With a new year on the horizon, it’s time to pack away the old, worn web designs and prepare for the brave, new face of tomorrow. Although trends don’t start and stop on January 1st, there is a definite shift from what we craved at the beginning of the year to what we are seeking tutorials for at the end of the year. Most of the time, this shift is subtle. It’s a perfection or re-interpretation of a currently hot trend. Trends help us evolve as designers. As we master the skills of design aesthetic, we continue to push forward to what’s next or what needs to be fully discovered.

Make no mistake about it, you will recognize the ideas behind these trends. Although this list isn’t a drastic departure from what was popular in 2009, it marks different trends that will be expanded upon and made better as a result. As you think of how you will incorporate new trends into your designs, focus on the main idea of each trend. Be encouraged to dabble into these trends so that you become part of the movement.

1. Oversized Logos/ Headers

Splash pages are so yesterday. To make an unforgettable impression on the visitor, the trend for 2010 will be oversized logos on an equally oversized header. These types of headers can take up the entire screen, but with one important note. Visitors will not need to click anything, just scroll down. Visitors often having a clicking phobia (due to years of poor navigation), so big headers do the job of a splash page without forcing your visitors to click anything.

Main Idea: Huge headers that make your visitors remember you.

2. Sketch/ Hand-drawn Design

Hand-drawn design is not exactly new on the horizon, but we all know that it is still on the fringes of web design. Many designers admire the style but are afraid to create their own sketches because of the “I can’t really draw” attitude. If you look at the most popular hand-drawn websites (and relative to other types of trends, there are only a few), you will notice that most of your fellow designers can’t draw. These designs are not exactly headed to an art museum, but they do convey a sense of whimsy, and blur the line between cold web and personal interaction– the ultimate goal of the internet. If you can doodle, you can sketch for web design.

Sketch in 2010 will become more elemental, and not as much the main focus of a web design. It will be used to personalize standard web copy in new and exciting ways.

Main Idea: Sketch becomes an elemental part of corporate design.

3. Slab Typefaces

Slab typefaces are relatively new, although they’ve been around for over 200 years in traditional media. To get a good visual definition of slab typefaces, think of the old Wild West “Wanted” posters. Those bold letters are slab typefaces. Slab typeface is commonly all capital letters and are bold and imposing. Many designers have shied away from slab typefaces in the past because logos and headers were smaller and more understated. However, combined with the trend toward larger headers, slab typefaces demand the reader to take notice.

Main Idea: Slab typefaces is used to bravely express who you are.

4. Typography

Typography is one of the most difficult trends to tackle which is why it will remain fresh in 2010. With all the cries for usability, web designers are afraid of using new and different fonts. The idea of mixing varying font sizes together is completely unthinkable. Fonts are meant to be explored, twisted, and molded to fit your purposes. With the correct placement, a website that utilizes Typography as its main design element will be more interesting to a reader than overloading the same site with tons of photos.

Main Idea: Typography is young, but will continue to be a part of web design.

5. One Page Layouts

One pay layouts challenge you to edit away what’s unnecessary. In 2010, this trend will move away from the quirky navigation and become more minimal in its approach. Think of these websites as business cards. These websites will be more of a one-stop-shop for how to locate you and your work on various other sites– your blog and your social media hangouts.

Main Idea: One page layouts will be more about personal profiles and less corporate.

6. Huge Images

A close relative to the oversized logo/ header, the huge image does much the same thing. It creates an visual impact that the visitor won’t soon forget. Unlike the oversized header from above, huge images are not part of the site’s branding. Instead, these images draw the visitor into your site, if not for their content then for their humongous size. In 2010, web designers will find themselves more comfortable using these big statements in their design to convey the site’s tone.

Main Idea: Huge images will be used to invite visitors in.

7. Change of Perspective

As we’ve discussed before, the desktop perspective has been done to death. 2010 will see a definite change in perspective to a more realistic view. There may also be a move toward side-shot aerial.

Main Idea: 2010 will play around with different perspectives.

