What Web 3.0 Interfaces Tell Us About How We’re Using the Web

I still feel like we’re slowly settling in to the design style that will forever be known as “Web 3.0.” The Web 2.0 is definitely solidified, and was for a few years before it has started to wane. But now, sites like Pinterest, Punchfork, and Fab are showing what is becoming the Web 3.0 aesthetic. These sites have a few things in common like minimal interfaces, shareable, personalized content and interfaces that encourage scrolling, and other types of interaction.

But beyond agreeing on exactly what Web 3.0 looks like, I think it’s safe to say that there are several important things that these types of interfaces show us about how we are using the Web, circa 2012.

1. Scrolling and unconventional interfaces are okay
   The iPhone and gesture-based touchscreen interfaces have permanently changed the way we think about consuming Web-based content. Users have been scrolling more and more over the last several years as it is.  But some of the new interfaces have other, more unconventional interactions, like horizontal scrolling or other things that used to be the stuff of Flash sites, but is now able to be done via JavaScript and even HTML 5.
2. Sharing is a given
   It is now understood that if there is a piece of content, it is shareable. It doesn’t need to be obvious where the ‘like’ button is even, and some of these interfaces show them only on rollover.  But the idea behind that is that sharing is implicit in the display of content. This is the next logical step in the progression of social networks from an occasional activity to the hub of our digital communication.
3. Photos sell
   The Web 2.0 aesthetic was a little more about illustrations than the Web 3.0 one is. Photos rule in these new interfaces, and the sometimes complex illustrative backgrounds of 2.0 have been replaced by very minimal, purely functional 3.0 interfaces that get out of the way of the content, which often consists of large photo content. Photography and straightforward text also contribute to a little more of a no-nonsense feel as well. There aren’t a lot of unnecessary graphics or even text in this new generation of site designs.
4. Personalization is everywhere
   It’s not enough to see cool stuff anymore – there’s too many websites devoted to that out there. The stuff needs to be recommended by 3 of your friends on Facebook. Or similar to something you bought a month ago. Or what other people similar to you bought. Personalization, the likes of Amazon or other trailblazers, is now the norm, not the exception. If you are on a content-based site and are not seeing personalized content, go away. There are plenty out there that are happy to serve up stuff that’s just for you.

I think we still have a little way to go before Web 3.0 is solidified, but until then, there are some definite design trends we can identify. And what we have already is showing us that there are new norms in user interface design and our usage behavio