People are still obsessed with minimalistic design and I can see why…
“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let our affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand...Simplify, simplify!”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden
What is your web design aesthetic?
Keeping a look out for inspiration and ideas is part of your online marketing strategy.
Your website reflects your business, and is your main marketing tool. and as such, you need to keep it fresh. One ways is by writing SEO blogs.
Another is by updating your other content, and every now again, your web design.
So what do you know about minimalism?
Minimalism is not new, but the popularity of minimalistic web design tells us a lot about the power of simplicity.
Because there’s a reason why companies and users are drawn to its streamlined, elegant aesthetic.
There’s a lot of clutter out there.
Thoughtfully applied, a minimalist approach to design leads to functional, effective websites that just seem to click with modern audiences.
But before we look at how to do (and how not to do) minimalist web design…
… let's look at where it came from.
Where Minimalism Came From
It all started, probably at the dawn of time…
Let’s face it, we humans have always yearned for a simpler way of living.
And minimalism, for some, is much more than an aesthetic.
It’s an attitude.
For some, a way of life.
We can trace a path all the way from, for example, Zen philosophy to custom design methods centred on simplicity and function.
Zen philosophy and the principle of ‘Ma’ originates from early Buddhism of ancient India.
Ma is the aesthetic of spaciousness.
Contrast draws attention to the content of your website.
A thing of value is invisible in an untidy room.
Transcendentalism
In the west, this type of thinking took the form of Transcendentalism. A short-lived movement of writers and philosophers emerged in the 1820s and 1830s. Transcendentalists, like Zen philosophers, emphasised:
simplicity,
connection with nature,
and reducing distractions.
Writers like Thoreau, famously described how to live a simple life in his book ‘Walden’.
Bauhaus
A hundred years later, in the early 20th century, the Bauhaus movement in art, furniture design, and architecture sought to find a balance between beauty and functionality.
Very Zen.
Today, in web design, we can apply the Bauhaus approach of simplicity and functionality to create useful and engaging sites.
Bauhaus loved basic geometric shapes such as circles, squares, and spheres, and its influence can still be appreciated today.
Design for a mechanical stage. Joost Schmidt -1925-1926 - ink and tempera on paper.
Following that, American artists in the 1960s such as Frank Stella created extremely simplistic paintings.
From that time on, the minimalist philosophy of "less is more” became well known.
As a reaction against the ornate, overwhelming, decorative designs of previous eras, this move towards simplicity over time is a pattern we can see repeating itself in web design.
The 7 Rules of Minimalist Web Design
In the early days of websites, an overblown method of web design led to hard-to-read text and images all squished together.
Now, using a few simple guidelines taken from the minimalist design playbook, we can create modern websites that allow room to breathe.
More space allows for an easy to navigate and enjoyable user experience.
Compare and contrast the above example with Apple’s website homepage.
Notice how the modern, sleek, simple design is intuitive.
You just know where to go, what to click on and so on. The dark theme in the hero banner draws attention to the futuristic Apple logo, and the announcement.
Here are the 7 ‘rules’ of minimalist web design.
Function comes first - what are the goals of your website? Design that follows function will always focus on the audience. By planning and making your website for your visitor, you’ll avoid the temptation of overdoing it with lots of bells, whistles, videos, and flashy stuff..
Love space - what is valuable on your website? What do you want your visitor to take notice of? Put white or dark space around it. That’s how you make it stand out.
Composition with grids - how do you want your visitor to feel? Consistent, organised content helps your website audience to have a warm and fuzzy UX (user experience).
Content is structured - use headings in a hierarchy. Every page should have only one h1. Learn how the human eye moves across a web page. From right to left - and up and down. Arrange the content so the path of the eye feels natural. Check the Apple web design above and you’ll see what I mean.
Colour with accents - choose a simple palette. You don’t have to pick natural or neutral colours if that’s not your brand. You don’t have to pick natural or neutral colours if that’s not your brand. Pick 2 main colours - one light and one dark. Use a contrasting accent colour to make buttons and calls to action pop.
Typography is psychology - text is not just the written word. It’s part of the visual design field. As such, pick 2 main fonts that work together in harmony. Often we choose one for headings and another one for paragraphs. Be consistent. Apple’s font isn’t fancy at all. It’s simple, plain - minimal.
Focus on Responsive web design - this is integral to minimalism. Structure your layouts so they’re streamlined and function seamlessly across all devices.
Characteristics of Minimalist Web Design
Along with the basic rules outlined above, there are a few design approaches that resonate with the minimalist concept in design.
Simplicity and Functionality
Streamlined Layouts: minimalistic designs focus on
essential elements and functionality.
User-Centered Design: Give priority to usability and intuitive navigation in minimalistic web design.
Use of White Space
Visual Breathing Room: White space contributes to a
clean, uncluttered aesthetic.
Enhancing Focus: We all understand ho white space
directs attention to key content and calls to action.
Limited Color Palette
Neutral Tones: Muted colour schemes create a calm
and focused environment.