8. Interactive/ Intuitive Design

Flash has seen better days. There was a time when you couldn’t visit a website without running into an annoying Flash interface. These days Flash is a lot more relaxed and much more professional. Although some designers prefer jQuery for forms and popups, Flash still has its place in design, especially when done subtly. Flash still has no equal to its interactivity. In 2010, web designers will move toward the more redeeming elements of Flash. Because the average visitor is more web savvy these days, designers will also create sites that are slightly more intuitive than in the past.

Main Idea: Interactive design will make a come-back.

9. Modal Boxes

Modal boxes are a trend that’s picking up steam and will be virtually everywhere in 2010. A modal box is like the popup’s more sophisticated older brother– it’s smooth, good looking and popular. Modal boxes are so easy to design and easy to use, making them the perfect solution for any designer concerned with usability.

Main Idea: Modal boxes will continue to pop up in 2010 designs.

10. Minimalism

Forget the old school minimal websites. Websites of 2010 will continue to feature lots of white space but with bold typology and surprising color schemes. Not all minimal websites will agree with the notion of black and white simplicity. Although minimalism is by nature muted, it will also showcase fresh colors. Minimalism isn’t cold, it’s warm and too the point.

Main Idea: Minimalism will venture into typology.

11. Oversized Footer

Oversized footers may be everywhere already, but 2010 will find them even more exaggerated. The footers of tomorrow will be less of an after-thought and more of an integral part of the design. Look for footers that feature contain random information, such as feed updates from various social media, daily polls, and Flickr feeds.

Main Idea: Oversized Footers will feature less important, but more personal information.

12. Retro

Retro designs are here to stay. Although a lot of the design community admires retro web design, it can be difficult to fully embrace this style without coming across “undone.” The key to retro designs is to be inspired by its tone and underlying playfulness. In 2010, retro design will be expanded as designers find new ways to honor vintage art.

Main Idea: Retro is new.

13. Intro Boxes

“Hi, my name is…” will find an even bigger stage in 2010 as designers recognize the beautiful simplicity of introducing yourself to your visitor. If you’re struggling with making a creative “About” page, the intro box will be your best bet. It forces you to condense who you are into a relatively small about of space. In 2010, intro boxes will push its own boundaries. Instead of the boring hello, designers will find new pick-up lines. And, instead of the left-flanked intro block, 2010 will see boxes in unusual placement, perhaps even in the middle of a page.

Main Idea: New ways to say “hello.”

14. Magazine Layouts

As more and more people migrate from the comforts of traditional press to online infotainment, designers are challenged to welcome them in with an easy transition. There is a move toward the magazine layout, where information is carefully organized on a single home page, giving the visitor an opportunity to explore as interested. The familiar layout will appeal to appeal to anyone who’s ever read a magazine or newspaper, but it will also be easier to use– no flipping pages! In 2010, magazine layout will become very huge for blogs in particular.

Main Idea: Magazine layouts will be used for infotainment sites.

In 2009 we saw exponential growth of social media. According to Nielsen Online, Twitter alone grew 1,382% year-over-year in February, registering a total of just more than 7 million unique visitors in the US for the month. Meanwhile, Facebook continued to outpace MySpace. So what could social media look like in 2010? In 2010, social media will get even more popular, more mobile, and more exclusive — at least, that’s my guess. What are the near-term trends we could see as soon as next year? In no particular order:

1. Social media begins to look less social
With groups, lists and niche networks becoming more popular, networks could begin to feel more “exclusive.” Not everyone can fit on someone’s newly created Twitter list and as networks begin to fill with noise, it’s likely that user behavior such as “hiding” the hyperactive updaters that appear in your Facebook news feed may become more common. Perhaps it’s not actually less social, but it might seem that way as we all come to terms with getting value out of our networks — while filtering out the clutter.

2. Corporations look to scale
There are relatively few big companies that have scaled social initiatives beyond one-off marketing or communications initiatives. Best Buy’s Twelpforce leverages hundreds of employees who provide customer support on Twitter. The employees are managed through a custom built system that keeps track of who participates. This is a sign of things to come over the next year as more companies look to uncover cost savings or serve customers more effectively through leveraging social technology.

