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Minimalist Websites Are still Alive

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Some say you need to be extravagant and think out of the box to make a statement. However, when it comes to delivering the message and make your brand look serious and businesslike, there is nothing better than to stick to the “less is more” philosophy. Not only does it make the content king, but it also focuses the user’s attention on crucial things that are beneficial for both sides.

Although the philosophy of stripping away all the visuals in favor of using only crucial elements does not fit every type of business, eCommerce projects, online magazines, blogs, and various communities can’t do it. However, if you are in the sector that, for example, provides hosting services or promotes products, then “less is more” can provide a solid foundation for building online property worthy of your brand and your target market.

Let’s consider this approach’s essential features and some good examples that will show how oversimplified websites can easily cater to customer’s needs, advocate the brand, and leave a long-lasting impression.

 

The key features of “Less is More.”

Minifying does not mean that you have to ditch all the visuals and remove everything from your website. First and foremost, it means that you need to focus on vital elements that bring value to your potential clients. There are some essential things to include, as well. For instance, each and every minimalist website should have such elements:

  • Contact information: physical address, email address, and a contact form.
  • Brand identity: logotype, slogan, or mascot.
  • Personal information: who you are, what you are doing, what skills and experience do you have.

If you have a product website, then you need to add the product’s key features and pricing; if you are an individual artist who is shooting for the stars, then you need to add a portfolio section with works that speak for themselves. Everything else is optional.

 

Best Practices for Minified Websites

When creating an oversimplified website, you need to bear in mind such important things:

Responsiveness and mobile-friendliness. Long gone are days of websites with fixed structures. Every interface should be flexible. It should provide the best experience regardless of the device. Whether clients use huge monitors or small cellphones, everything should be flawless. Note, the mobile internet is already prevailing over the desktop. Therefore, mobile-friendliness is no longer a recommendation. It is a must-have.

Accessibility. Like it or not, but accessibility is a real thing. Even if you honestly believe that your target market has nothing to do with impairments, get this, there is a bunch of people who experience temporary disabilities. Besides, some people may have slow internet connections, while others are simply tired of looking at the monitor; therefore, they prefer interfaces with better contrast ratio. If you hit all the essentials of accessibility, such as creating an optimal contrast, providing information for AT, and making your content easily understandable, then you can be sure that every person out there receives your message.

Performance. Although by default, minified websites are famous for fast loading, optimization should still be done. Whatever visuals you are going to use, remember to optimize them for the web. If you are going to add interactive details, make sure they do not overload the website.

User experience. It is here where most mistakes happen. The deal is, even though your website includes nothing more than just content, it still should provide a comfortable user experience. It should have well-thought-out navigation and unobtrusively lead customers from top to bottom. It should be well-formatted. If you pursue some marketing goals, then you need to invest in user experience since it will help to give your customers a much-needed boost to proceed with your product.

Great Examples of Websites Made with “Less is More” Ideology in Mind

  1. Essayintl.com

The first in our collection is Essayintl, which is the largest database of free essay samples. Although it is a vast library that gathers a wealth of information under one hood, it still provides a comfortable environment where students can quickly and efficiently locate the necessary information.

The trick is, the team uses a minimalist approach and focuses only on crucial elements. Note the homepage. It includes only essentials, employs neutral design, and ensures an excellent readability level.

essayintl

  1. Dorm.com

It is here where the minimalist approach meets interactive features. As a result, the website exudes a powerful techy vibe that makes the brand look sophisticated and pioneering.

The solution is very tricky since to achieve a balance between these two solutions is challenging. Nevertheless, the team nailed it. The website offers only the necessary information and, at the same time, makes an impression with some extravagant details.

dorm

  1. Noisegen.io

Noisegen is an experimental website. Yep, experimental projects can also benefit from “less is more.” Moreover, as websites built around only one idea and one message, they often employ this approach.

So, what can you see here? There is just one page – the homepage. It includes a generator, a control center, a button to download the artwork, and instructions. That’s all. And that’s enough since the goal of this project is to entertain users and at the same time promote the artist.

noisegen

  1. JDC Design Studio

JDC Design Studion is a one-person agency that is very ambitious. Therefore, it is not surprising that we can see the “less is more” approach taken to the next level.

The deal is, although the website is pretty minimal, it still has various features that enrich the user experience and leave a long-lasting impression. It brings home the right message and establishes an artist as a real professional ready to get straight to business and turn any idea into a masterpiece.

jdc

  1. MOM Agency

In contrast to the previous example, this website belongs to a full-staff agency. Nevertheless, it also benefits from the minimalist approach sticking to the “less is more” ideology in all critical issues.

For instance, the homepage includes only text. Yet, thanks to the clever use of interactive techniques, everything looks fantastic. You also won’t see here any lavish decorations or visuals. Everything is modest and neutral. Nevertheless, the website still exudes artistry and creativity.

mom studio

Conclusion

We are living in an era of informative obesity. There is so much content to handle these days. Add to this visual overload, and you end up with a confused user who wants to get what he or she needs right here, right now, without all the extra hassle. Therefore, sometimes getting straight to the point, eliminating all the decorations, and focusing only on crucial content can take your brand over the competition.

“Less is more” is much more powerful than you may think. It has a massive potential that, when unlocked, can benefit almost any project.

 

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