6 Best Practices For Minimalist Web Design

At least 40% of internet users will abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load.

And, according to Eye Quant, lower bounce rates are associated with a simple and clean design. That is where minimalism comes in.

Minimalist web design has very few design elements like images and videos, and this helps a lot in loading a web page quickly. When you have fewer features on your screen, you are likely to concentrate more on what is important.

Minimalism is an important factor in custom web design, it brings out some more benefits to websites and apps.

Since fewer elements can fit into smaller spaces, it allows for achieving better compatibility between screen sizes and makes responsiveness easier.

When you combine a beautiful minimalist app with great usability, easy navigation, and simplicity, you can have a very powerful platform of communication.

The history of minimalism dates back to the 20th century. However, in early 2000, it found its way to the world of web design. With the rise in technology, you can expect a rise in minimalism.

One of the first companies that chose to have a minimalist layout is Google.

Google strives for simplicity in design and user experience, and many brands have recognized this trend as well.

Here are some of the best practices for minimalist web design that you should follow to bring out the best in your website and app:

1. Use White, i.e.Negative Space

Get rid of all unnecessary elements on your home page and other pages, too, so that you can have some empty space in the background. Just like in the case of Google, this is the backbone of minimalist design.

Note that the negative space does not necessarily have to be white.

You can choose to work with any color you want, just make sure you have some empty space since it prevents distractions and directs the user to where the information is.

2. Get Fancy With Fonts

Stylized fonts are one of the biggest trends in web design and mobile app design.

Get as creative as you want and choose fonts that will give your app or website some character. Just make sure that they are easy to read.

In minimalism, when you use typography efficiently, you compensate for the lack of several images or animations. Your website or app will not look empty despite the limited number of images on it.

Keep in mind that the way the fonts will display on a mobile screen will affect the usability of the product. Work with a mobile-first index approach, which places more attention on the mobile version of the website.

Remember, at least two billion people today only use their smartphones to access their internet and even to buy goods online. This represents 52% of mobile users globally. These numbers are expected to rise by the year 2025.

3. Go Monochrome Or Totally Crazy With Your Colors

It is a common misconception that minimalist websites should be black, white, or plain. This is not the case. Whatever color or colors you choose to use, use them strategically so that the page does not look overloaded.

Be careful also not to put all the colors of your company on the page. Especially if the colors will make the page look overcrowded.

Since you have a lot of negative space, you can add some non-disruptive color patterns to alter the monotony minimalism can sometimes slip into. When done smartly, you will have a page that is different from the normal.

Do not forget to pay special attention to your company logo. It seems like a small element, but in minimalism, it is important because its colors may play a huge role in your ensemble.

Whatever you do, do not clutter the website.

4. Flat Textures

Flat textures include the use of uncomplicated two-dimensional elements, simple shapes and bright colors.

They make interfaces simple and easy to use allowing content to scale smoothly for different devices and screen sizes.

Sometimes flat textures can give an illusion of three dimensions through copying real-life properties.

So, a minimalist website can have one good 3d animation picture with shadows and all at the center, and still, be very minimalist.

5. Symmetrical Design

If you want to design a visually powerful project, you should note that your project should first demonstrate symmetry and visual appeal.

To ensure that you have a perfect minimalist website or app, you should base your design on a strong system of alignment and have a strong grid framework.

There are several options that you can use to achieve a symmetry in a minimalistic design. As a designer, you should be familiar with different kinds of options so that you can know how best to design a website or app according to their visual symmetry needs.

6. Grid Layouts

Grid layouts are popular in minimalist web design. They are convenient for organizing content, and they also visually lighten up a page.

Blogs or websites that represent news articles in girds use this design.

Grids allow for better clarity and order of information which lets users easily find the information they are looking for.

The grid layout design can be seen quite well on blogs that post new articles in grids. This is because it is impossible to overload a page with information even if new articles keep appearing.

If you have some information that you would like your user to locate immediately when they visit your website, you can put this information on a grid and still maintain a minimalistic page.

Instead of using rules, lines, or pictures, grids are a great way of emphasizing your objective.

Conclusion

These are some of the practices that you can consider using when creating a minimalist website. Note that these practices can be used separately or together, whichever fits.

While adding elements to your design, do not be tempted to overdo it. Think carefully about each technique and how what you are adding will add value to your brand.