Just as a book is often judged by its cover, an online business is often judged by its website. If you think about it, your website is the face you show to the world, it is the one thing that can make or break your business. If the website is well designed and user-friendly it is much more likely to attract more prospective customers and provide them with the positive user experience. And positive user experience is crucial when it comes to conversions. Besides, a really well-designed website is a truly effective and indispensable marketing tool for an online business.
When it comes to web design agencies, it is quite natural that one would expect a properly designed website to represent a business like that on the world wide web. Over the years, web design agencies have developed a formula most of them abide by some degree: large logo, medium-sized and simple tagline, showcase in the central section, basic contact information in the footer.
But with the dramatically changing design trends and fast improving technologies you can not expect the same level of success if you stick to the old ways. The most common changes on the web design landscape are the larger typography (this is due to the rise of mobile technologies and therefore mobile users), sliders are more often used that static images, parallax scrolling is immensely popular etc.
Naturally, web design agencies and individual freelance designers are the first to employ the latest trends and technologies. And sometimes these web designs we get as a result are simply breathtaking. Today I’m going to show you 15 of such inspiring websites to give you an idea of what a truly modern web design looks like these days.
HTMLPanda
The design of HTMLPanda is packed with animated elements and parallax effects that are subtle but in the same time exciting enough to grab a visitor’s attention. The homepage features the services offered by the agency, the call to action buttons are distinctive and overall navigation is very intuitive, there’s also the contact form at the bottom of the page. Basically, the homepage is simply perfect for the business.
Daniel Spatzek
Daniel Spatzek is a freelance designer and art director based in Austria. His portfolio website does a great job of showing off his amazing skills. Daniel uses plenty of WebGL and CSS tricks to make everything exciting and moving. It’s a box of hot web techniques packed with animation, but amazingly enough, all of it together does not overload the viewer.
Resn
This creative digital agency is based in New Zealand and it’s famous for the boundary-pushing websites they do for their customers. Their own website is not an exception, it’s quite breathtaking. The glimmering 3D gem which shows you wonders when you hold down your mouse button on it, well… I have no words you simply have to check it out!
Sparx IT Solutions
Sparx IT has a storytelling based layout with very well placed parallax effects and scrolling. The graphics, colors, and typography here are all thought through, as well as the navigation. Simply put - everything is in place and looks perfect on the Sparx IT website.
Alexandre Rochet
Alexandre Rochet is a specialist in web design, identity, and interface design. The wow factor on his portfolio website is over the board. The site is full of parallax effects and color fades. Granted, it does not have a navigation as we know it, but minimalism is all the rage right now.
Bert
Bert is an agency based in Netherlands. They work on big international projects and provide everything from branding to design and development. This studio has a single page website with bold typography and stunning imagery. And even though there is the one single page, the website is still very informative.
CSSChopper
This elegant design belongs to a world-class web and app development provider, CSSChopper. The website is a delight of positive user experience. The storytelling based content and clean layout make a wonderful combination.
Melanie Daveid
Melanie Daveid is a UX designer, her portfolio is another great example of the minimalistic approach to web design. The portfolio itself is brought to life by clicking on the intricate logo, and the portfolio is simply beautiful.
Studio Airport
Studio Airport is a design agency from Netherlands. Their website features amazing graphics, bold typography and amazing photos. The quirky touches throughout the website make it just the right degree of exciting without overloading the viewer’s attention.
Sean Halpin
This cute portfolio belongs to Sean Halpin, a very promising web designer. The website effortlessly displays the designer’s skills, in the same time it’s clean and easy.
Ryan Scherf
Ryan Scherf’s one-page portfolio is very effective and simple. This is a truly gorgeous one-page website. Simple is always a good choice when it comes to web design, and this portfolio is the perfect confirmation.
Huge
Huge is a global team of designers, strategists, and technologists, they are famous for setting new standards in product, service, and experience design. HBO, Nike, FX and many others are among their clients. Their website is a definition of modern design with its bold colors, impressive images, and intuitive navigation.
Fhoke
This stylish website belongs to a team of designers and developers who create really great websites. Their portfolio site perfectly illustrates what they can do with its amazing video background, bold colors and stylish typography.
Tokyo Digital
Tokyo Digital’s website is a brilliant example of card-based design. I also love the high image slider at the top and unique icons. These guys have worked with BBC, Channel4, Volkswagen and many other well-known brands.
Invielab
At first sight, Invielab’s website is very simple, and it really is that, but the quirky little details like the video background under the purple screen at the top of the homepage, make it that much more catching for the visitors. Overall, the website is very user-friendly, the services and the team are introduced in the content and the contacts are easy to find, should you want to employ the guys.
Go check out our compilation of design studio templates and see what works best for you.