Minimalism isn’t purely big white spaces and clean geometric lines (although they are often a key feature), it’s a whole design philosophy. If design is ultimately about communicating visually then minimalist design is about communicating with as little as possible. It’s completely deliberate, surprisingly striking, and a great design choice for many businesses.
If you’re leaning towards a less is more approach, this is how to pull it off.
When to use minimalist design
When it fits your brand personality
Your brand personality goes hand in hand with your visual identity, whether it’s your website, social media channels, or logo. The most basic example would be comparing solicitors with a children’s toy brand – they’re obviously going to choose wildly different typography, colour schemes, and design principles because they’re working in a wildly different context.
There’s no specific type of business that would suit minimalist design, legacy brands and modern brands have both used it, but it’s often favoured by brands that want to make a clear point.
When you want to make a point
Minimalism is so stark that it’s often the most effective way to make a clear, impactful point. This could be putting the product front and centre, a simple verbal message, or even something more cryptic and clever. Some brands will choose minimalism for just one bold campaign, like Cadbury’s 2018 partnership with Age UK. Government information campaigns, where messaging is everything, can be great inspiration too.
When you want to be memorable
You only have to look at your grid-like iPhone home screen or graphic bestselling book covers to see that people respond well to the stripped-back design.
Minimalist design is easier to navigate, use and understand. It can also be calming and satisfying to look at. These are all positive feelings that brands should encourage at every stage of the buying process.
How to embrace minimalist design in your business
Work with designers that do minimalism well
It sounds basic but it’s often overlooked. If you want a minimalist website it makes sense to work with a designer that’s already produced a few, rather than briefing minimalism to a designer who might be new to it. Check their portfolio and follow the work you love.
Don’t feel like you have to stick to black and white
One of the big minimalism myths is that it’s low on colour. The minimalist impact can be achieved with one bright colour or even a combination. If your brand has one colour it always uses in its branding, use that!
Have a simple message to convey
Minimalist design doesn’t work with a maximalist message. If you’re going to embrace simplicity for a specific campaign or social media ads, choose one core message and stick to it. It could be an event date, a special offer, a product feature – whatever it is, focus on just that and your minimalist design will form around it.
Ready to give your brand a minimalist makeover? We can help you build a website you’ll love for years to come. Take a look at our previous work.
