April 2023

Trends are a tricky business, especially online ones. It feels like, every day, there are new, fashionable ways to express your brand. On the flip side, there are also ways that can make your brand look old, stodgy and out of touch. Choosing current trends that jive with your desired online footprint are always going to feel like walking a tightrope, always at risk of falling into the dangerous territories of “trying too hard” or not presenting your “true self” to customers.

Also, sticking with tried and tested design approaches can also put you at risk of getting lost in the shuffle of an online world moving at a million kilometers a second.

Keeping an eye on current online trends is exactly what great UX and UI designers specialize in and then inject beautifully into your online presence. As a creative branding agency in the UAE, we know a thing or two about staying on top of the latest trends and making sure our clients’ brands are always looking fresh and current. And, as an online creative branding agency in Dubai, we also know that keeping up with the latest digital trends is crucial for success in today’s market.

But are there pitfalls to look out for? Can choosing to ride the wrong trend for you adversely affect your business? Are there current trends you should just leave alone? A quick Google search yields hundreds of click bait articles about new online trends that will “help you gain a competitive edge,” but should you take them seriously?

Come trendspotting with us!

Let’s explore some current trends in digital marketing and talk a bit about times when you should (and really shouldn’t) ride a trend…

Brutalism
Meet the stark laying out of visuals in a seemingly random way. A direct reaction to the more formalized standards of conventional web design and wisdom, brutalism gives you everything all at once, challenging your expectations of hierarchy and form. Here’s a good example of brutalism. It’s the current punk rock of web design and, if it fits your brand, it’s a pretty huge deal.

Colorful Gradients
In 2023, color gradients are all the rage. When used correctly, they’re eye-catching and, when paired with an active typography, can be really engaging. Colorful gradients aren’t distracting when they’re used in the right context. In fact, they can serve to magnify the points you’re trying to make.

Horizontal and Vertical Text
Text freed from the usual horizontal expectations attract attention and encourage mental interactivity. Great use of vertical text breaks up monotony. Designers in 2023 are mixing text up in unique ways that intrigue and inspire multi-level engagement.

Y2K Chic
Trends are cyclical in nature, and generally spin back around on us every 30 years, albeit with a modern-day spin. The monochromatic, futuristic images of the late 1990s have returned. It’s a prime example of dynamic futurism, a unique interpretation of how we used to look at the online years ahead. Yes, your favorite color schemes and CD album cover designs are making a resurgence, and the candy-colored designs so popular at the time are returning to fashion.

Organic Shapes
When creating a web page, crafting a bridge to real world forms is proving helpful in grounding a presentation. The organic shape can break up monotony and rigid formalism, while also being visually appealing and unexpected. In short: It’s emotionally engaging, which is what you want.

The above examples are just a small sampling of digital trends for 2023. They can be fun to indulge in, and endlessly rewarding when used correctly. But they can’t all be perfect fits for your brand. With the help of a little market research, and the right online creative branding agency in Dubai, you can expect some remarkable results.

However, it’s important to know the ins and outs of your brand, practically in the biblical sense, to know which trends are the right ones to ride.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when trendspotting…

1. Does it fit your brand?

If a trend doesn’t align with your brand and business goals, if it’s too far away from who you are and might alienate your target demographic, then it’s probably not for you. For example: If your brand is focused on sincerity and tradition, then colorful, animated, graphic illustrations might not be a good fit. Your business goals should always take precedence.

2. Does your audience like it?

Are some current trends being successfully used by similar brands in similar markets? If so, then they might be right for you too! You know your target audience and you know what they like, therefore you should also be aware of what resonates with them. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take acceptable risks with your brand’s representation. Risk often leads to success.

3. Is It Future-Proof?

Choosing to ride a trend can be a great, eye-catching decision that will pay off in the short term, but will it look good in a year? Will your choices now continue to pay for themselves in the future? Avoiding trends that appear to be fleeting or short-lived is just good business sense, because the last thing you need after investing time and money into your brand is to have it be out-of-date in a matter of months.

