Advantages of a simple web design

Simplicity in web design doesn’t necessarily mean a minimalist design aesthetic. Simple websites usually get rid of all unnecessary elements from the design, code and content. There are many minimalist websites that fit these criteria, however, there are plenty of those that don’t. Minimalist website doesn’t always fit the definition simple. Now let’s view those benefits that simplified website designs have got over elaborate web designs.

1. Easier to navigate and maintain. Simple websites don’t have excessive information. This helps navigation in two ways: firstly, such websites have got fewer pages and sections; secondly, the design doesn’t look that cluttered and the navigation elements can be found with less effort. If you see that usability of your website is very confusing and complicated, it’s essential to simplify the design. Here are some recommendations how you can simplify the navigation system.

• Make sure that your navigation system is consistent through the entire website;
• Use only one navigation menu;
• Dropdowns for navigation will clutter the design and make navigation very difficult. Incorporate the navigational elements into the site’s design. By doing so, you create a clear and simple navigation system.

2. Simple designs load faster. Simple designs result in smaller sizes. Besides, if you keep your code simple and streamlined, you’re less likely to be calling multiple stylesheets or lots of other content that increases the number of HTTP requests that your website makes.

3. It’s the content what the robots scan. Too many decorative elements on the site put the content on the background. That’s a bad practice. Content should be put to the forefront where the visitors as well as search engine robots can easily scan it.

4. Simple sites are easier to build. Aim to keep you code as simple as it’s only possible. Designing a website that’s got just a few web page templates is a very quick process. But make sure your website doesn’t only look simple but function in an effective and simple way too.

Simplify your website!

Get rid of all those unnecessary decorative elements that clutter the design. Many website designs contain a big number of decorative elements that actually serve no purpose at all. The elements that could be removed from the site are image borders, drop shadows, extra illustrative images.

Question importance of each element on the site. Take one more look at your design and check out whether you could combine certain elements. Maybe you could even combine styles to simplify the stylesheets.

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