There are more than a few billion websites out there. It’s understandable that people can be a little picky about which ones they visit.
That’s one of the reasons first impressions are so important. From the second someone lays eyes on your website, they’re judging it. Design has an enormous impact, helping a visitor decide if they can trust your site.
That’s why it’s so important to have a clean website design today. You want to impress your visitors, so you need something that’s professional-looking.
You don’t have an unlimited budget, though, and you’re not sure you can hire a professional. These tips are just what you’ve been looking for. With them, you’ll learn how to design a website even the pros will be impressed by.
Clean Website Design Relies on Simplicity
The KISS principle, which is all about simplicity, applies to a lot of things in life. Website design is one of those things.
Simplicity can do a number of things for a website. First, it can help your visitors make sense of your page. A simple design directs their attention where it needs to go.
It also helps them find out what they need to do. If the only text on a page is “click here,” chances are your visitors will do just that.
Make Navigation the Priority
When someone lands on your page, they want to know what they need to do or where to go next. Navigation should be laid out in a way that makes it obvious how people should get from A to B.
Don’t make people hunt for the information they want. Hiding menus or making it unclear where a button leads will only frustrate people.
If users can’t find what they want with ease, they’ll leave the page.
Put More Content Above the Fold
In website design, there’s an idea called “the fold.” This is a holdover from newspapers, but the idea is that people will spend more time on the content above the fold.
The fold on a website is the bottom border of a web browser’s window. Anything that’s below the fold isn’t immediately visible to the user.
Studies have shown people pay more attention to content above the fold. That means you should make the most of it. Your most important content should be in this position.
Clean up the Clutter
You want to put more content above the fold, but that doesn’t mean you should cram everything into a tiny space.
Instead, think about reducing clutter. You can increase the use of white space to give different elements of the page space to “breathe.” White space encourages people to rest their eyes.
It also emphasizes the content around it. That makes it easier to spot icons or calls-to-action.
Big, splashy images and clean text are also key to a sleek design. Think about creating a central focus point for the visitor. What do you want them to see when they arrive?
Typography Matters for Web Design
The next of our website design tips might seems a bit old-fashioned. Typography is still important on your site.
The size, weight, and color of type can indicate importance. A bold heading in 30-point font commands attention over text set at 18 points. People actually read by perceived importance, not by the position of text on the page.
The actual typeface you’re using also has an impact. Many businesses favor sans serif fonts for display type. Logos and headings may be set in a sans serif.
Serifs are traditionally used for body text. They can help the eye move between letters, reducing reader fatigue. Many businesses are experimenting with them to create retro designs.
Your Artist’s Palette
Another key to website design is the color scheme you use. Colors can highlight important information or draw attention to certain elements.
Contrast draws the eye. Think about black and white. The contrast makes black text stand out on a white background.
You can also create contrast between bright colors and neutral ones. Hot pink text on a beige background is easy to read and interesting to look at.
You can use changes in color to show different sections or kinds of content. Also, keep in mind that the changes don’t need to be drastic. A subtle hue change or even a texture can be enough to signal the transition.
Be Consistent
Perhaps the most important of all web design tips is to be consistent. Don’t use one color scheme on your homepage, then switch it up for something entirely different on your blog.
The same is true of fonts and graphic elements. If you put your menu at the top of the page under a hamburger icon, you should do that for every page. If you decide to put the menu at the bottom on one page, your visitors may feel a bit disoriented.
Make Your Calls to Action Clear
If you want to know how to make a good website, you’ll want to tuck this tip under your cap. Make your calls to action clear.
It’s very simple advice, but many sites don’t handle CTAs well. It may not be clear to the user where they need to click or what they need to do next.
If the user can’t figure out how to submit their newsletter sign-up form, they’re not going to sign up.
The same is true of an eCommerce site. If your visitors can’t find out where to enter their payment information, they’re going to abandon their carts.
How do you make a call to action clear? Online marketing for door industry tips have it right. Put it in a bright button that clearly states what it does:
- Contact us
- Request a quote
- Submit form
Build a Better Website for Your Business
Clean website design looks impressive, but it’s not as difficult to achieve as you might think. With these tips in hand, you’ll be well on your way to building a great website.
Looking for more insightful articles about building the best website possible? We have plenty of how-to's and tips in our Web Dev section.
