If there’s one thing every good designer knows, it’s that the simplest websites can be the toughest to create. It’s a cruel irony. But the effort to craft a clean, sophisticated online experience is effort well spent. The reason? Our brains don’t like clutter. There’s a limit to the amount of information we can process at any given time. So when user experiences are simple and well-organized, their message becomes immeasurably more impactful.
It isn’t just conjecture. Time and again, scientific research has shown that users prefer simple websites. And it takes them just fractions of a second to make the judgment. A 2012 study by Google found that users judge a website as “beautiful” or “ugly” in just 0.02-0.05 seconds, and that visually complex websites are consistently rated worse. A Harvard study also found that when it comes to first impressions, users simply don’t like visual complexity in their online experience.
Of course it isn’t enough for your website just to be “simple.” That simplicity has to be profound. Maximally minimal. It’s needs to be selectively impactful so as to compel your audience with the least amount of information possible. This is why “simple” is difficult. Authentic brands—that is, brands that truly know who they are—have a huge advantage when facing the challenge, though.
In an online world of unnecessary complexity, simple websites stand out. Their distinction leads to more engaged customers, and more engaged customers lead to higher sales. At the end of the day, that’s why simple websites are simply better. Here are 38 of our favorites.
1. AYR
2. RTA Studio
3. IL-HO
4. Thru You Too
5. Anja Rubik
8. Flavinsky
9. MASHVP
10. Joris Rigerl
11. NUTSANDWOODS
12. Piet Oudolf
14. ZERO: Countdown to Tomorrow
16. B14
16. ETQ
17. HYS
18. Mixed Residence
19. BCODE
20. Adidas Originals
22. Thomas Ciszewski Photography
23. Newton Running
24. Goat
25. Heineken: The Legendary Posters
27. Plastic Bionic
28. Sokke Austad
29. McColl Center
30. ADO Arena
32. BMoCA
33. 100 ANS DE TOUR
34. IND Architects
35. Eric Carter
36. BVD
38. Melanie F
Brian Lischer
A prolific blogger, speaker, and columnist, Brian has two decades of experience in design and branding. He’s written for publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, HuffPost, and Brand Quarterly.
