Premium Website Design – 8 Key Features

What principles must be followed to make a website presenting a premium product look truly expensive and inspire confidence among a sophisticated target audience? We will talk about this in this article.

Make the client feel chosen

You can often come across a recommendation to use the “crowd effect” in advertising, i.e. hint that everyone already has this product. In the case of premium products and services, this approach is inappropriate. The target audience is strong and independent individuals. They value their individuality and consciously strive for superiority over other people.

Therefore, the site should emphasize that your product will make the buyer even more special.

It is not necessary to write about this directly; it is even better if the idea is “read between the lines.” However, the general message should be exactly like this; take this into account when writing texts and drawing up technical specifications for the designer.

Be restrained and tactful

Exclamations are often used in mass advertising, especially when talking about sales. When selling expensive goods, such “noisy marketing” is not acceptable. Premium implies restraint and focus on the key benefits of the product and its exclusivity, and cost often fades into the background.

As for calls to action, they should be much subtler and more elegant. A frontal attack will not work.

You should refrain from using such common advertising techniques on the site as:

• countdown;
• pop-ups;
• intrusive invitations to consultations.

Advertising is often compared to seduction. So, in the premium segment, marketing is more like courting a demanding girl from high society.

Leave more free space

If you go into an expensive boutique in the heart of Moscow, you will see that they treat each product as an exhibit at an exhibition. Expensive things lie on white stands, velvet cushions and shelves made of expensive wood. They are never piled up like in discount stores.

It's the same with a premium site. There should be enough free space around the central image of your product. This emphasizes the great value that the product has.

Use dark colors

There is an opinion in the design community: “Black is stylish!” The easiest way to create the effect of a premium product is to make the site dark and the text light. Of course, such a site also requires concise, short texts and very high-quality photos.

A good premium site looks like an expensive mansion on a midsummer night:

• you don’t want to take your eyes off him because of the beauty of the lines and the play of color;
• the outlines are strict, extremely precise;
• there is not a single unnecessary detail in it.

Exclusive images

Only the highest quality photographs should be used on the site.

To create them you will need:

• studio conditions;
• the latest, high-quality equipment;
• experienced photographer and professional processing.

Using such images, the designer will be able to transform the page beyond recognition and significantly increase its effectiveness. After all, such a visual background creates the necessary atmosphere on the site and increases confidence in what you promise in the text.

Muted colors

There are certain color combinations, which people associate with high cost and premium quality. For example:

• black,
• white,
• golden,
• beige.

A couple of years ago, the management of Empire Gasparov approached us with the goal of launching a new confectionery brand in the premium segment. They were going to sell the highest quality cakes, cookies and desserts in Moscow grocery chains.

We have chosen for site customer's combination of black with muted gold. This color scheme looks expensive and at the same time not pretentious. In addition, gold is reminiscent of the color of fresh baked goods.

Sophistication without pathos

There is a huge difference between premium design and what people call “Expensive - Rich!” A sense of taste and professionalism also means the ability to distinguish between this line.

It’s also easy to find an analogy here offline. Perfume for $2.80 is often sold in bright, shiny packaging, decorated almost in baroque style. In turn, a small bottle of Chanel for $280 is offered to the buyer in an elegant black package with a simple inscription in an easy-to-read font.

Even the legendary Coco Chanel considered laconicism one of the main features of a premium, elite lifestyle.

This principle is reflected in web design - the presentation of an expensive product should not be pretentious.

Avoid advertising clichés

There are certain attributes of success that people associate with a luxurious lifestyle. This may include:

• yachts;
• expensive suits;
• offices in skyscrapers;
• expensive watches, etc.

It is important to be careful with such images on the site. It may not be possible to completely abandon them, but they should be diluted with something more original and fresh, for example some interesting metaphor.

We have been working with companies that offer premium products and services since 2017. Over these few years, we have noticed many nuances and features that are important to consider when creating premium websites, presentations and branding.

Contact us to receive a closed portfolio and discuss the details of your project.