According to a survey conducted by GoodFirms, over 84% of web designers agree that crowded web design is the most common mistake made by small businesses. It’s a problem that can make your website less appealing and negatively affect how people perceive your brand.
In the worst cases, crowded web design can mean lost revenues and stagnant business growth. However, with the right tools and a basic understanding of custom web design, you can eliminate these risks and create a website that converts visitors into customers.
The Risks of Crowded Web Design
One of the primary goals of an effective web design is to have a strong and credible online presence. With good web design, you can support existing and potential customers and give them the information they need at every step of their journey.
However, crowded web design can prevent you from doing this effectively. It puts your business at risk in more ways than one:
- Makes your website difficult to use and navigate – This results in a poor user experience that could also lead to customers giving up trying to figure out how to use your website.
- Distracts users from what’s important – You want to highlight parts of your website that greatly benefit your customers, allowing them to see the value you offer. Crowded web design interferes with this process and bombards them with information they don’t need.
- Negatively impacts speed and performance – With an overly crowded and cluttered web design, customers are likely to turn away from your website, which can increase bounce rate and lower your search rankings.
- Increases the likelihood of things breaking – The last thing you need is costly and time-consuming fixes and maintenance updates, which are more likely to occur when you have too many elements on your website.
How to Fix a Cluttered Website and Make It More Effective
When customers visit your website, they expect an excellent user experience. Luckily, fixing an overly cluttered web design isn’t as complicated as it seems once you get the fundamentals down. It’s always good to take a few steps back and reevaluate your website from your customer’s perspective. Here are some ways to fix a cluttered website:
- Learn how to use negative space – Putting too many elements and features on one page or screen makes it crowded. Make sure that each element is distinct from the others and that the critical information is distinguishable from everything else.
- Define your content’s hierarchy – You have as little as 15 seconds to get your customer’s attention, so it’s always crucial to place the most important information at the top of your website.
- Use intuitive visual indicators to guide users – As navigation is a cornerstone of site usability, consider using clear labels and familiar terms to ensure an intuitive and effortless navigation. That way, users can always find what they’re looking for.
- Consider a minimalist approach – Sometimes, it all boils down to simplicity. Most designers focus too much on making a website unique that they end up making complex pages.
Level Up Your Web Design to Showcase Your Business in the Best Light
Designing a website can be challenging, especially if you’re not a professional and are feeling overwhelmed by so much competition. Fortunately, our team of web design experts are here to help you showcase your business on the web with a custom design perfectly tailored to you and your brand.
Not sure if your website needs a redesign?
We can review your existing web design and provide you with clear steps towards improvement. Contact us today to get started!