Less Is More: Minimalist Landing Pages That Get Results

Despite the trend towards minimalism in web design, a lot of marketers still pull out all the stops when designing landing pages. Unfortunately, the end result can be a real mess and worse, it can stunt conversion rates. Minimal design is in and marketers should take note of this.

Landing Pages Then And Now

It used to be a good thing to have your website loaded with graphics, animations and other gimmicks, but these pages now look very out of date. Things have changed a lot in web design since the late 1990s and what internet users want to see now is very different from what they wanted to see then. The demographics of the web have shifted. Your potential audience comes from all walks of life and what they want is a website which is easy to use and attractive without being flashy.

Mobile Browsing

One of the changes that has helped drive the popularity of minimal web design is the increase in mobile browsing. Mobile users make up as much as 40% of internet traffic and this percentage continues to grow. It's no longer a niche market and webmasters need to make sure that their sites are mobile friendly, which means simplifying their sites and focusing on user experience more so than design.

There are physical limitations to mobile devices which web designers have to keep in mind. Generally speaking, it's not as easy to navigate through websites on a smartphone or tablet and websites also need to look as good as possible on these smaller screens. Clean, minimalist design is one of the easiest ways to attract and retain an audience of mobile browsers.

Navigation

Your site should be easy for users to navigate – and your landing pages should be even easier. When someone arrives at your landing page, they should be able to tell at a glance where they need to go or what they need to do to find out more. If they have to sit through a video or scroll through pages of copy to find what they're looking for, they may simply go somewhere else.

If your landing page's copy absolutely needs to be fairly long, include anchor links to the important sections of the page to make it easier for visitors to get where they want to go. Graphics should be simple, but attractive and just as importantly, kept to a minimum. You want to create a landing page which is intuitive and effortless to navigate.

Many of your visitors are going to be on mobile devices, so try to have no more than one image. Mobile devices are faster than they once were and bandwidth is less of a concern, but a page with a lot of images can take a little while to load; and mobile users in particular tend to be in a hurry. This could increase bounce rate and lose possible conversions.

Keep It Professional

Every business wants to project a professional image and that's one of the many advantages of minimal web design. You want your site and your landing pages to be clean and well organized; in other words, modern. Simple color schemes, one well chosen image and intuitive navigation are what will make visitors feel like learning more about what you have to offer. You don't need videos, sound effects or any other unnecessary ornamentation on your landing pages. Sure, these elements will make you stand out, but not in a good way. The most effective landing pages are the simplest. Your visitors will appreciate that it's easy to use, that they can quickly figure out what you're offering and exactly what they need to do to find out more or make a purchase from you.