4. Does It Improve Functionality?

Ultimately, you want your website to be accessible to the broadest possible audience. If a trend gets in the way of website functionality, then it’s probably not going to work for you. For example, a very popular trend in 2023 is gamification, which is literally turning your website landing page into a playable game. Sounds fun because it is! However, if this sense of fun doesn’t jive with your brand’s intentions, you’ll find yourself broadcasting a very mixed message.

5. Can It Fit Your Brand?

Here’s the part where we remind you that you don’t have to let a trend outsmart you. Once you’ve focused on trends you’d like to incorporate into your website design, you should feel free to make them fit within your framework. You, and your Dubai-based UX designer, can work together to mold current fashions in your image, and create results that are wholly on brand for your company while also being trendy.

At the end of the day, choosing to ride a trend is not something to be taken lightly. Current trends, in the right hands, can be your ticket to greater attention and success. Using trends incorrectly, however, can create the opposite reaction.

Proper trendspotting requires market research, and also a keen understanding of both your business and clientele. Being effective and current yields amazing results, as long as you’re sticking with trends that are sustainable while always keeping the effectiveness and functionality of your website at the top of your “must do” list.

At the end of the day, you can be true to yourself and trendy at the same time!

Are you looking for the best creative branding agency in Dubai, but getting a little overwhelmed? In a country overflowing with brilliant minds and new agencies popping up daily, even beginning your search can feel a little daunting. Truth be told, your quest for the best online branding agency in Dubai can be tough, and even intimidating. Creative branding agencies in UAE are easy to find (heck, throw a rock and you’ll probably hit one) but finding a truly great agency that’s the perfect match for your needs is another story altogether.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the steps to find the branding company in Dubai that doesn’t just know how to drive your business to new heights of excellence, they’re also fully prepared to get you there too!

UI UX agencies in Dubai specialize in User Interface and User Experience, both crucial to the success of your website, app and online presence as a whole. If you’re looking to beef up your footprint, find yourself at the top of a search engine result and have a website that’s aesthetically amazing and easy to navigate, then you’re gonna need to find a great user experience design agency in Dubai.

An online creative agency in Dubai doesn’t just meet your needs, they exceed your expectations. Creative branding agencies in the UAE are here to make sure your brand is unique, resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition.

It’s important to keep in mind that the best branding companies in the UAE may not always be the first ones you click on. Finding a great online marketing agency may require some exploring, and it’s important to be asking the right questions as you go about your search.

and it’s important to be asking the right questions as you go about your search.
But how do you do it? What are some great ways to find the right design agency in Dubai or branding company in UAE for your business? Here are some tips:

Look for agencies that have a strong online presence. A good branding agency in UAE, or creative branding company in Dubai, will absolutely know what they’re doing when it comes to online marketing. They’ll also know how to extend this knowledge to your brand. Keep your eyes open for a well-designed website that showcases their brand and services.

Check out their reviews and testimonials. You’re going to want to go with a creative branding company in Dubai that has a proven track record for excellence, and glowing feedback from past clients is a great way to evaluate that.

Consider their pricing strategy. Because of the wealth of creative branding agencies in Dubai, you won’t necessarily have to break your budget, but you also don’t want to cheat yourself out of high quality results. Many of the best design agencies in Dubai will offer competitive pricing.

Industry specialization is key. Look for branding agencies that specialize in your area of expertise. Do they have experience working in your niche? Are they an online creative branding agency with past clients similar to your company? If so, then you may have found the right creative agency in Dubai for you!

With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to find the best creative branding/design agency in Dubai for your business. Crafting a brilliant user experience isn’t difficult when you’re matched with the right people. So, what are you waiting for? Start your search today and take your branding to the next level!

…It’s gotta look good too!

Anybody with an internet connection has seen that website. The one that hurts your eyes. One where you can barely read the words, or doing so requires far more effort than your under-caffeinated brain is willing to give. The words are overlaying a too busy image, or placed awkwardly, or in a font that you’ve gotta squint your eyes to read. It’s not what’s being said, not the copy, but how it’s being displayed. The problem is the typography.

