5 Tips for Clean Website Design
When it comes to designing a website, you want there to be as few distractions as possible. The “cleaner” the design is, the more you can push visitors to focus on your specific calls to action. But with so many different design suggestions and techniques, how can you keep things simple?
Embrace the Power of Whitespace
Whitespace, often referred to as negative space, is the portion of a page that’s left undesigned. It’s the space between graphics, margins, and gutters. It’s also the space between columns and lines of text.
Though it might seem less important than the “designed” elements, whitespace is actually a pretty crucial element in web design. For one, it helps reduce something marketing psychologists call “cognitive overload.” (The less cluttered the site, the easier it is for visitors to process the information presented.) Secondly, it looks better and more organized than having every pixel of the page filled up with a graphic or textual element.
The Cetaris website is a great example of how white space can be leveraged for a powerful visual effect. Notice how the presence of white space allows the images and icons to really pop off the page.
As you prioritize clean website design, you can use whitespace to your advantage to emphasize essential elements like your calls to action, forms, and important text.
Choose a Consistent Color Palette
Picking the right color palette is more than just choosing your favorite colors – it’s about setting a mood and creating an effective visual hierarchy. You can establish a level of cohesiveness that reflects your brand’s values.
When designing your website, select a color palette that reflects your brand but is also pleasing to the eye and easy to interpret. Limiting your palette to two or three primary colors can help maintain a clean look. You can also use contrasting colors for text and background to ensure readability and highlight key areas of your site without overwhelming your visitors with too many hues.
Select Readable Typography
The type of font you choose plays a key role in how clean your website looks and feels. Opt for fonts that are easy to read and keep your typography consistent across the site. This doesn’t mean you can’t use different fonts. Rather, each font should have a clear purpose (like headers vs. body text) and complement each other well. Stick to one or two font families to maintain simplicity and cohesiveness, and be sure to pay attention to font size and line spacing to enhance the overall readability of your text.
Streamline Your Navigation
Navigation is a very important aspect of your website’s design. A complex or confusing navigation setup can frustrate visitors and cause them to bounce prematurely. To keep your design clean and user-friendly, streamline your navigation. Here are a few ways to do this:
- Limit the number of menu items as much as possible and organize them in a logical, intuitive order.
- Include a search bar to help users find what they need quickly.
- Include commonly referenced links in your footer (such as the About and Contact Us pages).
By simplifying navigation, you ensure that visitors can easily find their way around your site, making for a smoother and more enjoyable user experience.
Prioritize Mobile Responsiveness
Your website needs to look good and function well on all devices, especially smartphones and tablets. A mobile-responsive design makes sure your site automatically adjusts to fit the screen it’s being viewed on, providing a seamless experience for mobile users. Without this, you might end up with a “clean” desktop design, but a crowded and disheveled mobile experience. Good mobile responsiveness helps eliminate awkward formatting and excessive scrolling while also improving your site’s accessibility and reach.
Enjoy the Benefits of Clean Design
Implementing these tips can significantly improve the cleanliness and effectiveness of your website design. Remember, the goal of a clean design isn’t just aesthetic appeal – it’s about making it easier for visitors to engage with your content and take action.
From whitespace and color consistency to typography, navigation, and mobile responsiveness, there are plenty of important elements to consider as you design or redesign a website with a clean, minimalist experience in mind. Start with these aspects as focal points and adopt an even more detailed approach as you go!
Bogdan Sandu, a seasoned designer with 15 years of diverse experience, has been designing websites since 2008.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
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