Your website should function like a well-designed menu.
Visitors should be able to quickly understand what you offer, find what they need, and decide what to do next. They should not have to search through multiple pages, decode vague descriptions, or click every button just to figure out how you can help them.
The scavenger hunt
The Cook Out Problem
One of my adjacent pet peeves is the menu at Cook Out.
Cook Out offers an impressive number of choices, but the menu can be difficult to read and even harder to process. There are trays, combinations, sides, drinks, milkshakes, upgrades, and substitutions all competing for attention.
For some customers, that amount of variety may be exciting. For others, it can quickly create decision fatigue. Instead of helping people choose, the menu can make ordering feel like work.
Sometimes, providing more options does not make the experience better. It simply gives the customer more information to sort through.
The Raising Cane’s Question
Raising Cane’s sits closer to the opposite end of the spectrum.
Its simplicity is part of the brand. You know what they serve, and the menu is easy to understand. At the same time, it is fair to wonder whether there is room for a few thoughtful additions.
Imagine if Raising Cane’s offered a true chicken sandwich. What if there were a spicy option?
A small amount of meaningful variety could expand the experience without turning the menu into something unrecognizable.
Websites Face the Same Challenge
Too many pages, services, announcements, buttons, pop-ups, and navigation options can bury the information that matters most. Visitors may become overwhelmed before they ever reach the service, product, or contact information they came to find.
On the other hand, a website with too little information may leave visitors with unanswered questions. They may not understand what you offer, who you serve, what makes you different, or how to work with you.
The goal is not simply to remove information.
The goal is clarity.
You have to know where to make cuts, where to provide updated information, and how your menu of services is being received by the people trying to use it.
Before you add another page
- Who is your audience, and what do they typically hire you for?
- What information are they most likely looking for when they arrive?
- What could you remove from your website without making the experience less useful?
- Do people even know where to find your site?
- Once they arrive, is it immediately clear where they should go next?
- Can they quickly understand what you offer, who it is for, and how to take action?
A strong website does not need to include everything. It needs to make the most important things easy to find.
Your website should guide people toward a decision, not send them searching for clues.
Ready to upgrade your website or your brand?
