Did you know that website design is an important factor in evaluating a website’s credibility? Research that examined how people evaluate the credibility of websites found that 46.1% of participants cited a website’s design as the main criteria when deciding whether a company is credible.
In addition to this, 38% of the people will leave a website they find unattractive. There is no doubt that besides your offer, the way your website is designed influences conversion rate, but it often gets overlooked.
The above mentioned figures prove that you can’t afford to neglect this aspect.
Simple websites have been proven to be more effective at attracting and retaining visitors, so let’s dive deeper into the reasons why simple web design converts more!
Visually Complex Websites Are Less Attractive
Although this may sound counter-intuitive as flashier websites may seem like they will awe and impress your audience, studies have shown that visually complex websites put more stress on the eyes and brain: they have to work more to process more color, light, and information on the page.
Google conducted a study and found that visually complex websites were rated as less attractive in comparison to the sites with a more basic design. Simple is the way to go when promoting your brand, as it’s easier to process.
Just make sure that it looks good and credible.
When done inadequately, a simple website can look unprofessional and cheap, and that’s not the impression you want to make on your customers.
Meeting the Basic Expectations of Your Audience
People expect a particular layout pattern of specific types of websites. They also want to be sure of what actions they need to take and how to take them. If they consider certain features as a standard for an e-commerce website, for instance, then matching it would be a smart move.
As a result of adhering to certain conventions, your website will be both easy to navigate and familiar. And you will see it in your conversions.
Do the research and find the design choices that are common for a particular category of the site. This isn’t about doing what everybody else is, but rather about opting for a web design that’s familiar enough to your visitors, so they don’t have to put mental effort into finding what they are looking for.
Minimalist Style Helps Establish Trust
A clean and simple website design looks more trustworthy and legitimizes your business. People are more likely to subscribe to your newsletter, choose your services, or make a purchase if your website looks professional.
When it comes to certain industries, showcasing credibility is vital. Take financial services, for example. Accountants’ websites should demonstrate expertise, trust, and competence.
So, when a potential client lands on your website, a visually appealing and straightforward site is your best chance at winning their attention and establishing trust.
Easy Navigation Is a Road Map for Your Visitors
Internet users don’t want to spend a lot of time navigating web pages. A famous study executed by two psychologists showed that more isn’t always better. The more choices people are presented with, the longer it will take them to reach a decision.
As a result, sales volume and customer satisfaction may decrease instead of growing.
How can you implement this principle in your web design? For starters, by limiting the number of choices in your navigation bar!
Squeezing all of your pages in the main menu bar will not help your users find what they are looking for but rather overwhelm them.
Simple and obvious site navigation allows users to find relevant content faster and gives them confidence in your brand.
Don’t Distract Your Visitors
Flashy page designs and excessive ornamentation tend to lower conversions. With too many different things to look at and interact with, your users will most probably get confused. People can handle a limited amount of information at a time.
We get overloaded and overwhelmed when we see too much going on within one page.
The trick is to allow your visitors to find what they are looking for easily. You don’t have to get rid of all images, attention-grabbing colors, or videos to do so. The takeaway is to use them sparingly and in a way to drive attention to main conversion points or CTAs.
Using as few elements as possible to communicate as much as possible is incredibly important in improving user experience and driving conversions. No matter what industry you are in, a clean, uncluttered overall design that minimizes distractions is the best website design strategy.