3. Social business becomes serious play
Relatively new networks such as Foursquare are touted for the focus on making networked activity local and mobile. However, it also has a game-like quality to it which brings out the competitor in the user. Participants are incentivized and rewarded through higher participation levels. And push technology is there to remind you that your friends are one step away from stealing your coveted “mayorship.” As businesses look to incentivize activity within their internal or external networks, they may include carrots that encourage a bit of friendly competition.

4. Your company will have a social media policy (and it might actually be enforced)
If the company you work for doesn’t already have a social media policy in place with specific rules of engagement across multiple networks, it just might in the next year. From how to conduct yourself as an employee to what’s considered competition, it’s likely that you’ll see something formalized about how the company views social media and your participation in it.

5. Mobile becomes a social media lifeline
With approximately 70 percent of organizations banning social networks and, simultaneously, sales of smartphones on the rise, it’s likely that employees will seek to feed their social media addictions on their mobile devices. What used to be cigarette breaks could turn into “social media breaks” as long as there is a clear signal and IT isn’t looking. As a result, we may see more and/or better mobile versions of our favorite social drug of choice.

6. Sharing no longer means e-mail
The New York Times iPhone application recently added sharing functionality which allows a user to easily broadcast an article across networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Many websites already support this functionality, but it’s likely that we will see an increase in user behavior as it becomes more mainstream for people to share with networks what they used to do with e-mail lists. And content providers will be all too happy to help them distribute any way they choose.

I’m frequently asked the question “how exactly do you create content that goes viral?”  I always try and explain that while it isn’t lightning in a bottle, it isn’t something exactly formulaic either.

I’ll usually start answering the question by explaining whether you’re creating blog posts, images, videos, online marketing campaigns, web apps – you name it, it’s really all about the content.  But all other things being equal, there is still a ton of great content out there you’re competing with.  How exactly do you get your idea to replicate in the petri dish of the web and accelerate out of control between real users?

I’ve been successful at creating viral content both with posts on my own blog as well as with client projects including web applications, community building projects, new products, etc.  I’ve also created plenty of stuff that didn’t go anywhere, which is all part of the process.  The web is the ultimate scratchpad for communications professionals.  If you’re not failing, you’re not succeeding either.

There is not necessarily a science to viral, although I’ve been able to reproduce it enough times to have picked up on a few secrets.  Today I’ll share just 10 things I’ve learned from personal experience creating viral content:

1)  Build viral into the process

Okay, you’ve got something cool you want to share with the world – great.  But did you build telling others in as a natural element of the process?  If you can design what you’re doing so that every participant will spread/share your idea naturally, you’ll have a much higher chance of reaching critical mass.

2)  Give away something amazing

I’m not necessarily talking about something tangible (although you can do that if it’s in your budget) – but perhaps more important than giving something physical away, give people a story they’ll want to share and tell the next chapter themselves.

3)  Make it about them, not you

Put your users in the spotlight, make them the stars, front and center.  Give them links, give them awareness, give them motivation and empower them to control the conversation.

4)  Creativity and fun count…big time

What your doing has to be fun and engaging to real people, not just your corporate team.  In other words, it can’t be fun or cool in a vacuum.  You can’t focus group viral.

5)  Make it as simple as possible

It should be so easy a caveman can do it.  Less steps are better, and try to combine the sharing with one of your steps.  Have less than three steps, two is even better.  If you’re going to add more, just be sure people will actually do them.  Also the idea itself should be scanable and easily understood.  Viral content always must pass the elevator test (if you can’t tell someone in the span of the ride in an elevator, it’s too complicated).

6)  If you feel like you’ll have to push it, don’t do it

Well, you can still do it, just realize it’s not going to go viral.  You can’t force things to spread naturally between real users.  Sure you can throw money behind something for traffic, but that isn’t viral.

7)  Patience is key, allow the tipping point to build naturally

If your idea is really good and starts to spread – patience is actually important.  Your content might not go viral right away.  I’ve had some ideas surprise me – they started off slowly but I still clearly saw they were being shared.  After it got to a certain level it just took off.  The fact that something keeps moving, even slowly, is a good sign you’re headed in the right direction.

