Last week we examined how a new, flat design aesthetic is sweeping the internet.

Flat is definitely the flavor of the month. So what does this mean for your site designed in the 3-d, skeuomorphic style?

Don’t Panic

Let’s get this out of the way: your site does not need an urgent, complete makeover. Well, assuming your site doesn’t look like the world’s worst website ever, that is. Or if it has an air of 1995 about it, then it may be time to go back to the drawing board.

If your design looked good last year, it probably still looks fine today.

But Don’t Be Complacent

That’s not to say, however, that you should be satisfied with your site’s design from now until eternity. Left untouched, your site will eventually start to look dated and clunky, no matter how fresh it seems right now. Don’t believe it? Grow a mullet and then go out in public, and see what kind of reaction you get. Or try on that old polyester suit for a day.

Keep Calm and Adapt On

The best strategy for staying current with design trends is to adopt a system of gradual changes. Twice a year, say, or once a quarter, make some small tweaks to your site. Maybe the background changes slightly, or some elements get a slight rearrangement. Nothing drastic, but enough that your site is constantly evolving, keeping more or less on the pulse of the trends of the day.

This approach offers three distinct advantages:

1. By always hovering around the design trends, your site will always look current – no sudden panic because your site looks ten years old
2. Iterating design gives your site visitors one more reason to keep coming back
3. A complete design makeover creates a jarring experience when your visitors do come back; gradual tweaks make it a smooth process instead

Just like it’s important to keep on top of creating fresh content for your site, it’s also a good idea to keep on top of fresh design. Not with the rigid timetable of issuing blog posts, necessarily, but on something of a regular schedule nonetheless.

Photo Credit: greggoconnell via Compfight cc