Typography is the art of arranging text in a legible way where line spacing, font choice, kerning and logical hierarchy are all performed in the name of a visually appealing reading experience. It’s equal parts graphic design and effective communication. Your brand can benefit greatly from its use, or have to deal with the consequences of its failing. Typography is as old as the written word and, in its own way, just as necessary as the text itself. It controls the mood of the copy, and if the copy can be even read at all. It’s how the word is made visual.

It’s also a topic that’s frequently neglected in favor of its flashier cousins, graphic design and copywriting. The thing is, it’s equally as important as those guys, and just as fascinating to study.

So let’s consider this blog an opportune time to really dig into the importance of typography, and also how to best utilize it in your website and advertising.

Choosing the right typeface, font size, and spacing can make a huge difference in your user experience and overall effectiveness of your website.

First Impressions

Typography is the first thing your visitors will notice when they land on your website. Your site may have amazing copy, but those great words aren’t gonna get read if they aren’t beautifully presented. Your words have to make a great first impression. What does that mean with regard to typography? In short: It means a great looking font that communicates your message clearly. Words that are positioned to create a flow to your website, and enhance readability.

Readability

Keeping your words legible and understandable are also key considerations in your typography. Font size, spacing and contrast between text and background across platforms must all be taken into account. Certainly you wouldn’t want the text arrangement on your desktop site to be the same on mobile. Visitors should never feel compelled to zoom in on mobile. Your text must be readable across channels. Your text must also be you!

Meaning Beyond the Meaning

Text has personality, and great typography informs the reader of its intent before they even start reading. Your typography of choice should align with, and magnify, your intentions. Your font needs to relate to your business. If your brand is all about the fun things in life, your font should reflect that. That doesn’t mean balloons and emojis as far as the eye can see, rather it means choosing a font that isn’t too serious or heavy. Conversely, if your brand deals in more serious matters, or something more traditional, then your font choice should reflect that as well. Typographical choices align with your brand and have the ability to impress your brand’s personality upon readers right at the outset.

Bringing It All Together

Typography is also useful in unifying your brand. From logo to content, your overall design aesthetic is heavily reliant upon typography. Because words make up a majority of most websites, there is ample opportunity to tie everything together through its presentation. Organization of text on the screen is of utmost importance, as is finding the perfect font, or combination, and sticking with it. A lack of both can lead to feelings of clutter and confusion for your readers. The last thing you want from potential clients or customers is the desire to get away as soon as possible.

Web Worthy

A web-safe font is also necessary. Keeping it readable across platforms, and changing as needed, is important, but so is artistry and attention to aesthetics. Arranging your text on the screen in a natural way that makes sense is also key. Great typography on your website will create a natural flow of ideas and a visual hierarchy. Logical progressions of thoughts feel right when you see them.

Typography has been used in text for thousands of years, and truly solidified with the invention of the printing press. As the digital age continues to dawn, and typographical options for text continue to branch into new avenues, the age-old rules still remain. Keep it readable, logical and visually appealing.

A successful online presence has the power to push your brand to new heights in ways you might not even be aware of.

In the land of the internet, a user can decide to love or leave your website in less than 1 second. And there are a lot of reasons why they might choose to ditch you. Conversely, there aren’t many better internet feelings than making your way through a website built with the user in mind. They’re not hard to spot, even if you aren’t a professional. A great user experience is easy to navigate, nice to look at and feels like your every need has been met. A fantastic app or website is the welcoming face of the business it’s supporting. Your 24/7 salesperson. It strikes the perfect balance of usability and visual gratification.

That’s why the User eXperience (UX) of your website should be nothing short of outstanding. If you’re building your website for the first time, there are many things to consider. Heck, even if your current website looked great at first, digital trends move at the speed of light, and what was fashionable a few years ago may appear tired and played out today. There’s never a wrong time to make sure your online presence is damn near perfect.

In this blog post, we’ll cover some essential design principles and best practices to follow when building a website that has a great user experience.

