How To Keep My Website From Getting Cluttered

A one page website can’t be simple and neat, right? There’s no way you can cram all of that information onto one page and keep it looking clean.

Wrong! In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

While it can be challenging to keep any website clear and well organized, it’s doable–even if your site only consists of a single page. For some reason, however, the vast majority of websites fail to maintain a clear, well-organized UI.

Keep reading to find out exactly what website clutter is and how you can avoid it.

What does a cluttered website look like?

When you think of clutter, what do you imagine? A pile of papers tossed on top of a desk? Folded laundry sitting on top of the couch, never to be put away? Maybe your children’s toys, scattered about the living room floor. I personally struggle to be productive in a cluttered or disorganized environment.

For most people, clutter and mess trigger feelings of stress and anxiety. And it makes no difference whether that mess occurs in the real world or a virtual one.

When it comes to your one page website, cluttered design can leave visitors feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. There are a few ways this can happen:

• There’s too much text on the screen without interruption
• Content isn’t organized in a logical fashion
• There’s too much visual noise (too many colors, too many images and graphics, too much flash, etc.)
• Content is unnecessarily repeated

In any of the above scenarios, visitors are likely to leave without ever initiating contact or reaching out for more information. Why? Because they’re overwhelmed and frustrated–and it’s just easier to bounce.

Does de-cluttering work?

The big question is: If your website is under-performing, can cleaning it up really make a difference? In a nutshell: Yes.

As we mentioned above, clutter can lead to overwhelm and confusion. Cleaning up your content will not only immediately mitigate those negative emotions, but it will also put the focus back on the more important elements of your website.

How do you know what to clean up?

The challenge, of course, is determining which content is truly important and what is just filler. What should stay and what should go?

Any content you decide to keep should serve one of three purposes. It should:

• Tell the audience what your page is about
• Tell them how your product or service will benefit them
• Let them know how to proceed or which action they should take

Some common elements that can be eliminated include irrelevant logos, unneeded navigation bars, and menus (especially if you have a one page website!), repeat content, unnecessarily flowery language, and so on.

Keep in mind: there is a fine line between removing unnecessary information and making your website too stark. You just want to make sure your visitors can find everything they need in a fast and easy manner.

What are the must-have elements on my website?

You may be worried that your single-page website is too cluttered and messy, but you’re still not sure what you should keep and what can go. If that’s the case, no need to worry. These are the must-have elements for your one-pager (hint: anything else may be too much!):

• Business Name
• Tagline or Slogan
• Call to Action
• Industry-specific visuals
• Key Products or Services highlighted
• Business phone number
• Business address
• Contact Form
• Links to social media accounts

Tell Your Audience What They need To Know

As a business owner, you want to tell your audience EVERYTHING. But it’s easy for a website (especially a one page website) to become cluttered and overwhelming.

If you want to attract an audience and turn them into leads, you need a website that’s user-friendly and easy to navigate.

The BoldGrid website builder can help. Its easy drag-and-drop editor allows you to quickly build stunning, responsive websites, and dozens of beautiful templates make design fast and easy. Sign up today to learn more. You can also find tons of tips at sites such as TopWPBlog and continue to learn about improving your website and it’s rankings.