At its core, web design promotes the digitization of a paper world. It brings businesses and people together in a forum that does not necessarily harm the environment. However, the fact of the matter is that websites and the internet use a lot of energy to function. For this reason, many experts are embracing sustainable web design in the following ways.
The Benefits of Sustainable Web Design
It never hurts to go green. When you use sustainable web design, you reduce your carbon footprint, which means something to consumers in this day and age. It’s important because, according to Nielsen, consumers are much more likely to seek out a brand that cares about the same topics as they do, a la sustainability.
Not to mention, a general shift towards eco-friendliness can even improve your bottom line. When you waste less money on creating energy to fuel your website, you will have more to spend.
The Fundamental Guidelines of Sustainable Web Design
Keeping it Simple
When it comes to eco-friendly web design, the less complicated it is the better. From graphics to code and everything in between, the elements on your site use energy. Therefore, when you have a bunch of large photos or videos on a page, it will load slower and use more energy.
When trying to compile elements for your website, keep it as simple as possible to reduce your carbon footprint!
Educating Users
Although you can certainly try, no one company can save the planet on their own. Hence, if eco-friendliness is part of your brand’s mission, sustainable web design can help you achieve it.
Besides simply sticking a green sticker on your homepage, you can educate users about their own carbon emissions. Just make sure you don’t sound too condescending or pushy, or else your message could have the opposite impact.
Optimization
Many web designers don’t realize this but optimizing for findability is a facet of sustainable web design. An easy-to-find website will help user quickly locate your site without burning tons of energy searching the web for an equivalent product or service.
Sustainable web design is an important step towards making the internet eco-friendlier. So, if you are interested, Fat Guy Media is here to help with a new, improved website.
