Whether your law firm is new with a handful of clients or you have been around for twenty years, your marketing strategy should include search engine optimization or SEO. 

Combined with the best of 2024’s marketing tools and software, SEO can help you attract the right clients for your expertise. It can also help you build a completely effective online presence.

However, it is important to note that SEO for law firms does not mean adding a couple of legal-sounding words to your website. This is the first and biggest mistake most law firms make when trying to incorporate SEO into their marketing efforts. 

Here are five more mistakes you must avoid if you want to get more clients and improve your online visibility.

Not Using Local SEO Strategies

People looking for legal services tend to look in their local area first. Your clients will not want to drive for miles whenever they need to consult with your firm. This is why local SEO strategies are crucial. If you overlook or ignore local SEO, your online presence will be incomplete. 

Moreover, your Google Business Profile will not work as effectively. Your website will be missing critical location-specific keywords. 

You can avoid this issue by updating your Google Business Profile. If you do not have a listing, claim your profile on Google and fill out your listing with details about your law firm. Include your expertise, services, phone number, address, and business hours. 

Encourage your existing clients to leave reviews on your profile and add photos of your location. The more visible you make your profile, the easier it will be for potential clients to find you. 

Most importantly, add local SEO keywords to your profile and website. For example, if your law firm is in New York, add the location to keywords relevant to your firm’s services. You can target potential clients near New York by adding keyphrases like ‘car accident lawyer near New York.’ 

Local SEO strategies also include adding business listings to local business directories. Ensure your name, address, and phone numbers are correct and consistent in all directories. 

Not Optimizing Your Website for Mobile Use

More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. Your law firm cannot afford not to have a mobile-friendly website. If you do not optimize your website for mobile use, you will lose clients and hurt your law firm’s SEO ranking. A mobile-friendly website means more people can find your law firm, especially if your SEO is on point. 

The problem is that a non-optimized website will load incredibly slowly on a mobile device. If your website does not load within seconds, visitors will move on, and you will not have a chance of getting their business in the future. 

If your website is not optimized, the content will also be difficult to read, even if it does load quickly. The interface may not be as intuitive as you intended it to be. This makes for a very frustrating user experience. 

In 2024 and beyond, you must have a responsive website. This means the website will adjust automatically to the screen on which it is opened. Responsive design also means images are compressed, which reduces loading speed. Furthermore, depending on the website builder you use, responsive design can also mean that you do not need dozens of plugins to keep your website going. 

Using Outdated SEO Techniques

There is no excuse for using outdated SEO techniques in 2024. Search engine algorithms continue to be upgraded to deliver better search results for online users. This means that outdated SEO strategies will not work and might get your website or Google listing suspended. 

Do not buy backlinks from low-authority websites. Backlinks are important for SEO, but low-authority websites will not give you the necessary value. It’s also a bad idea to use hidden text or links to try and fool the search engine algorithm. 

Instead of trying to take shortcuts, focus on creating quality content. Add useful SEO keywords naturally into your content. Never overload your website with keywords to make your content seem relevant; SEO simply does not work this way. 

Once you start working on a backlink strategy, make sure you get and earn your links from reputable sources only. This may include trustworthy legal publications and reputable local news outlets. 

Not Having a Content Marketing Strategy

The goal of SEO is to get potential clients to your website. Once they get to your website, you must provide valuable information about how your law firm can help them. Low-quality content is not going to help your firm or your clients. Neither is neglecting to update outdated articles and web pages. 

Instead of posting content randomly and hoping for the best, take the time to create a content calendar. Plan your content weeks ahead of time so you get enough time to do research and create high-quality content. 

If you are not a writer, hire a professional to create your content. All your website and social media content must be unique and diverse. This means using original content. It also means creating different types of content like videos, infographics, blogs, and podcasts. 

Never Tracking Your SEO Performance

Once you’ve implemented SEO strategies, it does not mean you can sit back and forget about them. You have to keep track of each strategy’s performance. If you do not do this, you will never know what works and what doesn’t. 

Google Analytics and Search Console are valuable tools to help you track key performance metrics like bounce and click-through rates. If you do not understand metrics like organic traffic and keyword rankings, get a law firm SEO specialist to guide you. 

