If you’ve followed any of our previous blog posts, you may have noticed that we’re not big fans of clutter in web design. Websites rife with distracting text and imagery overwhelm users and steal attention away from the most important aspects.
Here are three essential considerations for an e-commerce website designed with concise imagery and messaging.
Value Proposition
Your value proposition is the single most important element of your e-commerce strategy. It’s a straightforward answer to a very simple question:
Why choose your product over anyone else’s?
Value proposition isn’t an RFP. It’s not 12 pages of technical information. You should be able to sum up the strengths of your brand in a few sentences. A content campaign, a sales pitch, any kind of persuasive argument, builds towards a conclusion – in this case a conversion. Your value proposition is the destination of your buyer’s journey.
Now, let’s say you’ve put the thought and effort into crafting a solid value proposition, but – lo and behold – your three lines of copy have been irretrievably muted by the endless collage of vintage dancing hamster gifs.
Okay.
Most businesses owners aren’t that clueless, but there are a surprising number of websites so intent on pushing extraneous info and endless deals that the value proposition is washed out in a sea of clutter.
Product Showcase
Your bottom line is to showcase your product or service. If you have a product for which appearance factors into a purchase decision, then the last thing you want is a bunch of visual clutter drawing attention away from the real deal. An expertly crafted e-commerce web page will make your product stand front and center without the distraction of gratuitous clutter.
Nike’s homepage provides a prime example of product showcase without design distractions. Above the fold, you’re looking at a crisp clean navigation bar that accentuates the images of their latest line of attire. Header, tagline, CTA – the entirety of the design focuses your attention to the showcase. Scroll down further, and it’s the same basic formula: product aesthetic front and center with minimal vestiges of anything else.
Navigation
Last, but certainly not least, distracting design can harm usability as it pertains to navigation. Once directed to your homepage from referral, 50% of users will use your navigation bar to orient themselves to your web page. In other words, a poorly designed navigation bar can scare off half of your visitors.
Talk about cold sweats.
Imagine going through all the effort of winning over a purchase, just to have a bounce at the last minute because of confusing prompts during the checkout process. If you’ve made the right impression and you’re closing a sale, you want the checkout process to be streamlined. Clutter is no friend to efficiency. If you’re looking to optimize shopping cart conversions, then you want to keep it simple.
Good web design follows a clear visual hierarchy with easy navigation and concise messaging. If you’re looking to hit your mark, keep things clean and coherent. Don’t let unnecessary clutter take away from the most important aspects of your e-commerce strategy.