1. Know Your User
To target your audience, first you’ve gotta know who they are. What are your key demographics? What are their interests? More importantly, what are their needs? Start by having simple conversations with potential users. Create user personas and empathy maps to better understand your potential users. Evaluate your competitors to better understand your needs, or the needs of your product.

If you’re already established online, then you’re in a perfect position to seek out feedback from your current customers. What are their pain points and challenges? You’ll find that, when you put your audience at the center of your design, your user experience can only improve.

Don’t be afraid of a little constructive criticism, especially if you requested it. Every negative reaction is a chance to enact positive change.

2. Usability
There’s nothing your customers, and people in general, want more than easy access to the things they desire. Don’t let that desire out of your sight when designing your UX. Your website should be easy to use and logically constructed, so that visitors can effortlessly navigate to sections they want to visit. The last thing you want is for potential customers to get confused, annoyed and give up.

As they get familiar with your website, your users will generally be in search of a navigation bar. Don’t make it hard to find or difficult to navigate. A user-friendly website must be intuitive and, in many ways, predictive. Keep it simple!

3. Mobile-Friendly
If your website looks great on desktop, it should look just as great on a mobile device, especially since that’s where most of your users will be checking you out. A user experience must translate seamlessly across all platforms, while also retaining your core design and functionality. It doesn’t have to be identical to your desktop iteration, but feels as though it was cut from the same cloth.

Your mobile site must be constructed to fit on a tiny little screen, with no zooming in and out necessary to reach desired outcomes. Your local, Dubai-based UX design agency of choice will know this like the back of their hand, and push your website redesign in the right direction.

4. Color Choice
We’ve spoken previously on the psychological importance of great color choice in design and logos. The same holds true for your website, but with text readability factored in as well. Your website color choices should reflect the standards of your industry and be pleasing to the eye. And accessibility is just as important as image, in this case. Not only should your website be nice to look at, it should also be easily readable to any eye. Here is a great resource if you’re optimizing your accessibility.

As important as they are, color and image choices work in service to your text. Because your words are what most clearly communicate mission statements, product descriptions and intentions to your user, the last thing you need is a potential buyer being forced to strain their eyes to read through colors and visuals that distract.

5. Speed of Service
Your website’s loading speed is important in keeping users engaged and active. In this age of instant gratification, the speed of your site can greatly influence a customer’s opinion, but only if it’s slow. When web and mobile users load your site, they expect to see it instantaneously and can sour to your brand and lose interest if it doesn’t appear. If it loads as fast as they expect, they simply won’t notice.

There are a number of ways to check your loading speeds, some requiring a fee. Sites such as Google PageSpeed Insights and Uptrends will run diagnostics on your website and offer solutions and offer recommended paths and solutions if you aren’t operating at an optimal rate.

6. Content
UX writing is just as important as visuals. A great design gets users interested. Great content will keep them there. When you speak in a clear language your users can understand, they will feel as though they are being spoken directly to. Font choice, size and positioning are also very important to user comprehension. Your goal is to be clear, readable and never overwhelming.

And, when you demand that high-quality words are paired with high-quality images, the end result will be a website that will ably connect with your target audience.

Also, injecting a little appropriate humor never hurt anyone either.

7. Whitespace
Similar to the use of negative space in photography and painting, using whitespace on your website gives viewers a chance to catch their breath and process information. It’s the area between different elements on your site that helps people compartmentalize and differentiate between sections.

You can use whitespace to create a visual hierarchy to your content and add simplicity. Oh, and it doesn’t have to be white, it just has to be space, in case there was some confusion.

A great user experience design will connect with your audience, while also using your platform to its fullest potential. We’re a UX design agency in Dubai, and we’ve built a lot of websites in our time. Our goal for each new task has always been to connect companies with their desired audience in the best way possible, and that should be your website’s goal too!

Your website should be the polished, welcoming face of your company, and the initial introduction to a majority of future customers and clients, and it needs a user experience to match. The result of research, consideration, artistry and a whole lot of love.