A legal marketing agency or specialist can track all the necessary metrics and do A/B testing to see what drives more conversions. They can also implement all your SEO strategies in the first place. 

SEO Can Mean the Difference Between Gaining and Losing Clients

SEO strategies are not a one-off effort. You need to keep at it to see ongoing results. But the reward is well worth it. Your law firm will be highly visible online to local and surrounding clients. Your search rankings will go up, and your website traffic will increase. Ultimately, this will mean more clients and more success for your business.

Featured image by Sebastian Pichler on Unsplash

The post 5 Common SEO Mistakes Your Law Firm Must Avoid appeared first on noupe.

Thanks to the internet and a growing raft of online, AI-powered tools, it’s easier than ever to start a business. The downside of this entrepreneurial free-for-all? It’s harder than ever to make that business stand out. 90% of businesses say their industry has gotten more competitive in recent years.

Every new business should be aiming for a strong brand name, but in saturated markets such as beauty, fashion, food, and tech it’s even more important to build your brand on a powerful, memorable name. Still, these markets offer subtle opportunities for brands too, which can be capitalized on with the right name — one which differentiates you from established competitors, and emotionally resonates with an underserved niche market.

We live in a noisy world. Here’s how to name your new brand to be heard.

How Your Name Eases Entry into a Competitive Market

Your name is your first connection to your customers, and your first point of differentiation from your competitors. Here’s how a great name is a platform for success in a saturated market.

Your Name Gains Instant Recognition

A memorable name contributes to top-of-mind awareness, or brand recall: the ability of customers to remember your brand, without being offered options. This makes you the first choice for customers, like how the feeling of thirst is accompanied by a craving for Coca-Cola in many individuals. In crowded markets, top-of-mind awareness is key to breaking through.

Your Name Emphasizes Differentiation

With many similar products or services available in busy markets, differentiating your offering becomes increasingly important. Your name is your first opportunity to highlight how you’re different from your competitors. It could exude cutting-edge innovation with metaphor or visual imagery, or highlight your unique selling proposition.

Your Name Counters Consumer Skepticism

In saturated markets, consumers are skeptical of new entrants, questioning the need for another option in an already crowded space. A strong name makes an emotional connection with consumers by hinting at your values and mission. This builds trust and the perception of authenticity, bringing consumers on board with your brand.

Naming Strategies for Saturated Markets

So how do you craft a name that not only stands out but signals to your audience that you’re different from all the rest? Here are some naming strategies for brands entering highly competitive markets.

1. Create a Unique Word

Inventing a unique word for your brand name can make it instantly memorable and distinct. Consider using linguistic techniques such as blending words, altering spellings, or creating portmanteaus to develop a name that doesn’t exist in the dictionary. This approach allows you to establish a strong brand identity while ensuring domain availability and trademark protection.

Challenger soda brand Olipop is now outperforming Pepsi in some retailers, an extraordinary achievement in the highly competitive carbonated beverage market. Olipop is a clean-sounding and memorable unique name, around which this up-and-coming business is building a strong brand.

2. Use Metaphors

Metaphors can infuse your brand name with deeper meaning and emotional resonance. They evoke imagery and associations that align with your brand’s values and purpose and form connections in the minds of customers that reinforce memorability.

Brands entering into crowded markets can particularly benefit from metaphors that emphasize their innovation, and help differentiate them from pre-existing options. Tesla, as a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has leaned on innovation and technology in its brand positioning. The name, which recalls inventor Nikolai Tesla is a powerful metaphor for these attributes.

3. Incorporate Visual Imagery

A name that conjures vivid imagery can captivate consumer attention and enhance brand recognition. Consider names that evoke a specific visual concept or a scene related to your product or service. This technique creates a mental picture that sticks in the consumer’s mind.

Red Bull is a great example of a brand name utilizing the power of imagery. What’s more, when they launched in 1987, the carbonated drink had two players, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, so they really had to stand out. With powerful visual imagery that evokes energy, daring, and even aggression, Red Bull has grown into the third most valuable soft drink brand in the world.

4. Create an Emotional Connection

Names that invoke positive emotions activate a part of the brain called the amygdala. This enhances the memorability of a name as it becomes hard-coded in consumers’ minds.  Focus on how your offering makes consumers feel rather than solely highlighting functional attributes, and choose a name that taps into consumer aspirations and desires.

