Dark Mode: Is it Worth the Investment?

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Back in 2019, we wrote an article about the newest hot trend within website design – dark mode. Our opinion on the feature hasn’t changed too much since then, but we would approach it differently for most websites we create today.

The purpose of dark mode and when to use it

Dark mode has a purpose in today’s world and 90% of all use cases is for UI/UX, or where content is the primary purpose of any webpage.

If your website is a resource hub, documentation portal or an app that people use daily then go ahead, integrate a dark mode – your users will thank you. You can split your website into sections to work out who will be using it, how often and its priority with a full dark mode integration.

This will also help understand your need for a dark version of those pages, and to see if providing your users a better experience and boosting their return value is worth it.

All the benefits from our original outlook in 2019 are still true:

• Easier reading
• Providing users a level customisation
• Provide a sense of luxury
• Better contrast
• Battery saver

Here’s a few examples:

• Notion
• Figma
• Social Apps: WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and X
• Microsoft Office

When NOT to integrate a dark mode

It’s important to understand the purpose of dark mode which is useability. You don’t want to integrate it on your marketing webpages as these are designed to sell, promote, and communicate your products and/or services. These pages should be fully branded with little user customisation. Allowing site visitors to change how your product is presented can actually negatively affect your marketing strategy, especially if there’s a feeling you want people to grasp – i.e. luxury or premium.

There are exceptions to every rule because sometimes, user interaction is a great way to show how a product you offer can be customised. So, take our advice lightly. We plan to write an article all about user customisation on websites.

Is it worth the investment?

In short, no. For the normal business owner, a dark mode feature on your website isn’t needed. Instead, focus on new pages or branding your website closer to how you want people to remember your business.

However, if you use your website for articles and resources, then a dark mode option might be a great “nice to have” feature for those who return frequently. You should install analytics on your website to gather enough data to make a decision whether it’s worth integrating a dark mode or not.

What should I do instead?

Instead of spending money to add a dark mode to your website, think about rebranding your business to appeal towards your target audience or refresh your website (or even fully re-design it) so it communicates correctly, showcases your business properly, and provides all the information to customers and visitors in the best way so they make an informed purchase with you.

As always, our talented designers are on hand to help make your visions a reality. Get in touch with us to discuss your next project 💪