In this day and age, much of us spend our lives swiping and scrolling through our socials. And, in addition to being a consistent source of information and entertainment, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and other social networks websites can also supply an unlimited stream of motivation.

Keep reading to find out how social networks can positively influence the website design options of marketers, designers, brand names and companies.
Social network as a Source of Inspiration
From photo-editing tools and filters to stickers and meme-generators, today, anyone equipped with a smartphone can include striking visual elements to their posts. Social media can likewise supply an abundant source of innovative motivation for even the most experienced web designer.

Keep in mind, the important things that are getting likes, shares and interactions today are most likely to drip down into the website design trends of tomorrow, so now’s the time to begin thinking of what you can gain from social media and how to integrate it into your style thinking.

6 Web Design Ideas Inspired by Social Media
Read on to find out how social media can influence your website design job by:

Adding authenticity
Grabbing attention
Boosting images
Welcoming interaction
Embracing mobile
Raising UGC

1. Including Authenticity
Thanks to social networks, we’re utilized to getting a look into the lives of daily individuals, and this kind of behind-the-scenes gain access to is pressing the desire for more authenticity in web design. Consider ‘satisfy the group’ pages that profile workers and actually offer brands such as Etsy a human face. Hovering the tip over Atlassian’s page reveals visual components that communicate each individual’s task function, and at UK-based gin distillery Sipsmith, professional-looking headshots offer way to an easy going picture– establishing that the brand is all about service fulfills enjoyment, if you will.

This quest for ‘authenticity’ has actually likewise motivated lots of brands to move far from stock images and posed shots and towards genuine photographs that are immediately recognisable and relatable. This can do marvels for establishing a brand’s credibility, and show that they understand their consumers, the issues that are necessary to them and the things that make them tick.

Furthermore, many style and beauty brand names are now occupying their item pages with user-generated content. Like beachwear label Andie, which welcomes consumers to share pictures of themselves ‘modeling’ their purchases together with their measurements so online buyers can get a more precise concept of how each swimwear fits– whatever their height, size or body shape.

2. Getting Attention
Daily, the online world provides more content than we might ever realistically consume in a lifetime, therefore we’ve entered into the habit of speed-reading and quickly scanning websites for the information we need. Take inspiration from social networks and use attention-grabbing visual aspects to combat the fight versus info overload. The charming stickers that accompany news stories published by The Outline rapidly convey the essence of each story, while the icons included on Parade inform consumers about the properties of each garment (for example, an ice lolly shows cool touch ultra-light material) and the brand’s commitment to social and environmental problems.
Similarly, gifs and memes stand apart on social media, so why should not web designers bring them into their jobs? An image paints a thousand words and, when succeeded, these fixed and moving images can rapidly interact key messages, take advantage of a current state of mind and immediately draw readers’ eyes to the most vital parts of each page. Like Glossier’s simple but addictively watchable product gifs. Flavored sparkling water brand name Recess takes an irreverent method by turning its canned beverages into memes– like Peach Ginger, which pays homage to Tiger King with the addition of a mullet and a moustache.

3. Improving Imagery
We can likewise see Instagram’s love affair with filters playing out on brand name websites– like perfume company Abel, where each fragrance is communicated by an unique color combination. As an outcome, the brand provides a valuable lesson in using specific identities and emotions to private pages, products or site components.

Broaching visuals, think about the modifying tools offered on Instagram Stories that allow users to add captions, drawings and backgrounds to their images in order to attain a curated, collage impact– something we can see in Adidas’ player images, which features scribbles and shapes for a hand-drawn feel and look.

4. Welcoming Interaction
Double-tapping to like, swiping up to shop, moving an emoji on a sliding scale to show interest– social media platforms welcome interaction and discussion. And websites are no different. Online forms, studies and other interactive components not just allow brands to gather important data about their client’s likes and dislikes, they can likewise help point individuals towards the products and services they need– including that additional element of personalisation that’s so demanded nowadays. Like the ‘questionnhaire’ that appears on the Bleach website, which postures a series of multiple-choice image-led concerns to unite users with their perfect hair dye.

5. Mobile Optimization
Mobile-first is among the most important web design rules. And, naturally, social media uses a masterclass in material that’s easy to take in on-the-go. With less and less individuals searching websites on their personal computers and laptop computers, web designers have actually invested the previous couple of years optimizing for mobile and developing responsive pages in a quote to provide the best possible user experience.

Whether you’re planning to overhaul your site or make a few tweaks and modifications to support rapid consumption, take a look at We Transfer’s editorial platform We Present. Thanks to the website’s modular build, text and images are given equal value, with paragraphs and pull quotes sprinkled by videos and images that lure the audience to keep on reading.
6. Elevating UGC

We know people like sharing on social networks, and user-generated material (UGC) significantly turns up on web pages via deals with and hashtags. Like homeware retailer Made, which heroes clients’ Instagram posts throughout their website under the call-to-action ‘less than humble about your house? Mention @madedotcom in your photos and we’ll include the best pictures’. Baggage business Horizn likewise secrets into its clients’ wanderlust with the invitation to ‘show us how wise you take a trip by sharing your most motivating snapshots. Utilize the hashtag #LetsGoFurther for your chance to be included’. All of a sudden, the websites become a part of these brands’ community-building efforts.

And while we’ve seen widgets and plugins being utilized to streamline the shift from website to social media for many years, website design inspiration can likewise be discovered in the signs and signals that individuals have grown accustomed to seeing on Twitter and Facebook. We find Cult Beauty highlighting its ‘trending’ skin care and makeup products, as well as adding a tick against products whose claims have been confirmed by a third-party. In addition, Evolution of Smooth has incorporated a hashtag into its web design, committing a whole landing page to products under the #eosflavorlab banner.

Extra Tip: Use Social to Gather Web Design Insights
Along with being influenced by social networks, you can use platforms like Pinterest and Instagram– or imaginative networks like Behance– to inform your next website design project. Present concerns, perform a poll and ask fans to elect their preferred image or landing page design– you’ll quickly get a sense of what people do and do not like.

In Conclusion
As social media continues to grow and dominate the digital space, we have no doubt it will continue to affect the evolution of web design. To get more information about web design, social networks, graphic design, marketing, and more, do not forget to take a look at the Envato Blog.

Author

Helen Alexander is an independent author and Envato factor, with an enthusiasm for charting the current food and drink, travel and style trends. She’s currently based in London, where she’s never ever brief on motivation.