Website trends are not about fringe style and edgy design, but about paying attention to how people’s view of the web changes from year to year and how your web presence should reflect these changes. They are about recognizing that these trends will prove that the company is alive, vibrant and organic; ever understanding of the world beyond their doors.

So what does this mean for design and development trends for 2010? Ever increasing font sizes on headers? Enhanced use of Twitter? Augmented reality? These are the buzz among the overwhelming number of January blog posts on the Top 10 [whatever] of 2010 – do a quick search, that info is out there if its what you are looking for.

We are talking about something much larger.

For my clients and our goals, we are now to consider all the possibilities that are unquestionably available to the masses. The web is no longer business brochure sites and niche forums, it has finally become the communications tool we have talked about for years.

Web 2.0: Still relevant?

The past 18 months have redefined the web for almost everyone. The phrase ‘Web 2.0’ has gone from beloved trend-speak to despised buzzword; but along the way, it has become the standard consideration for the next generation of a web presence. Many in company leadership had no idea what they were requesting, but every news agency and corporate trade show told them this was their new mantra: We need Web 2.0!

Of course, those of us entrenched in the web community understood this to mean cleaner design, richer experience, enhanced community and organizational transparency – but to many in web design and development, the definition stopped simply with modern design elements. This limited view created many of the design trends of 2009 and luckily worked to set the stage for what is ahead of us today.

We’ve had a site since 1997. What’s new?

The mainstream use of blogging as a way for individuals, families and businesses to communicate finally took hold in the past 18 months, thanks to free applications such as WordPress, Blogger and endless others. From a grandmother looking for the newest picture of her little darlings to the change in media from powerful news conglomerates to anonymous micro-bloggers on a cell phone – the web has fully changed scope and direction.

Beyond just blogging, social media in all of it’s forms have taken the world by storm. Everyday we hear a new statistic about Twitter and Facebook use, most notably that the fastest growing population of users is among the baby-boomers. This is simply amazing that in 2009, we saw the internet experience a sea change from a tool mainly for the younger generations and the corporate distribution of advertising – to a communications platform that is embraced by all ages, across all boundaries and subject to few limitations.

Understanding this change, understanding the new realm of possibilities and acting on these within your business – this is the trend for 2010.

That’s it?

Yep, but don’t make a mistake by selling this short. It is up to you to take this amazing new opportunity and apply it your business, your firm, your experience. It is an amazing time to look at future website trends, regardless of how frustratingly vast the opportunities may seem.

As we are watching the further decay of the standard media as they fall victim to news sources found in every home and street corner…

As we are watching marketers scramble to abandon old notions of persuasive copywriting, turning instead to exposing the varied writing styles of personalities within the company…

As we are seeing companies clamor to create and recruit evangelists for their product or service across the social media landscape…

As we are seeing organizations and governments finally attempt to communicate – not just silence – those who are unhappy and turn them into fans…

As we watch all of these happenings, we recognize that these are the trends for 2010. These define how the web (and the world) is changing for us all.

How will you handle this within your organization?