Every year, it feels like websites are getting more creative. In just the last decade, for example, web design has transformed into more of an art form than a digital platform. It’s an industry where the right and left-side of your brain must work seamlessly together and, when done correctly, it can lead to stunning results.
This isn’t to say that websites should be all looks and no substance. We all know that real beauty is on the inside—except the server-side of a website isn’t always so sexy—even our devs will tell you that. Therefore, it’s essential to marry the two components together to create something truly unique and functional.
Good design + web development = attractive, optimized website that users love.
Today, web design is evolving faster than ever. But our web developers and graphic designers at Brandography continue to agree on one thing: a website should be simple, clean and optimized to help guide the users’ journey.
3 Elements of a Clean Website Design
Below, we’ve listed a few tips on how to keep your site’s design clean and timeless, so users can enjoy a seamless experience whenever they visit.
1.) Less Is More
It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised at how often people like to clutter their websites with popup features that command “sign up for a newsletter” or with stock images and graphics stacked on top of each other.
Since your site is the virtual store front of your brand, let’s use the following scenario: imagine driving past a restaurant or retail store that is covered with banner signs advertising “15% Off” or “Free Delivery on First Orders.” Though you appreciate the information, the presentation is…well, kind of messy. We know you want your customers to know about your amazing offerings, but too much advertising upfront can quickly turn them off.
Neil Patel says it best: “Busy designs lose their allure and become dated quickly.” We couldn’t agree more!
We recommend breaking a website down to its bare essentials. We know it sounds scary at first. But aside from decreasing a site’s load time, this tip will help you remove any unnecessary elements and create a clean website design that improves the user experience.
2.) Professional Custom Photography
There is nothing more frustrating than going to a webpage and seeing a stock photo that you used in a blog post six years earlier. Brands are increasingly realizing the importance of custom high quality visuals on their website. Even if it’s a picture of your team brainstorming during a creative session or sitting at the kitchen for a coffee break, professional quality photos can give your website a personal and credible feel. They can also tell a story about your brand’s culture.
Note: This isn’t to say you can’t use stock images for blog posts or pillar content. This is typically recurring content about a particular subject, so as long as you find a quality image to match the topic, there isn’t a real issue here. You just don’t want to rely on these same images to tell your brand’s story on the rest of the site.
Just remember to keep all images consistent. For example, don’t use stock images on a blog post and then suddenly switch to illustrations, especially if that is not on target with your brand.
3.) White Space Is Never a Bad Thing
Just like people feel the need to fill up awkward silences with endless chatter, most websites don’t utilize the power of white space (or negative space). The trust is it’s more afraid of you than you are of it.
White space is used between layouts, different UI elements, and even between lines of a single paragraph.
Most people tend to think of it as “blank space,” but you can always make white space a different color to match your brand’s color patterns. White space is used to help break up text, images, and other design elements, so it’s easier to scan and focus on the page.
Remember in college, when we were too cheap to buy hardcovers, so we purchased paperbacks instead? What happened next? We all had to suffer reading through smaller text that hurt our eyes and made us lose focus. The same can happen on your site, too.
Looking for More Clean Website Ideas?
Simplicity is key to great website design. In fact, it’s one design trend that never goes out of style. If you need help redesigning your website or building one from scratch, we have the team, strategy, and tools to make it a success.
To get started, contact us for a consultation. We look forward to giving you a site your users love looking at year after year.