In a perfect world, every website project would have the ideal balance of design and content. But, as we all know, some websites are heavy on content by necessity – news sites, government agencies, museums, education sites, and blogs to name just a few.
With a solid plan though, you can still design a beautiful website with a lot of content. Here are some tips from our Olive bag of tricks:
Be Prepared
Because it’s such a prominent element of the site, have as much content as possible ready to go before kicking off the site design process.
Go with the Flow
Proper information architecture and UX planning will help design an effective flow of information. Make sure the focus is on the most important elements and that people know what to do with them.
Font with Flair
Get creative with typography to set your site apart from typical “content dump” websites. Choose an intriguing “signature font” as a design element to really stand out, but never neglect readability.
Create Space
Use white space judiciously and creatively. Content feels less intimidating when it’s presented in an open, uncrowded design.
Break It Up
Use bullets, columns, graphics, photos, pull quotes, content modules and other elements to segment and visually highlight content. Remember, shorter text blocks are always easier to read. You might even consider paginating so content becomes more easily digestible. Smart headlines and infographics can convey the same information without the big blocks of text.
Make It Exclusive
Content sliders, a bold visual carousel, unusual layouts and a made-to-order template help people keep their eyes on the prize. When in doubt, use a grid. And most importantly, stay consistent.
Heavy content should never be an excuse for an ugly website or a poor user experience. At Olive & Company, we enjoy the challenges presented by content-heavy websites. In fact, an abundance of content and information provides a unique opportunity to tell stories and connect with audiences in multiple ways. By utilizing some of the tips listed above, even the most dense and difficult content can become beautiful and engaging.