D2C kitchenware brand Our Place creates an immediate sense of home and community for anyone hearing their name. When consumers purchase a frying pan or chopping board, they’re not simply buying a practical item, but they’re buying into the idea that cooking is an exercise in building connections with family and friends. By emphasizing emotion in your name, you can create a more personalized and engaging brand experience.

5. Raise an Eyebrow

In competitive markets, bucking trends is one way to be noticed. A name that courts controversy or emphasizes your difference will have an immediate impact on your customers and, if you back up the words with action, create a powerful brand that instantly challenges the traditional industry leaders.

Who Gives a Crap, the ethical toilet paper brand, is flush with success on this point. The (mildly) blue language, the very literal translation and the hint at an underlying mission have helped it grow to become the third-largest toilet roll brand in the UK, taking on the likes of Charmin and Kleenex.

Leveraging Name for Opportunity in Saturated Markets 

Saturated or highly competitive markets present obvious challenges for new brands, but there are also opportunities for new brands to make a big impact. You might be entering a saturated market based on your personal passion for the product or service you can offer — or maybe you’ve got a game-changing innovation that helps you stand out. Whatever the reason, choose your name strategically. 

• Reaching Underserved Segments

Saturated markets often have underserved niches or segments that established brands overlook. By identifying, analyzing and targeting these niches, entrepreneurs can name their brands to resonate with and reach this audience.

• Leveraging Innovation

Saturated markets are by no means static markets. Innovations, particularly in the age of AI, can allow brands to engage in ‘challenger mode’ and outmaneuver existing brands. Nor does innovation always have to mean new technology — it could be updated sustainable practices, or offering personalized experiences that set the brand apart. 77% of consumers associate creative brand names with innovative offerings, so choose a name that emphasizes your innovative brand position when entering new markets with an updated offering.

• Building Authentic Connections

While existing brands have a headstart in brand equity, they’re often slow to react to changed consumer expectations. In today’s world, consumers, particularly younger audiences, value authenticity and transparency and 88% of consumers say authenticity guides their brand choices. If the big hitters in your industry are positioning themselves as traditional, reliable and dull, then new and upcoming brands like yours can connect with their audience on a personal level. Choose a name that builds relationships based on shared values and relatable storytelling. 

Layers of Meaning: The Best Names Combine Strategies

The best names work on multiple levels. Who Gives a Crap combines literal and metaphorical meanings and Feeld, a dating app taking on the big three of Bumble, Hinge and Tinder, created a unique word that hints at ‘playing the field’ as well as ‘feelings’.

Any brand entering a saturated market needs to go to extra lengths to make themselves heard. Understanding your overall strategy — whether it’s your customer segmentation, innovative offering or authentic approach that customers will love — can guide you to an impactful business name.

Featured image by l ch on Unsplash

The post Naming in a Noisy World: How to Stand Out in Saturated Markets appeared first on noupe.

Incognito mode, often marketed as a private browsing tool, offers minimal privacy by only preventing local history and cookies from being saved. It fails to protect users from being tracked by ISPs, employers, websites, or government surveillance, creating a false sense of security.

Web designers make New Year’s resolutions with the best intentions, but let’s face it—they’re destined to fail hilariously. From messy file names to endless font choices, we embrace the chaos and keep designing anyway!

As regular readers will know, each month we roundup the best new designs of the previous 4 weeks. And now, at the end of the year, we’ve selected our 40 favourites from the monthly collections. All the sites chosen stand out in some way, whether that’s through the approach to a design problem, embracing a […]

Santa Claus is a master UX designer, seamlessly combining advanced technology, rigorous testing, and a touch of magic to deliver billions of gifts in one night. From analyzing questionable TikTok trends to perfecting chimney entry systems, his operation is a festive blend of humor, innovation, and holiday cheer.

Email accessibility is one of those few email design trends that are old but relevant even today! Email marketing experts hope to see senders paying close attention to building accessible emails. 

Not quite surprising, as the European Accessibility Act (EAA), effective June 28, 2025, mandates all digital products, including emails, be accessible to everyone, especially individuals with disabilities. 