Strategic Accent Colors: A splash of colour, amidst the muted neutrals, is heavenly. Choose accent colours and use them sparingly to draw attention to important elements, reinforcing brand identity.
Clean Typography
Emphasis on Readability: Learn about the psychology
of typography - serif fonts indicate trustworthiness, and sans serif have a more modern feel. And remember that simple, legible fonts work well in both cases.
Consistency Across Design: It’s important to have a
consistent typographic style to create a cohesive brand image. By sticking to 1-2 different fonts - one for headings and the other for paragraphs, you’ll keep the visual elements of your typography looking professional.
Fast Load Times
Optimised Performance: Minimalistic web design is
often connected with faster load times due to fewer, more efficient elements, improving overall user experience.
Why Do People Love Minimalist Web Design?
People are drawn to a simple, clean website for a number of reasons.
Here are a few:
Because it feels good…
Usually, a less cluttered design makes it easier for users to find information quickly.
And with good use of white space, it allows your content - text, images, videos etc. to take centre stage. That means your visitors get what they want from the site, and are more likely to stay around for more and to come back at a later date.
We All Love Aesthetics
Many of my web design clients value a classic, enduring look that stays relevant over time.
On top of that, used properly, minimalist web design is a great example of good UX web design principles.
Which means it gives users what they need from a website, namely:
a smooth,
intuitive experience,
that encourages and builds engagement.
Many people just love a website with a clean, polished aesthetic.
By appealing to contemporary taste for efficiency, elegance, and functionality - you can see why many designers love it too.
Add to that the fact that a simpler design can contribute to faster load times and better website performance.
And the whole effect is more professional too.
Performance & professionalism is all part of the aesthetic.
Mobile compatibility is more important than ever. A growing number of visitors will find your website on their phone first.
Remember, minimalist design concepts help your site to translate well across devices. Another bonus in terms of the usability aesthetic.
Broader Cultural Trends
You could say that part of the popularity of minimalism in web design, is its link to the broader trend of simplifying and decluttering life.
With so many distractions online, it’s important that your brand doesn’t overload your visitors with even more of the same.
And if we look at the Influence of leading tech companies like Apple and Google, we can see minimalist design is important to the biggest brands on the planet.
In fact, many leading online giants have set the standard for minimalistic design, making it mainstream.
It Supports Organic or Slow Marketing
Focused messaging works well within a minimalist design framework.
It means your content delivers clear, concise messages.
That makes your brand messaging more shareable and discoverable.
Authentic Engagement
From a marketing point of view, you clean, straightforward minimal design helps your brand to foster trust and authenticity.
If your goal is to attract traffic directly to your site - this is essential.
Enhancing Brand Awareness
With a consistent visual Identity, minimalism helps you create a strong, consistent brand image that is easily recognisable.
When it comes to marketing too, remember that a simple, intuitive design can leave a lasting impression on users.
Leaving a good impression is the foundation of marketing.
It helps to create a relationship with your client.
This, in turn, is part of reinforcing brand loyalty.
Another feature of this type of design, is the way it simplifies the user journey, leading to higher conversion rates by reducing friction.
Caution…
Like anything else. You can overdo minimalism.
Less isn’t always more.
Especially if visitors to your site are confused by the lack of cues or direction.
A website with no buttons (they do exist!) can lead to visitors leaving because they can’t navigate easily.
Sometimes, more can be minimal… if you do it right.
Emerging Trends In Web Design
Here are a few new trends to keep an eye on.
You’ll want to make sure your website is looking fresh every 3-4 years, so thinking about trends is a good way to evaluate whether you need an update to your site soon.
Bold typography
This is definitely popular right now.
Big text on the hero section, captures the reader’s eye.
It’s great for grabbing attention by using font as a visual design element. Especially on the home page, this minimalist trend works hard at showcasing your brand statement and getting noticed.
Simplified hero section:
If there’s a lot going on in your hero section (the top part of the home page) your website could overwhelm your visitor.
I know, it’s tempting to put a lot of information on the home page. Your product or service is so good. Your brand has a lot to say, but…
…keeping it simple at the start works much, much better.
You can give more detailed info about your stuff on other pages. You know, the places where visitors go who really want to find out more.
Dark Mode:
Minimalism is evolving.
And with trends like dark mode, you can really focus the reader’s attention on your content.
Remember to use a simple contrast or accent such as white with black.
This serves to give the visitor a sense of balance and calm.
Micro-interactions:
Give your visitors something to engage with, however small.
There is a sense that the smaller or ‘micro-interactions’ available in minimalist designs are part of the attraction. They engage users without overwhelming them.
So, there we have it.
Minimalism rocks, and it’s here to stay.
And as we’ve seen, companies like Apple demonstrate how important this style of web design is. The best part of it all, is that it’s an approach that can easily be adapted for small businesses or personal web design.
In many ways, it’s the easiest approach nowadays to creating a powerful, memorable, online brand presence.
So, if you're thinking about a new website, or a website redesign, adopting a minimalistic approach could make a real difference to the user experience, brand awareness, and overall site effectiveness.
REFERENCES:
https://minimalism.co/articles/history-of-minimalism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokonoma
