Website design is very much an art form. You can’t pursue it with a copy-and-paste mentality, in which you precisely mimic what everyone else is doing.
You may, however, identify and apply some of the major principles that can be spotted in operation throughout the industry. One of the recent trends has involved a shift to minimalist web design.
What is Minimalist Web Design?
Minimalist web design is basically a style that focuses on simplified interfaces and as frictionless a user experience as possible. It typically includes details such as:
- Plenty of negative space
- Hidden and/or discrete navigation
- Simple color schemes (no more than three colors)
- Compelling shadows and textures
- Singular calls to action
- Friendly and intuitive interfaces
The ultimate goal is to do more with less, so your brand will cut through the noise and connect with your audience.
Six Benefits of Minimalist Web Design
Are you uncertain whether the transition to minimalist web design is right for you? Here are six of the top benefits you might reap:
1. Fewer Visual Distractions
The biggest benefit of minimalist design is that it reduces the number of distractions that readily confuse and distract website visitors. If you can remove these details, all that should be left is your branding and unique selling position (USP). As long as you have a compelling message and you’re driving the right traffic to your site, this will result in a higher conversion rate.
2. Greater Brand Clarity
The Internet is a terribly noisy arena. Consumers are exposed to thousands of messages on a daily basis.
Getting someone to drop into your website is a huge initial win. The last thing you want is to confuse people once they’re on your site.
Minimalist website design ensures a high degree of brand clarity. It cuts out the fluff and focuses on the meat.
Not every visitor will resonate with your message, but at least the communication will be clear and direct. (There are few or no visual distractions to get in the way of this.)
3. Superior UX and UI
So much of a website’s success depends on the user experience (UX). Users respond to effortless and intuitive encounters, but beauty only goes so far.
As DEV.co explains, “An attractive design is only part of the equation. If you want your visitors to convert, you have to take them on a journey. That journey is guided by a strong user interface (UI).”
Minimalist websites are celebrated for providing both effective UX and UI. They don’t just look good – they perform well.
Barriers (such as popups and cluttered design) have been removed, and clear, consistent calls to action take their place. The emphasis is on engagement rather than observation.
4. Less Ongoing Maintenance
When a website is bloated and complex, ongoing maintenance becomes more necessary. Certain elements are regularly apt to break down and the site owner has to depend on regular updates and optimization to ensure everything functions and remains secure.
Given a minimalist website design, there’s less of a need for ongoing maintenance. In fact, your website might be able to run weeks or months without any major tweaks (other than simple changes to copy for new offers).
This alleviates a lot of the pressure associated with managing the website, and frees you up to focus on engaging with your audience, which is where the real action is.
5. Easy Navigation
Minimalist websites tend to feature fewer pages and/or more streamlined navigation. That creates a simpler and more powerful website experience, through which users are able to find what they desire without as much friction.
Occasionally, a minimalist website will consist of a single page, plus a blog. These parallax scrolling sites mimic landing pages in the sense that everything is located in one place.
This effectively lowers bounce rates by minimizing the friction that builds when visitors are compelled to navigate between multiple pages.
6. Faster Page Loading Speed
In the most practical sense, minimalist web design is lighter and less resource-intensive. This allows pages to load quicker, which has been shown to improve conversion rates dramatically and, as a result, enhance SEO efforts.
Adding it All Up
It’s easy to regard minimalist web design as just another fad. However, it’s not going anywhere fast. Minimalism might be having a moment, but it’s timeless.
By investing in a sleek, frictionless website today, you can reap these benefits for years to come. Now’s the time you should take the plunge!
Article Submitted By Community Writer