Apart from being legally compliant, accessible emails help businesses avoid discrimination lawsuits, broaden their audience, and boost engagement and satisfaction.

Yes, of course; email accessibility is not necessarily increasing significant value to your organization’s profitability. But it does provide a way for you to humanize your brand. 

The implication is that it is cheaper in the long run to retain this audience than to acquire them in the future, according to Chad White, the head of Research, Oracle Digital Experience Agency.

Yet, there’s a glaring gap:  Only 8% of brands actively follow accessibility best practices, despite 77% saying it’s a priority. 

The good news is that creating accessible emails isn’t a question of requiring advanced code or the design overhaul. By having clean, user-friendly email designs, you shall be creating emails that are accessible across devices friendly and to those with assistive technologies.

In this blog, we will walk you through the best practices you have to follow to create more accessible emails in 2025 and beyond. 

Top 5 Effective Strategies To Design Accessible Emails In 2025

Email accessibility is the practice of designing and structuring email content so that it is easily accessed, read, and interacted with by everyone, including people with disabilities or those using assistive technologies. 

The veteran email marketing agency Email Uplers asserts email accessibility to be one of the 13 design trends shaping the email marketing sphere in 2025. 

That’s why Matt Helbig from Really Good Emails said this—which we love so much we are sharing it here- “Treat the inbox as a sacred, personal, and safe place. You should be responsible for what you send to your audience in this place.” 

If the thought of not being able to email someone doesn’t get you to embrace email accessibility, we don’t know what does.

If you’re planning to design an accessible email campaign by the year 2025, here are some tips you’ll need to follow. 

1. Create Copy That’s Clear and Concise

Not just accessibility, but even from the usability point of view, it is never advisable to overload the email copy with as much information as possible. They render your sent emails inaccessible  to recipients with cognitive issues, reading difficulties, visual impairments, and similar issues. 

Instead:

• Follow the standards set by WCAG guidelines. 
• Opt for a subject line that is clear, inclusive, and easy to understand for all recipients, including those using screen readers. Also, don’t overdo emojis; one or two max, preferably at the end. Choose them to signal purpose but not replace words. 
• Ask your copywriter to choose short, easier-to-read sentences over long, complicated ones. Avoid complicated sentence structures. Simplicity is always desirable. 
• Minimize on the use of complex terms and jargon.  
• Assume that the audience is an 8th grader so avoid using very complex language.
• Translate email copy into local languages if you send campaigns to global audiences.
• Keep the layout easy to navigate. Break up the longer text into smaller sections. Left-aligned text is easier to read.
• There is also a word on font size; the experts suggest a font size of no less than 16 to make the email readable on a smartphone screens. Set the line spacing to 150%. 
• Some good options for accessible fonts are Sans Serif, Comic Sans, OpenDyslexic, Arial, Calibri, Open Sans Verdana, Tahoma, Century Gothic, etc. 
• Check the readability level with the help of online tools for checking readability of the copy. Yoast, Grammarly, and Hemingway Editor are things most copywriters cannot afford to work without. 

2. Prioritize High Contrast Between Text and Background 

Appropriate color contrast is non-negotiable for email accessibility. Anything outside of that makes your emails hard to read for those with vision impairment or colour blindness. 

How to get it right?

• Follow WCAG guidelines. It recommends a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for standard text and 3:1 for larger text. These ratios generally work well to ensure readability for most users.

Image Source: Email On Acid

• Choose colors thoughtfully. Black text on a white background offers a perfect 21:1 ratio. But you can still use colors like red, yellow, or green, provided they offer contrast as per accessibility standards.
• Test your accessible email designs. Tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker help you ensure your emails meet the required contrast levels.
• Don’t rely on color alone. You can make important elements stand out with other visual cues like bold font weights, larger sizes, or underlines. 

3. Add Alt Text to All Images 

Make alt text a design norm for making images accessible in emails. Users with visual impairments can not see the images and will need alternative text that communicates with them about them. 

Image Source: Mailjet

Rather, you should use alt text for all recipients, not just those visually impaired. Whether they have slow internet, have images turned off, or have security settings. For instance, if the image is blocked due to slow internet access, the recipient will never be aware of its content.

Alt text helps them access the content and provides context to the visuals.

