Minimalist Web Design: Why Less Is More

As web designers we are constantly fighting the battle against clutter and overload, whether it’s on our own website or it’s a design for a client. The design of a website needs to enhance its purpose by putting the focus on the content whilst being able to be used and viewed by everyone. Taking the time to ensure no detail is left overlooked produces a much more effective and attractive website. We will discuss your main objectives on your website, the attention to detail, less = more, and finally finding the balance between cluttered and minimalist.

Our Online Objective

First is first, if already live, does your website have objective and if it is not yet developed, what is your objective? Your website needs a clearly defined purpose and objective to eliminate any confusion, from the first project brief to completion of the project.

By clearly defining your objective at the early stages you create a uniform and systematic approach to your online presence. It creates relevance, maturity and professionalism.

When we design a website we look at every detail, every pixel of the design is scrutinised to ensure nothing is out of place. Just remember, what you remove from the website is just as important to what you put in.

Your website becomes much more relevant and its content become much more pleasing to the eye when you remove the fluff and put in substance. Have you ever listened to the parliament? Julia Gillard gets up and speaks for 10 minutes when she could have just said a simple “yes” or “no”. As a web agency we are frequently amazed to see some of Australia’s most established brands with poorly designed or outdated websites.

Many businesses still don’t place enough importance on current content on websites built based on current web design and development practice. Having a poorly designed website is like a poorly organised, messy or dirty store, and your visitors will judge you based on the appearance and most likely leave your website resulting in loss of business.

Communication and Professionalism

A website needs to look professional and adhere to your corporate branding. A well designed website instantly communicates your message and provides a call to action which plans a path forward for your client. An experienced web design agency can create a path that leads to your customers making the decision to contact you, fill out a form, or make a purchase. In other words, a well designed website can act like a seasoned sales person that asks the right questions, informs the lead, and finally asks for their business.

There is of course a lot more involved than just design for a website to be successful, the content needs to be able to articulate your message to the user in a way that the user understands. Your website’s homepage should instantly tell the viewer all the details required.