8)  Influencers matter – but so do those in the long tail

All of my ideas that went viral were shared at some point by influencers.  With that said, they didn’t necessarily hit the influencer first.  In many cases, influencers picked up the ideas from users in the long tail.  Also, if influencers see enough users in the long tail sharing something, in aggregate all that noise might be too much for them to ignore.

9)  If you’re having brainstroming meetings to try and make something you built go viral, the game is already over

So many marketing companies build things and then later on have meetings trying to figure out what went wrong and why their idea is not spreading.  Here’s some reality:  just because you’ve hired an agency that brands themselves internet marketing experts means nothing.  I can’t count how many times I’ve encountered marketing/ad agencies that claim to be experts at producing strong linkbait or viral content and then can’t show a single example of work that was legitimately shared.  Find someone with a proven reputation for creating viral content.  Their social proof is a quick search of Google and the social web.

10)  Relationships and reputation should shape strategy

If your brand is new to the world and to the web, it is both harder in some ways easier in others to make viral content.  It’s hard, because you have no recognition and trust in the world – both strong factors when working for you.  At the same time, people do love what is brand new and novel to them.  These elements must be thought out and what you’re doing should reflect your brand’s current level of social capital.  There are separate strategies for each.

Here’s a compilation of 13 silly and even stupid ways some companies are hindering adoption of their products and services. So if you are doing any of them, don’t.

1. Forcing immediate registration: Requiring a new user to register is a reasonable request—after you’ve sucked him in. The sites that require registration as the first step are putting a barrier in front of adoption.
2. The long URL: Say a site generates a URL that’s 70 characters long or more. When you copy, paste and e-mail this URL, a line break is added. Then, people can’t click on the link or it only links to the first part of the URL.
3. Windows that don’t generate URLs: Have you ever wanted to point people to a page, but the page has no URL? Did the company decide it didn’t want referrals, links and additional traffic?
4. The unsearchable website: Some sites don’t offer a search option. If your site goes deeper than one level, it needs a search box.
5. Sites without Delicious, Digg and Fark bookmarks: There’s no reason why a company wouldn’t want its fans to bookmark its pages. When my blog hits the front page of Digg, page views typically increase six or seven times.
6. Limiting contact to e-mail: Don’t get me wrong; I live and die by e-mail. But sometimes I want to call or even snail-mail a company. Many companies only let you send an e-mail via their “Contact Us” page. Why can’t companies be honest and just call it “Don’t Contact Us”?
7. Lack of feeds and e-mail lists: Make getting information about your products and services easy by providing e-mail and RSS feeds for content and PR newsletters.
8. Making users retype e-mail addresses: How about the patent-pending, curve-jumping Web 2.0 company that wants you to share content but requires you to retype your friends’ e-mail addresses? I have 7,703 e-mail addresses in Microsoft Entourage. I’m not going to retype them into some done-as-an-afterthought address book.
9. No e-mail addresses as usernames: I’m a member of hundreds of sites. I can’t remember my usernames, but I can remember my e-mail address. So why not let me use that?
10. Case-sensitive usernames and passwords: I know; these are more secure. But then I’m more likely to type in my user name and password incorrectly.
11. Friction-full commenting: “Moderated comments” is an oxymoron. If your company is trying to be a hip, myth-busting, hypocrisy-outing joint, it should let anyone comment. Also, many times I’ve started to leave a comment on a blog but stopped when I realized I’d have to register.
12. Unreadable confirmation codes: A visual confirmation graphic system is a good thing, but many are too difficult to read. All you have to prove is that you’re not a robot. So if the code is “ghj1lK,” entering “ghj11K” should be good enough.
13. E-mails without signatures: Communication would be so much easier if everyone included a complete e-mail signature with their name, company, address, phone and e-mail address.
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Web Design: New website layout; Logo creation Web Development: Content Management System (CMS); eCommerce; User Managements Marketing: Site developed with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind Web Support: Website Hosting Description: Online video instruction for students looking for Math SAT preparation Industry: Education Status: Completed/Live View website: OnlineMathSAT.com

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We ran across this funny video of people haggling offline with every day items, like a lot of web clients tend to do. We thought this was worth showing as some Friday humor… no offense is intended so we hope you can see the humor in it…

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