Best Practices for Using Alt Text for Email Accessibility:

• Alt text should describe images’ content and function. That, too, in a way that gives the reader a clear picture of what it is in a descriptive yet concise manner. 
• Do not write alt text that exceeds 100 characters. Screen readers typically don’t read after that. 
• Informative images are to offer additional information to subscribers beyond the copy. The alt text about such images should explain what is written on and inside the image if not explained in another section. 
• Active images are meant to prompt certain actions from subscribers. For such images, use alt text that describes the action the image performs. For example, “Click here to read more” or “Add to cart.”
• Decorative images (e.g., a background image) have the sole purpose of designing the email. They are not for providing any further information to subscribers. Do not enter anything in the alt text area as, for example, alt =”” otherwise it will read out the source of the image and be very annoying to the users. 
• Do not begin the alt text with “image of” or “picture of.” The screen reader already knows that what is being read to him is an image. Rather, one should pay attention to what an image is supposed to perform.

4. Leverage ARIA Attributes for Enhanced Accessibility

ARIA stands for Accessible Rich Internet Applications. 

These attributes are the descriptive information that only the assistive technologies such as the screen readers can understand.  Since they are hidden, your email design stays the same even if you implement them in the actual email code. 

You can make good use of ARIA to make your emails more accessible to a broader audience in different ways. 

Use attribute role=”presentation” for tables used in email layouts. This way, you cue the screen readers to treat these tables as structural elements rather than data tables. This makes a huge difference in how screen readers interpret the table and improves the reading experience, especially for visually challenged users. 

Next, you can apply aria-hidden=”true” to conceal decorative elements like spacers, shadows, or any content that does not add value. This keeps screen readers from focusing on unnecessary items. 

We also recommend you to apply roles like role=”header”, role=”footer”, or role=”article” to define different blocks in your email. This ensures accessibility when some email clients do not fully support HTML5 tags like

or

. 

However, be mindful that ARIA isn’t universally supported across all email clients. Some may interpret these attributes differently. Hence, you should test your emails to ensure the attributes work as intended. 

5. Use Semantic HTML for Accessible Email Design

Semantic HTML provides meaning to your accessible email codes by accurately describing the element you are coding. This gives meaningful structure to your email content, helping assistive technologies navigate and consume content easily. 

How to apply semantic HTML effectively:

• Headings for Structure

Use

to

tags to define headings and subheadings where

is the largest and main title and

is the smallest sub-title. 

• Paragraphs for Text

Use

tags for blocks of text, such as descriptions. These tags ensure that the content is read correctly and maintains proper spacing. For shorter pieces of inline text, consider using .

• Quotes for Testimonials

If inserting customer quotes, do it with the help of a

tag and indicate that the content is a quote. Use it with the tag to give attribution for the source. 

• Links for CTAs

is the correct semantic element for interactive actions. However, it lacks universal support across email clients. That is why when creating a call to action, or CTA, we suggest using styled (anchor) tags. 

• Proper Document Structure

You would also want to include essential tags like , , and in your email’s code. Close all open tags to prevent errors that could disrupt screen readers.

Wrapping Up 

Email accessibility will become one of the top priorities for brands in 2025 as they strive to ensure every customer can access information, interact with their brand, and build lasting relationships. It means breaking down barriers and creating inclusive experiences.

Designing accessible emails isn’t as complicated as people would think. A few straightforward adjustments—like the tips featured in this guide—can make a significant impact. 

Yet, without prior experience, the process might feel overwhelming.

In such cases, partnering with a professional email design agency can be a smarter business move. They bring the expertise to craft accessible emails that resonate with all audiences.

When you look at the positive impact it makes on the subscriber’s experience and your brand’s reputation, you know that it’s worth it. 

Featured Image by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

The post Email Accessibility: How To Embrace This Design Trend For 2025 And Beyond appeared first on noupe.

Xmas.Piclooks.com is a quirky website that generates hilariously bad Christmas movie posters and plots along with equally absurd fake reviews. Perfect for spreading holiday laughs, it’s a festive parody of all the over-the-top holiday movie clichés we love to mock.

