In 2025, web design is much more than just a good looking site, instead it is more about functionality, accessibility, and immersive user experiences. Technology is evolving at an extremely fast rate and staying ahead of the game is crucial if you are wanting to stand out. That’s why more and more people are looking at using leading web design agencies for their websites.

Here are our top 8 web design trends to consider following for your next web design project:

1. Sustainable Web Design

The internet might seem as though it is not really there, but it has a very real environmental impact (Read more on this here). So much so that it contributes to around 4% of global carbon emissions (yes, the internet pollutes more than planes!) So while you are busy travelling, your website could be accumulating its own carbon footprint! As businesses become more conscious of the impact web sites can have on the environment, sustainable web design is taking centre stage.

*Using a carbon calculator like websitecarbon.com is a great way to tell how sustainable your current website is. (Our site for NATO Innovation Fund gets an A rating!)*

How can web design be more sustainable?

By Limiting Video Content: Video content is one of the largest energy consuming factors on the internet. There are different ways to reduce this on your website by limiting unnecessary videos, turning autoplay off and hosting externally through the likes of YouTube or Vimeo, which can all significantly lower your site’s carbon footprint.
By Optimising & Compressing Images: Try and use less images especially those that are not very well optimised and take forever to load. Compression tools such as EWWW Image Optimiser can significantly cut down energy consumption.
By Switching to Renewables: Through choosing a web hosting provider that is green and powered by renewable energy, you can significantly increase your site’s sustainability.
By Cleaning & Minifying Your Code: You will see enhanced performance all around, through removing any unnecessary code, minimising CSS and JavaScript, as well as reducing third-party scripts.

As well as helping the planet, sustainable web design also improves page speed, enhances SEO rankings, and reduces costs. Users love fast, efficient sites, and Google rewards them too.

2. Micro-Interactions & Micro-Animations

Micro-interactions and micro-animations are taking up a lot of space in the web design world, through subtle design elements that bring websites to life. Here’s the difference between the two:

Micro-interactions provide instant feedback, like a button changing colour when clicked or a form shaking when there is an error.
Micro-animations create smooth transitions, guiding users attention and making interactions feel seamless.

The Fairvue Partners website uses an engaging animation of their logo as the loading screen.

Where are we seeing this?

Hover effects: Buttons that change colour or grow slightly when hovered over.
Scroll-triggered animations: Elements that fade in or slide as users move down the page.
Loading animations: These keep users engaged whilst content loads.

The goal of these is not just to look good, it is also to enhance usability, increase engagement, and make websites feel more intuitive.

3. Scrolling Animations & Dynamic Page Transitions

The Soapbox home page is a great example of a dynamic and engaging scroll animation. As the user scrolls the VR headset turns around and they are taken inside the headset.

Static websites are a design style from the past, going forward it is all about scroll-triggered animations, dynamic transitions, and fluid interactions that transform the way users experience a website. Instead of just clicking page to page, visitors are now taken on a journey as they scroll.

Ways to create scrolling animations and dynamic page transitions:

Parallax scrolling: This involves background images that move at different speeds, adding depth and storytelling elements.
Seamless page transitions: Instead of abrupt reloads, pages can fade or slide into one another for a smoother experience.
Interactive scroll-based navigation: Users feel more in control as elements shift dynamically based on movement.
Cinematic effects: Layered visuals, zoom effects, and motion-triggered elements bring a more immersive feel.

These effects improve user engagement, make navigation feel intuitive, and very importantly encourage visitors to stay longer.

4. Immersive Experiences with 3D & AR

Auto manufacturers like BMW use interact-able 360 views for when you’re speccing a car.

Through 3D elements and Augmented Reality (AR), websites are enabling immersive experiences, where users can explore, interact, and engage with content in ways that appear very close to a real life experience.

How is this transforming web design?

E-commerce: Virtual try-ons and 3D product previews let shoppers see how items look before buying, an example like you see below is Nike’s AR sneakers or IKEA’s virtual furniture placement.
Real estate & travel: 360° property tours and interactive maps are helping users explore spaces before booking, with brands like Airbnb leading the way.
Branded storytelling: Companies are using interactive 3D visuals to show off products with 360° views, making online shopping even more engaging.
Gaming & entertainment: Web-based 3D experiences powered by WebGL and AI-generated models run smoothly in browsers, bringing game-like interactivity to websites.

