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Good riddance 2015, bring it 2016!

Just as we are all getting ready for the most festive time of the year - I'd like to look back at 2015 and look forward to 2016. I've done so every year on Facebook. But as Facebook is getting less personal and stuffed with promotional adverts I decided to use my blog. Lets start with the three themes of 2015.

2015


1. Living Video


2015 for me was all about background videos. AirBnB started a trend by using a video in the background of its header. Over the past year it has been described as 'living video', 'experience video', 'backdrop video' and more. 90% of clients have asked for it last year. So for me, this was the trend of 2015. I really wish people would look beyond the "living video" in 2016.

2. Social presence


Another thing of the past year was social media. Where companies needed to get a website over the past years - because "the Yellow Pages just don't work anymore - you have to be online!" - they now seem to have to be social. No they don't. You have to care about your social channels. If you are not going to put effort in it - don't do it! If you want to be social, make sure you are ever-present and active. Time is the magic word. Put time into it.

3. Virtual Reality


Virtual Reality has been promoted big-time last year. However, its still the domain of the geeks and nerds. Its not ready for the bigger audience. I really liked Google's Cardboard - as is a low entry. That sounds negative, but is actually positive. Its cheap and we get to use our own smartphone. I do think VR will hit a bigger audience in 2016 - it has grown a lot last year.

Lets continue on the main themes of 2016 - or the ones that will matter to me...

2016


1. Time for Content to be King (again)


I wish we all keep working on content. Many agencies are still building frames, leaving the client in charge of content. Agencies should educate clients more. Content is part of your webdesign and strategy. Content is highly underrated and it shouldn't be. Just recently I got to help a client with their communications and help create a content strategy for their website. Excellent! I feel the website now communicates so much more. I never, ever want to see another design using Lorem Ipsum. Slipsum is still okay though! :)

2. UX is valuable


This year I got to visit Dsgnday, where I was once again told how important UX is. Big Dutch websites were cracked, most notably ANWB and RTL. UX is very important. Remember that your client is offering something to his clients. You don't have to please your client. You have to please his audience! If you do, you will also please your client - but for the right reasons.

3. Its all about the motion


Another thing about webdesign that is often forgotten: motion. Motion can really spring a website to live and help guide the audience. Again, when building frameworks, people forget to include motion. If you don't know much about the content, how can you animate it? Make sure you know the goals of your client and the website. Make sure you know the content. And animate it!

Wishing you and your loved ones festive weeks.

All the best,

Corné

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