In the excitement of gaining a competitive edge, it’s tempting to opt for a flashy website that grabs the attention of the user and showcases all your business has to offer. But is this really the best tactic to employ?
The reality is that simple websites are a top web design trend for a reason! Flat and thin are in when it comes to web design, not only because of the visual elements, but because they provide incredible SEO benefits as well. Here are some of the reasons simple websites rank over flashy ones in the search results.
- `It’s easier for Google to keep up. The technical setup of your site has a larger impact on Google’s ability to read it than you might think. Remember, the ultimate goal of SEO is to make your website search engine friendly. If the complex nature of your site overwhelms HTML readability, it will inadvertently affect how your website ranks as well. Since search engines crawl your site through a technical lens, keeping the design simple and highlighting text will boost your SEO efforts.
- Speed and performance rank. While many SEO marketing efforts focus on keywords and content, it’s important to remember that the speed and performance of your website will also impact how your website ranks. Of course, a simple site focused on elegance will always load faster than a complex, flashy website, thereby improving customer satisfaction – and helping you maintain good rankings in the process!
- Increased user satisfaction. Users generally have an easier time navigating simpler sites, meaning that they end up staying on the site longer and viewing more pages. Over time, this also has a positive impact on search rankings, as Google pays attention to analytics to gauge the quality of any given site.
While simple websites tend to rank higher than flashy sites, this doesn’t mean that you have to completely strip your site to the bare minimum. Simple doesn’t mean boring or void of color. Instead, “simple” just means that you’re not making too many technological risks on your main pages. For instance, instead of focusing on videos and flash players, focus on content, beautiful typography, and your use of color.
Simple design gives you the opportunity to take advantage of the latest web design trends while boosting your rankings in the process. And because simplicity has benefits for conversion rates, you’ll be able to grow your business as well. Focusing on doing more with less will give you the opportunity to increase visibility while showcasing your creative prowess.