With WebXR, AR-enabled browsers, and AI-powered 3D models, these high-quality visuals no longer slow down websites, making interactive experiences faster, more accessible, and more effective than ever.

5. Dark Mode Evolution

The Sidcup Family Golf site has a modern design that uses a contrasting black and green colour scheme.

Dark mode has now become a prominent feature with websites offering adaptive dark mode options, allowing users to switch based on preference or system settings.

Why dark mode is not going anywhere:

Better for you: It is easier on the eyes, especially in low-light conditions.
Energy efficient: OLED and AMOLED screens consume less power in dark mode.
Modern aesthetics: It makes websites look modern and sleek.

In 2025, we are seeing intelligent dark mode that automatically adjusts based on user behaviour, time of day, or ambient lighting conditions.

Example: YouTube and Twitter/X both offer dark mode options, reducing screen glare and improving the user experience.

6. Responsive & Adaptive Design

Forget mobile-first, websites in 2025 need to work seamlessly on any device. From smartphones and laptops to foldable screens and smart TVs, modern web design is all about adapting dynamically to both screen size and user behaviour.

Key innovations include:

AI-driven layouts: Websites that adjust layouts on the fly based on user preferences and behaviour.
Variable fonts: Enhancing readability across different devices and screen sizes.
Smart breakpoints: Optimising UI for everything from foldable phones to car dashboards.

The goal of this is to create an experience for users that is more seamless.

Modern websites have to be responsive and adaptive and the site for the Gibraltar Nature Reserve is no different.

7. Personalised Content Powered by AI

AI-driven personalisation is making web experiences smarter and completely tailored to individual users through analysing user behaviour, preferences, and past interactions.

How is AI personalising the web?

Dynamic content recommendations: Websites now track everything from browsing habits, purchase history, and user interests to suggest relevant articles, products, or videos.
AI-powered chatbots & virtual assistants: These are no longer the basic and scripted bots; Advanced AI-driven chatbots learn from previous conversations and provide personalised support.
Adaptive landing pages: AI adjusts headlines, CTAs, and visuals based on where a user is in their buying journey. For example as a first time visitor, you might see an introductory offer but if you are a recurring customer you would instead perhaps see a ‘Welcome Back’ message.
Predictive UX: AI can now anticipate user needs through analysing real-time behaviour, which is particularly useful if someone is about to abandon their cart then they will be sent a discount offer to entice conversion.

As AI continues to evolve and integrate with machine learning, expect hyper-personalised web experiences to become the new normal.

8. Voice User Interfaces (VUIs)

Voice search and smart assistants are becoming part of everyday life, meaning websites need to also integrate them to stay relevant.

Here is how VUIs are changing web design:

Talking instead of typing: So, instead of clicking through menus, users can directly ask questions or give voice commands to find what they need from a website.
Voice-friendly SEO: If websites integrate this, this means that sites need to optimise content for how people speak in everyday life, using conversational, question-based queries.
Hands-free browsing: This is perfect for an eCommerce site to help and convert multitaskers, busy shoppers, and those who rely on accessibility features.
Voice-powered shopping: This means you can add products to your cart or check out with just a quick command with no scrolling or clicking, again really great for eCommerce sites.

AI-powered assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri are getting smarter and VUIs will over time change the way we interact with websites, making browsing a lot faster and easier.

Final Thoughts: The Future of Web Design

Web design in 2025 is all about smarter, more immersive, and user-first experiences. Whether it’s sustainability, AI-driven personalisation, or interactive 3D elements, the brands that stay ahead of the curve will be the ones that stand out. The digital world is evolving fast – if your website feels outdated, slow, or uninspired, now’s the time to level up.

Is your website ready for the future? At Creative Brand Design, we create websites that don’t just look great – they work smarter, load faster, and engage better. Get in touch, and let’s build something next-level.

8 Web Design Trends to Follow in 2025