4 Popular Marketing Design Trends to Try in 2018

Many people may not realise the massive impact that visually pleasing design makes on their marketing efforts. Given 15 minutes to consume content, 66 percent of users would prefer to view something beautifully designed instead of something plain. Furthermore, 38 percent of users stop engaging with content if it’s unattractive in its layout or imagery.

Design can make or break your brand’s digital marketing strategy, which is why it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends. Each year, Shutterstock analyses the data and search history of billions of people who use the service to find images, footage and music. They use this information to pin down the biggest creative trends and predict what will continue to grow in the next year.

We take a look at some of the results so you can plan out your design strategy for 2018, and wow your customers every time they land on your page. Check out the full list here.

1. Pastel palettes

Candy-hued colour schemes are all the rage at the moment. Make bright colours pop by pairing them with subtle shades, or go all out and combine a variety of vibrant tints.

2. Fantasy

Searches are up for fantasy characters, with unicorn sitting at 297 percent and mermaid at 145 percent. Using magical landscapes and epic orchestral sounds are big trends at the moment, as well as making use of fantasy narratives in design.

3. Minimalism

While minimalism has always been a popular design trend, it’s evolved with the times. New minimalism makes use of bold, vibrant colours and shapes while still making use of negative space and block colours. Searches for ‘neon circle’ increased 387 percent more over the past year.

4. Space

Sci-fi continues to reinvent itself through the decades and last year saw a particular resurgence with the latest instalment of Star Wars and shows like Stranger Things. Searches for ‘solar’ are up 991 percent, while ‘astro’ has increased to 671 percent.

We hope some of these examples have gotten you thinking about how you can creatively use design this year. If you’re looking for quick ways to try out some of these ideas, why not check out our blog on time-saving content creation tools?