The Hardest Part of Writing Website Content Is Knowing What to Leave Out
Most business websites don’t fail because they lack information. They fail because they try to explain everything at once. Writing more website content feels productive and comprehensive. Removing text feels risky—like you might be leaving something important out. But as Steve Jobs observed, simplicity comes from clean thinking and deliberate subtraction. The same is true for effective website content.
What a Website Is Actually Meant to Do
A website has a short window to do three things:
- Create interest
- Establish clarity
- Prompt action
It is not meant to replace a sales conversation, a proposal, or internal documentation. When a page tries to do all of that, it stops being useful as an entry point.
The Hidden Cost of the ‘Just in Case’ Mentality
Over time, pages get overloaded:
- Every service variation ends up on one page
- Processes meant for sales calls get documented publicly
- Edge cases are added “just in case”
The intent is to be helpful. The result is a page that explains a lot but guides very little. Visitors aren’t confused because the writing is bad. They hesitate because the page asks them to work too hard.
The problem isn’t limited to content. When design choices prioritize novelty over clarity, sites become harder to use—a pattern we break down in trendy vs. working websites: focus on results, not hype.
Why Over-Explaining Reduces Results
Too much content creates decision fatigue. When everything is emphasized, nothing stands out.
The primary message gets diluted, confidence drops, and action is delayed. From the business side, this feels like being thorough. From the visitor’s side, it feels like friction.
Clarity moves people forward. Excess makes them pause.
Why This Doesn’t Hurt SEO (It Helps It)
Modern SEO no longer rewards “kitchen sink” pages that try to be everything to everyone. We address this shift more directly in AI search claims vs. reality, where clarity and consistency now matter more than shortcuts or volume.
In fact, search engines now prioritize Information Architecture (IA)—the deliberate logic of how your content is organized and connected.
Instead of one bloated page, search engines favor a “Hub and Spoke” model:
- Clear intent
- Topical authority
- Strategic internal linking
Depth still matters, but it belongs in your site’s architecture, not in a single wall of text. By distributing details across a clean IA, you make your site more indexable for Google and more navigable for your customers.
Clarity Beats Completeness
Effective pages answer three questions quickly:
- Is this for me?
- Do they understand my problem?
- What should I do next?
If a section doesn’t support one of those questions, it’s worth reconsidering whether it belongs on that page.
Where Detailed Information Actually Belongs
Some businesses genuinely need depth. Manufacturers and ecommerce sites often require:
- Spec sheets
- Technical data
- Sizing charts
- Detailed product descriptions
The mistake isn’t having this information. It’s forcing all of it upfront. Core pages should establish relevance and direction first, then allow visitors to access deeper details when they’re ready. Deeper pages serve a different role, and they deserve their own structure and intent.
Restraint Is a Strategic Choice—and It’s Not Easy
Simplicity isn’t about saying less for the sake of it. It’s about saying the right things at the right time. Knowing what to leave out is not minimalism. It’s strategy. A focused website respects attention, reduces friction, and guides visitors toward action instead of overwhelming them with explanation. That discipline is at the core of how we approach custom website design.