Why It Makes Sense to Design Simple Websites

15 March 2021

Every website has a purpose, and at the root of it, that purpose is to provide an excellent user experience. That demands that sites interact with their users in the most effective way, maximizing each interaction to motivate the user toward the end goal.

If there are a lot of different elements all jockeying for attention, though, the design of the website itself could interfere with that goal.

That’s where simple website design comes in.

What Is Simple Web Design?

Simply put, simple web design limits the design features of the site to only those that are necessary in order to get the point across.

That doesn’t mean that simple websites are boring, necessarily. They can be effectively and aesthetically designed just like any other type of site. But the necessary information is the focus of a simple site, and the way it is presented shouldn’t distract from the information itself.

Simple design has always been popular, and is regularly included in lists of web design trends. The reason it keeps coming back? Because it’s effective!

Website design certainly isn’t alone in this. Simple and minimal design is a recurring trend among all different arenas of graphic design, from logos to branding.

So what are the perks of designing a simple site?

Simple website designs:

• Contribute to UX by being easier to navigate
• Help boost your search engine ranking by loading faster
• Are often seen as the most aesthetically pleasing
• Make CTAs more effective
• Are easier to adapt for mobile devices

Simple Websites Are Easier To Navigate

This perk is fairly self-explanatory. The fewer the elements on your pages, the easier it is to find the navigation, and the more likely your visitor is to spend time on the information that they’re looking for.

Simplicity of design also means that the visitor will find it easier to locate what they’re looking for.

Overall, improved navigation and clear information help with the user experience, meaning that your site visitors will be satisfied after a visit, not frustrated.

Simple Design Boosts Search Engine Rankings

One of the main components of search engine rankings is how quickly your site loads. The average load time, according to Google Analytics, is three seconds; any more than that, and the bounce rate for any given page goes up by 57%! 

In order to keep your load times short and your bounce rate down, a simple, stripped-down web design works best. It means that you won’t be forcing your page to load tons of images, videos, and other elements — not that you can’t use these in your design, as this type of content is important to interest, visits, and shareability.

But if you tackle those elements from a “simple design” standpoint, it will help you to limit them to what is really most effective.

Simple Design Visuals Are Pleasing To The Eye

We like simple things. Complicated designs are cool to look at, but too many working pieces tend to turn us off; on the other hand, if something is simply and beautifully designed, we’re more likely to look at it for longer.

Exactly what you want for your site!

Websites are all about communicating information to the viewer. With simple design and carefully-chosen content, it cuts down on the amount of mental processing that your viewer has to do simply in order to receive the information, let alone comprehend it. That’s part of why simple design is commonly seen as more relaxing and soothing — it doesn’t make us work so hard.

And because of that, we tend to view those designs as more aesthetically pleasing.

Simple Design Makes CTAs Stand Out

Every good purpose-driven website contains calls to action in one form or another. How you frame your CTAs depends on your site, but one thing is true across the board: the more simple the design, the more effective the CTAs will be.

That’s simply because simple design makes the CTAs stand out. If you keep all the extraneous information to a minimum, your viewer will be far more likely to see the CTA, and more motivated to follow through on it, because they won’t be distracted by everything else that’s going on.

Simple Design Is Easier To Make Responsive

One last, and important, perk of simple design is that it lends itself well to creating responsive sites. This is important, as more and more internet users are turning to their tablets and cell phones for their browsing. By one estimate, 70% of internet time is spent on mobile devices!

Responsive design is quickly becoming a necessary design component as more visitors turn to other platforms to seek out information. Without a responsively-designed website, you run the risk of losing out on visitors, simply because your site doesn’t adapt when they view it on a mobile device and important design features are obscured or even lost entirely.

On the other hand, a site that is simply designed to begin with will be easier to navigate even if it isn’t responsive — and much easier to adapt into a responsive site.

Basically, it’s a win-win situation.

Overall, simple design is a popular design choice — not just because of aesthetics, but also because of the UX perks, as we’ve seen today. To make your site as effective and user friendly as possible, it’s worth giving serious consideration to designing it as simply as possible.

Writer Profile

Diligent, meticulous and having an avid understanding of the business dynamics, Hannah Williams works with clients who wants the best for their business. She’s a content strategist, a brand designer, and a corporate communication consultant.  Connect with her.