Santa Tracker 2024 brings holiday magic to life with cutting-edge features like augmented reality, personalized messages from Santa, and real-time weather updates, making it more interactive and engaging than ever. This beloved tradition continues to unite families worldwide, blending technology and festive cheer to keep the Christmas spirit alive.

2024 has been one of the greatest years for CSS: cross-document view transitions, scroll-driven animations, anchor positioning, animate to height: auto, and many others. It seems out of touch to ask, but what else do we want from CSS? Well, many things!

We put our heads together and came up with a few ideas… including several of yours.

Geoff’s wishlist

I’m of the mind that we already have a BUNCH of wonderful CSS goodies these days. We have so many wonderful — and new! — things that I’m still wrapping my head around many of them.

But! There’s always room for one more good thing, right? Or maybe room for four new things. If I could ask for any new CSS features, these are the ones I’d go for.

1. A conditional if() statement

It’s coming! Or it’s already here if you consider that the CSS Working Group (CSSWG) resolved to add an if() conditional to the CSS Values Module Level 5 specification. That’s a big step forward, even if it takes a year or two (or more?!) to get a formal definition and make its way into browsers.

My understanding about if() is that it’s a key component for achieving Container Style Queries, which is what I ultimately want from this. Being able to apply styles conditionally based on the styles of another element is the white whale of CSS, so to speak. We can already style an element based on what other elements it :has() so this would expand that magic to include conditional styles as well.

2. CSS mixins

This is more of a “nice-to-have” feature because I feel its squarely in CSS Preprocessor Territory and believe it’s nice to have some tooling for light abstractions, such as writing functions or mixins in CSS. But I certainly wouldn’t say “no” to having mixins baked right into CSS if someone was offering it to me. That might be the straw that breaks the CSS preprocessor back and allows me to write plain CSS 100% of the time because right now I tend to reach for Sass when I need a mixin or function.

I wrote up a bunch of notes about the mixins proposal and its initial draft in the specifications to give you an idea of why I’d want this feature.

3. // inline comments

Yes, please! It’s a minor developer convenience that brings CSS up to par with writing comments in other languages. I’m pretty sure that writing JavaScript comments in my CSS should be in my list of dumbest CSS mistakes (even if I didn’t put it in there).

4. font-size: fit

I just hate doing math, alright?! Sometimes I just want a word or short heading sized to the container it’s in. We can use things like clamp() for fluid typesetting, but again, that’s math I can’t be bothered with. You might think there’s a possible solution with Container Queries and using container query units for the font-size but that doesn’t work any better than viewport units.

Ryan’s wishlist

I’m just a simple, small-town CSS developer, and I’m quite satisfied with all the new features coming to browsers over the past few years, what more could I ask for?

5. Anchor positioning in more browsers!

I don’t need anymore convincing on CSS anchor positioning, I’m sold! After spending much of the month of November learning how it works, I went into December knowing I won’t really get to use it for a while.

As we close out 2024, only Chromium-based browsers have support, and fallbacks and progressive enhancements are not easy, unfortunately. There is a polyfill available (which is awesome), however, that does mean adding another chunk of JavaScript, contrasting what anchor positioning solves.

I’m patient though, I waited a long time for :has to come to browsers, which has been “newly available” in Baseline for a year now (can you believe it?).

6. Promoting elements to the #top-layer without popover?

I like anchor positioning, I like popovers, and they go really well together!

The neat thing with popovers is how they appear in the #top-layer, so you get to avoid stacking issues related to z-index. This is probably all most would need with it, but having some other way to move an element there would be interesting. Also, now that I know that the #top-layer exists, I want to do more with it — I want to know what’s up there. What’s really going on?

Well, I probably should have started at the spec. As it turns out, the CSS Position Layout Module Level 4 draft talks about the #top-layer, what it’s useful for, and ways to approach styling elements contained within it. Interestingly, the #top-layer is controlled by the user agent and seems to be a byproduct of the Fullscreen API.

Dialogs and popovers are the way to go for now but, optimistically speaking, these features existing might mean it’s possible to promote elements to the #top-layer in future ways. This very well may be a coyote/roadrunner-type situation, as I’m not quite sure what I’d do with it once I get it.

