trends to inspire you

Ready to give your WordPress website design a fresh start? Look no further than this comprehensive list of popularly practised WordPress web design trends.

1. Voice search integration

Voice search is one invaluable feature to have on your WordPress website. Even if it has been around for years as more and more users have been using voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to search for information, in order to remain competitive businesses have also started optimising their websites for voice search.

The benefits include improving the user experience, maximising mobile traffic, improving local SEO and brand visibility and many more. As WordPress provides you with plugins like Universal Voice Search that you can use for implementing voice search features to your website, you must factor in this popular trend when building a site in WordPress.

2. Big and bold typography

Big and bold typography is a timeless web design trend where the big and bodacious words take the centre stage of the website and make it impossible to miss. Big and bold fonts communicate certainly and project authority in a message.

Combined with high-quality photography, paired with well-written body text and with the right colour and background, it can make a strong impression on users in no time. It can be particularly effective when used for headlines or important call-to-action messages.

3. Automatic updates

The auto upgrade feature of WordPress allows automatic updates without any manual intervention from any user. From core updates to theme updates to plugin updates, there are many types of WordPress updates you can enable to keep your website working perfectly at all times.

This can help you protect your site from vulnerabilities and any sort of security threats while keeping it updated with the latest security patches and bug fixes. And the process is quite simple. There is an option in every theme and plugin for auto-updates that you can enable just by clicking the link.

4. Mobile-first approach

Nowadays, mobile internet has outgrown desktop internet use. Hence the importance of ensuring mobile responsive web design has become a necessity. If your site is already responsive by working equally well on each and every device and matching any screen resolution, convert it into mobile first.

This means designing your website for the smaller screen first like smartphones or tablets and then scaling it up for larger screens. It will ensure that your website is optimised for the majority of users who are accessing the internet on mobile devices. Also help you create a more streamlined and efficient design overall, as you are forced to prioritise the most important content and features.

5. Chatbots

Adding a chatbot to your WordPress website can benefit you in many ways. You can easily generate more sales with a dedicated WordPress chatbot as it will resolve a maximum number of FAQs and provide instant responses.

According to research in 2022, 88% of users had at least one conversation with a chatbot. In WordPress, Tidio, QuantumCloud, HubSpot, and Chatra to Join.Chat, there are many different types of chatbot plugins available. Also, you get many third-party options as well.

6. Dark mood

In the world of web development, it’s no surprise that the dark mode is growing in popularity. And the popularity can be attributed to several factors including an appealing and modern look to improve user experiences and energy efficiency to improve brand identity.

So, if you want your site to be easy on the eyes with modern design and potentially increased conversion, go dark. Without any coding or disturbing the performance of your website, you can add a dark theme to your WordPress website just by installing the dark mode plugin- WP Dark Mode.

7. Minimalist theme

It is wiser to present your website information in a clear and minimal way as the human brain tends to absorb less when there is too much information or visual data crammed into a small space.

That is why the usage of minimal design elements with limited colour palettes, the basic shape and simple typography, and the use of white space has been practised widely in web design. This allows the content to stand out more and makes it easier for users to focus on what’s important.

8. Illustration

Nowadays illustrations are used with increasing frequency in the design of websites and applications. They work great to create visual instruction or user guides rather than photos. If used rightly, illustrations enhance the navigation and brand awareness as well.

After all, users eat creativity up! There are many types of illustrations used in web design including icons, infographics, background illustrations and character illustrations. Again, adding too much to your design can overwhelm your visitors.

9. AR and VR

AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) are becoming increasingly popular in web design. You can create a 360-degree video or image and add it to your WordPress website which allows your users to view your product or service from every angle and get a more immersive experience.

You can also create virtual tours for your WordPress website using a plugin like WP VR – Virtual Reality 360 Panorama. With VR technology, you can create virtual events that users can attend from anywhere in the world.

10. Video content

The trend of using videos in web design is another trend that is not eventually slowing down anytime soon. Videos are a powerful way to communicate a message and engage visitors to your website. In order to demonstrate how a product or service work or showcase the benefits and features or tell the story behind your brand, videos performs as a highly effective tool while building a deeper emotional connection with the audience.

In WordPress, there are tons of easy-to-use video headers, video sliders and video background plugins you can turn to increase your brand’s appeal. To elevate your web design with video content and strengthen your brand’s online presence, you can use Veed- an online video editor with an inbuilt video trimmer function.

11. Drag and drop website builder

The drag and drop builder comes top in the design trend list that allows users to click and hold onto an object, drag it to a different location, and then release it to drop it into that location. This is widely used as it makes it easier for users to create or customise web pages without learning complex coding skills.

There are many drag-and-drop builders available for WordPress that you can choose depending on your design needs and budget like Elementor, Divi Builder, WPBakery, etc. Each builder has its unique feature and capabilities.

12. Colour gradients

Gradient colour schemes are a popular trend in web design that involve using two or more colours that blend into each other. This creates a smooth transition between the colours, and it can add visual interest and depth to your website.

Select the colour of your gradient that complement each other, and use those for buttons, backgrounds or headings. Otherwise, too much of it can be overwhelming. For example, you can use a gradient on a background to create a sense of depth or use a gradient on a button to make it appear more three-dimensional.

Time to get going on a fresh redesign for your WordPress site

Besides all these, there are many other trends to catch on to. But, by far if you are inspired by some of these mentioned web design trends, time to turn those ideas into action. Also, stay informed and updated as the trends are consistently changing in this age of rapid change.

No wonder, there are always new web design trends propagated for you to follow. Again, don’t follow the trends blindly. Try to have a well understanding of the goals and products you sell, then apply the trends that fit best.