Back in Episode 108, we shared why less is more in web design — how having a curated, pared-down web design can actually be more helpful for your business overall.

Over the years, we’ve discovered how having a curated, pared-down web design equips you to more clearly showcase your approach and expertise, more effectively connect with your preferred clients, and more seamlessly guide your visitors toward confidently and easily booking your services or purchasing your products.

This week, we’re excited to share how your web design needs less than you think — 5 ways to curate and pare down your online presence so you can book more clients and boost your sales. 

Your Web Design Needs Less Than You Think

Before we dive in, I want to share a quick reminder that all Showit website templates at With Grace and Gold are 75% off through February 28, 2023. To create space for our upcoming Spring 2023 Showit Template Collection, all current Showit website templates will permanently retire. Visit withgraceandgold.com/shop to choose from 18 completely customizable Showit website templates.

Now, why should you think about curating and paring down your online presence? For starters, according to a survey by Top Design Firms, 42% of people will leave a website because of poor functionality — and according to GoodFirms, 85% of web designers agree having a crowded web design is the most common web design mistake made by small businesses. 

Curating and paring down your web design can equip you to experience better clarity about your business, and therefore, help your visitors to do the same. In a community of small businesses offering what your business offers, a more purpose-driven, focused approach to your web design can create a meaningful difference.

So, here are 5 ways to curate and pare down your web design:

1. Reduce clutter. It can be challenging to do because we as business owners are so familiar with our own websites — but first, we recommend visiting and viewing your website as a prospective client would. What content is value-adding and should remain part of your website? What content is less value-adding and could be removed? Carefully examine your website for low-quality graphics or visual elements, for redundant copywriting, or for outdated content — and remove or replace accordingly.
2. Simplify your navigation menu. Your navigation menu is something we’ve explored in several episodes of Brand It, Build It — because it’s so essential to the success of your web design. Every web design is unique, and your visitors are likely exploring and comparing several businesses with one another. Your navigation menu serves as a roadmap for your visitors and should be a user-friendly, clear, concise roadmap your visitors can quickly and easily use to find the content they are seeking. Your content should be clear, organized, and aligned with your visitors’ needs.
3. Organize your website’s content. Is it possible for certain pages to be condensed, combined, or removed altogether? Is it possible for copywriting to be pared down and more focused? What small decisions can add up to create a big difference in your web design — making your online presence simpler, more focused, and more user-friendly?
4. Practice consistency. Many small business owners we serve often express frustration about web design. Whether they are photographers, event planners, content creators, or another type of creative — they expect to be able to create their own web design with ease. Maybe they’ve tried template after template, or they’ve pieced together features and elements they’ve seen work well for fellow business owners. In the end, just as you’re an expert in your unique field, web designers are experts in web design — experts in seeing businesses from a unique perspective, drawing out details meaningful to your preferred clients, and creating purpose-driven, connection-driven designs to help business owners succeed. If you aren’t quite ready to pursue a custom web design or a website template, we recommend practicing consistency: Using a consistent color palette, consistent font styles, and consistent spacing and formatting throughout your web design. When you do, you create a cohesiveness your visitors will value and remember, even subconsciously. 
5. Remember your web design is for your prospective clients and customers. One common misconception we encounter as web designers is when small business owners believe their web design should be based on their unique preferences — rather than the preferences of their prospective clients. Put another way, your web design should be created with your prospective clients in mind — what they will love and feel connected with, what they will value, what will be meaningful to them, what they will remember. When your web design is created with your prospective clients in mind, you can better ensure your web design is leading and guiding your visitors toward confidently choosing your business. In the end, your online presence is like a digital storefront — a place that should feel welcoming, inviting, and purposeful to your customers. It should help to equip your business for success and ensure small business growth. When prospective clients of With Grace and Gold ask us about the results our clients experience, we’re excited to share how many clients double and triple their revenue following their design process, because their brand and web design are rooted in purpose and designed to connect with their Ideal Clients. So, shifting your perspective and remembering who your website is created for can make a meaningful difference.

We hope this week’s episode equips you to examine and approach your web design in a new, purpose-driven way… remembering your website is a tool designed to work on behalf of your business, help you to more seamlessly connect with your prospective clients and customers, and ultimately, grow your business.  

About Brand It, Build It Podcast, Hosted by Kelly Zugay

Hosted by Kelly Zugay, co-founder of With Grace and Gold, The Brand It, Build It Podcast is a leading small business marketing podcast for small business owners, creatives, and founders. Weekly, brief, actionable episodes will equip you to build a successful, sustainable small business.