Website Design - 28 Aug 2019

How A Simplified Website Can Attract More Customers

Complicated websites may look interesting to the eye, but they’re not very efficient in helping you reach your business goals. This is because the complexity of these sites often leaves web users frustrated; or worse, they go and visit the competition.

There are lots of benefits to having a simple website design. A clean design layout can remarkably boost your sales and improve your conversion rate. Why? Because the value of basic attracts visitors and delivers useful data faster. This is also why many e-commerce websites stick to a minimalist design strategy: no clutter, no popups, no distractions.

Simplicity doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have an aesthetically pleasing design. On the contrary, it means that your website must be visually appealing and easy enough to use and understand.

Applying simplicity to your design typically involves the exclusion of unnecessary elements, such as codes and content that don’t enhance the user’s experience. The result is always a more straightforward and easier to use website for your visitors.

Creating a minimalist website design requires high expertise. It’s branding on steroids, cleaned from unnecessary words, colours, shapes and features. This means understanding the specific business goal of a website and striving to reach the main target audience.

Simplicity forces people to think wisely about design from a business point of view. You have to be very precise about what are you trying to convey, then adjust your goals to your users’ personality, your target platform, devices, and scope metrics.

7 ways to create a simpler website:

1. Study your audience and the websites they visit the most. Look for case studies on design changes from said sites and how those affected vital areas.

2. Create a blueprint for your website with all the “working” components you uncover.

3. Follow the rules of cognitive fluency when you lay out your design. Put things where visitors expect to find them.

4. Rely on your colours, logo, and typeface to communicate precisely and subtly. Don’t add copy or images unless they communicate something your visitor cares about.

5. When in doubt, less is more. One large image is better than a bunch of little ones; one column instead of three; more white space instead of more “stuff.”

6. Make sure your site meets the expectations for pricing, aesthetics, speed, etc.

7. Retain uniqueness. A “templated” site doesn’t mean that every aspect of your website should fit that layout.

When your website is designed at the bare minimum, every detail counts. From colour palettes to design components and content, always keep in mind that people are overwhelmed by choices, and the smallest thing can make them drop off your website.