Simple websites are scientifically better: The power of minimalism in web design
Simple design isn’t always the best design, but when it comes to websites, simplicity can be a powerful tool. The key is knowing how to harness the right kind of simplicity in your web design so that your message can be conveyed and understood by your audience with ease and clarity, while also complementing your brand with minimal distractions and clutter. With these simple tips, you can learn how to make the most of simplicity in your web design – whether you’re just starting out or already have years of experience.
5 Reasons Why Minimalist Websites Beat Complex Ones
Minimalist websites offer many advantages over their complex counterparts. Here are just five reasons why simple is better.
There are numerous other advantages to getting a simpler website as well.
- It is easier for search engines to index smaller sites, so you can enjoy higher rankings with less effort than you would need if you were using larger images or Flash graphics that may require lots of programming work or plugins to run them properly.
- Simple sites also do not bog down servers as much as their larger competitors do, meaning you won’t get hit with high fees or service charges when your business starts growing rapidly.
- Simple Sites Appeal To Larger Audiences One obvious advantage that minimalist websites hold over complex ones is that they appeal to a wider audience.
- Simple Websites Are More Readable Since most people scan text rather than read it word-for-word, smaller fonts and fewer colors mean your site will be more readable overall. This allows visitors to absorb more information about what you offer without having to deal with extraneous fluff on every page.
- A minimalist website will have a smaller size, which means it will load faster and save your visitors time and bandwidth. Most people today browse on mobile devices where data usage is expensive; so keeping your site small could actually translate into more customers who view it because they aren’t having to worry about making sure their data allowance is not used up by an unnecessarily large site.
Clarity
Minimalist designs eliminate all but absolutely necessary content and features, making your website clear and easy to use. Clarity is crucial for small businesses that need to compete with giants like Amazon and Walmart – smaller businesses don’t have brands to protect or loyal customers to win over. Customers will make snap decisions about your business based on things like website load time, ease of navigation, and trustworthiness. Those quick-decision customers will not stay around if they find their experience confusing or frustrating; in fact, confusion can lead to 100% bounce rates at some businesses. If you want your small business to survive a full four years into 2022 (and beyond), you must invest in clarity.
Authority
When designing a website, it is important to remember who your users are and what goals they want to accomplish. You can create an image for your brand but ultimately you have to deliver on users’ needs. In 2022, small businesses will be searching online for answers about their problems; if those business owners find your simple site that addresses their problem, they will choose you over more complex sites. Optimize for clicks instead of impressions and make sure that whatever action you ask customers to take is easy and seamless. Making things as easy as possible isn’t just good usability, it’s good science!
Simplicity
Minimalist designs engage your customers more because they’re less distracting. Simplicity means that you’re giving them content and nothing else—you want to leave them wanting more. Simplicity also allows for faster load times, which is especially important as we move toward a mobile-first world. They’re also easier to maintain! A simple website can be updated much more quickly than a complicated one, reducing wasted time and resources. With so many reasons supporting minimalist site designs, it’s clear that business owners should start thinking about simplifying their own sites sooner rather than later.
Speed
A website that loads faster also encourages your visitors to stay longer and browse more pages. According to Statistic Brain, a page load time longer than 3 seconds results in a 7% drop off for e-commerce sites. To put that into perspective, if you have 100 visitors per day, then you’re losing an average of 14 potential customers per month! In today’s fast-paced business world, nobody has time for slow websites.
Less Work For The Mind
Studies have shown that our minds work best when we do less. This Less is More approach appears to apply to all areas of life, and it’s especially relevant for website design. More isn’t always better; clutter can actually distract from your message and become more work for people to process. Think about how a messy living room or kitchen affects your ability to focus on a favorite TV show or cook a meal. It’s harder, right? With fewer distractions around you, you can think more clearly and solve problems quicker (or at least be happier when they’re resolved). When it comes to designing a business website in 2022, you’ll achieve both objectives by embracing minimalism.
Is Minimalism Right For My Business?
Minimalism can be a major draw for many companies; some businesses will be more successful using a minimalist website, while others will want to give it a pass. It’s important to take an honest look at your business and its goals when deciding whether or not it’s right for you. Consider these questions before you commit to adding or updating your website in hopes of making it more simple and minimalistic