7. Adding a layer attribute to tags

Personally speaking, Cascade Layers have changed how I write CSS. One thing I think would be ace is if we could include a layer attribute on a tag. Imagine being able to include a CSS reset in your project like:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.com/some/reset.css" layer="reset">

Or, depending on the page visited, dynamically add parts of CSS, blended into your cascade layers:

<!-- 
Global styles with layers defined, such as:
 @layer reset, typography, components, utilities;
-->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/styles/main.css"> 

<!-- Add only to pages using card components  -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/components/card.css" layer="components">

This feature was proposed over on the CSSWG’s repo, and like most things in life: it’s complicated.

Browsers are especially finicky with attributes they don’t know, plus definite concerns around handling fallbacks. The topic was also brought over to the W3C Technical Architecture Group (TAG) for discussion as well, so there’s still hope!

Juandi’s Wishlist

I must admit this, I wasn’t around when the web was wild and people had hit counters. In fact, I think I am pretty young compared to your average web connoisseur. While I do know how to make a layout using float (the first web course I picked up was pretty outdated), I didn’t have to suffer long before using things like Flexbox or CSS Grid and never grinded my teeth against IE and browser support.

So, the following wishes may seem like petty requests compared to the really necessary features the web needed in the past — or even some in the present. Regardless, here are my three petty requests I would wish to see in 2025:

8. Get the children count and index as an integer

This is one of those things that you swear it should already be possible with just CSS. The situation is the following: I find myself wanting to know the index of an element between its siblings or the total number of children. I can’t use the counter() function since sometimes I need an integer instead of a string. The current approach is either hardcoding an index on the HTML:

<ul>
  <li style="--index: 0">Milk</li>
  <li style="--index: 1">Eggs</li>
  <li style="--index: 2">Cheese</li>
</ul>

Or alternatively, write each index in CSS:

li:nth-child(1) { --index: 0; }
li:nth-child(2) { --index: 1; }
li:nth-child(3) { --index: 2; }

Either way, I always leave with the feeling that it should be easier to reference this number; the browser already has this info, it’s just a matter of exposing it to authors. It would make prettier and cleaner code for staggering animations, or simply changing the styles based on the total count.

Luckily, there is a already proposal in Working Draft for sibling-count() and sibling-index() functions. While the syntax may change, I do hope to hear more about them in 2025.

ul > li {
  background-color: hsl(sibling-count() 50% 50%);
}

ul > li {
  transition-delay: calc(sibling-index() * 500ms);
}

9. A way to balance flex-wrap

I’m stealing this one from Adam Argyle, but I do wish for a better way to balance flex-wrap layouts. When elements wrap one by one as their container shrinks, they either are left alone with empty space (which I don’t dislike) or grow to fill it (which hurts my soul):

I wish for a more native way of balancing wrapping elements:

It’s definitely annoying.

10. An easier way to read/research CSSWG discussions

I am a big fan of the CSSWG and everything they do, so I spent a lot of time reading their working drafts, GitHub issues, or notes about their meetings. However, as much as I love jumping from link to link in their GitHub, it can be hard to find all the related issues to a specific discussion.

I think this raises the barrier of entry to giving your opinion on some topics. If you want to participate in an issue, you should have the big picture of all the discussion (what has been said, why some things don’t work, others to consider, etc) but it’s usually scattered across several issues or meetings. While issues can be lengthy, that isn’t the problem (I love reading them), but rather not knowing part of a discussion existed somewhere in the first place.

So, while it isn’t directly a CSS wish, I wish there was an easier way to get the full picture of the discussion before jumping in.

What’s on your wishlist?

We asked! You answered! Here are a few choice selections from the crowd:

• Rotate direct background-images, like background-rotate: 180deg
• CSS random(), with params for range, spread, and type
• A CSS anchor position mode that allows targeting the mouse cursor, pointer, or touch point positions
• A string selector to query a certain word in a block of text and apply styling every time that word occurs
• A native .visually-hidden class.
• position: sticky with a :stuck pseudo

Wishing you a great 2025…

CSS-Tricks trajectory hasn’t been the most smooth these last years, so our biggest wish for 2025 is to keep writing and sparking discussions about the web. Happy 2025!

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A CSS Wishlist for 2025 originally published on CSS-Tricks, which is part of the DigitalOcean family. You should get the newsletter.