2025 has thrown a lot at us. From AI coding assistants to design aesthetics that deliberately look… well, chaotic. But here’s the thing: not every trend deserves your attention, and not every shiny new tool belongs in your tech stack.
So before we all disappear for the Christmas break, let’s look back at what actually mattered in 2025 and what we’re watching for in the year ahead.
What defined 2025
AI-powered development
AI development tools matured significantly in 2025. GitHub Copilot, Tabnine, and Amazon CodeWhisperer moved from ‘interesting experiment’ and started delivering more value.
But here’s what the hype pieces miss: AI can generate code, but it takes skilled developers to know what to build, why to build it, and how to ensure it aligns with your business goals. It’s important to recognise that AI shouldn’t be replacing developers, but rather amplifying what good developers can accomplish.
Dark mode
Dark mode isn’t just about flipping colours. Modern dark mode requires thoughtful contrast ratios, strategic colour accents, and careful typography. Done poorly, it’s unreadable. Done well, it reduces eye strain and creates a premium feel.
The smartest approach? Build a toggle. Your audience will have preferences, and giving them control improves the experience.
Voice search
Twenty-seven percent of mobile users now use voice search regularly. Smart speaker adoption hit 45% of the UK population. Yet most UK businesses still aren’t optimising for it.
Here’s the thing about voice search: people don’t say “best pizza Liverpool”, instead they ask “Where’s the best pizza place near me?” Voice queries are longer, more conversational, and often location-specific. If your content doesn’t answer actual questions in natural language, you’re invisible to this segment.
“Anti-design”
Deliberately off-kilter layouts, clashing colours, experimental typography; the “anti-design” movement got a lot of attention in 2025, particularly on social media and in creative agency portfolios.
The reality? Anti-design works brilliantly for brands targeting creative professionals or younger demographics who want to signal boldness. For everyone else, especially B2B, professional services, or e-commerce, it’s a risky choice that can undermine trust and usability.
When every website starts looking pixel-perfect, standing out matters. But standing out in a way that confuses your audience or makes it harder to convert isn’t strategic, it’s just noisy.
If you’re considering anti-design, make sure it’s intentional and serves your brand identity. Otherwise, clean, user-focused design still wins.
AI design tools
While everyone was talking about ChatGPT, design teams started looking at Figma AI and Midjourney for mockups, and AI-powered asset generation.
But (and this is crucial) these tools work best when guided by designers who understand composition, hierarchy, and user psychology. The strategic thinking such as understanding your users, your market position and your conversion goals still requires professionals who know your business.
What we’re watching in 2026
Performance becomes a competitive advantage
Core Web Vitals aren’t new, but Google’s putting more weight on them. Sites that load instantly and feel smooth will rank higher and convert better. Those who invest in performance optimisation will pull ahead of competitors with fancier designs but slower speeds.
Accessibility regulations tighten
The European Accessibility Act came into force in June 2025, but enforcement will ramp up in 2026. UK businesses serving European customers need compliant websites.
You can find out more about it below:
AI gets more specialised
Generic AI tools plateau. Specialised AI for specific industries and workflows takes off. We’re already seeing AI trained on sector-specific data (legal, healthcare, finance) that actually understands context and compliance requirements. That’s where real value emerges.
Design trends
After a year of anti-design experimentation, we’re predicting a shift toward organic layouts and fluid design systems. Think flowing layouts with soft curves, natural shapes, and designs that feel less constructed and more alive.
What this means for your 2026 strategy
The websites that succeed in 2026 won’t be the ones chasing every trend. They’ll be the ones that:
- Load instantly and work flawlessly
- Give users control over their experience
- Answer questions in natural language
- Look distinctly like your brand, not everyone else’s
- Work for everyone, including people with accessibility issues
We’ve spent 2025 figuring out which tools and trends actually deliver value versus which ones just make good LinkedIn posts. If you’re planning a website refresh or wondering whether your current site is keeping pace, let’s talk about what will actually move the needle for your business.
We’ll be back fully charged in January, ready to help you make 2026 your best year online.
