Have you ever landed on a website and felt lost within the first few seconds? Maybe you couldn’t find what you were looking for, or the layout made it hard to navigate. As a business owner, this is exactly what you don’t want to happen to your visitors.
Because the thing is…if your website doesn’t grab attention, create trust, and make it easy for users to find what they need, you’re leaving money on the table.
But don’t worry — it doesn’t have to be this way.
In this blog, we’ll walk through 10 principles of good website design that can help your site not only look great but also perform well.
If you want to attract more visitors, engage them, and convert them into loyal customers, keep reading!
First and foremost, user experience (UX) is king. It’s the backbone of any successful website.
If visitors can’t easily find what they need or are frustrated by how the site works, they’re out. That’s a fact. Studies show that 88% of users are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience.
Key elements you have to focus on:
Pro Tip:
Consider using heatmaps (like Hotjar or Crazy Egg) to track where users click the most and which sections they ignore. This helps you improve the UX by eliminating unnecessary elements
This isn’t optional anymore. A responsive website — meaning it looks and works perfectly on mobile devices — is essential. With over half of website traffic coming from mobile, you can’t afford to ignore this.
If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, potential customers will bounce in seconds. Plus, Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search rankings. So, if you’re serious about growing your business, a mobile-optimized site is non-negotiable.
What to ensure:
Your site’s design should adapt based on screen size (responsive design).
Check if all buttons and links are easily clickable on mobile devices.
Pro Tip:
Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test is a simple way to check how your site performs on mobile. Don’t just guess — test it!
There’s nothing worse than waiting forever for a website to load. In fact, 40% of users will abandon a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.
That means speed matters. A slow website not only frustrates visitors but also harms your SEO ranking.
How to improve speed:
Pro Tip:
Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help identify slow-loading elements and offer suggestions for improvement.
Consistency across your website helps create a sense of professionalism and trustworthiness. When your design elements — like fonts, colors, and button styles — are consistent, visitors feel comfortable and can focus on your content, not the design.
This principle is crucial for creating a cohesive brand identity. Your website should feel like a unified experience, rather than a collection of disjointed pages.
What consistency looks like:
Pro Tip:
Consider creating a style guide for your brand, so you always know the right colors, fonts, and image styles to use.
Visitors should always know what you want them to do next. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or scheduling a consultation, your call to action (CTA) should be clear and prominent.
What to do:
Pro Tip:
Test different CTA button colors, sizes, and placement to see what works best for conversions. A/B testing can give you valuable insights.
Visitors should always know what you want them to do next. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or scheduling a consultation, your call to action (CTA) should be clear and prominent.
What to do:
Pro Tip:
Test different CTA button colors, sizes, and placement to see what works best for conversions. A/B testing can give you valuable insights.
Clutter kills conversions. One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is overcrowding their websites with too much content. A cluttered website overwhelms visitors and reduces engagement.
A minimalist approach can be more effective in guiding visitors through the site smoothly.
How to simplify:
Pro Tip:
A minimalist design doesn’t mean “boring.” Play with color, typography, and visuals to keep things visually interesting while remaining simple.
If your visitors can’t find their way around your site, they’ll leave. Intuitive navigation is a key principle of good website design.
Make sure your menus are easy to use, and group related content together. Think about your users’ journey.
Where do they go next?
What questions do they have?
By answering those with clear and organized navigation, you improve both the user experience and your chances of conversion.
What to do:
Pro Tip:
Breadcrumbs (navigation that shows users their path on the site) are helpful for deeper sites to improve usability.
Humans are visual creatures. A well-designed website incorporates high-quality images that reflect your brand’s personality and message. But don’t overdo it with stock photos that look generic and lifeless.
Instead, use visuals that resonate with your audience and enhance the message you want to communicate.
What to focus on:
Pro Tip:
Try using real photos of your products, team, or customers. These build trust and help visitors relate to your brand.
Great design doesn’t matter if no one can find your website. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ensures your site ranks on Google and is found by people searching for your services.
SEO isn’t just for blogs and articles. It’s a fundamental part of the web design process, ensuring your website ranks well in search results and brings in visitors who are actively searching for what you offer.
What to do:
Pro Tip:
Use structured data (schema markup) to help search engines understand your content better and improve your chances of ranking for rich snippets.
Finally, a good website design should instill trust. Make sure your site is secure by using HTTPS encryption, and display trust signals like SSL certificates, testimonials, and industry affiliations.
These elements reassure visitors that your website is legitimate, safe, and reliable. Trust is vital for turning first-time visitors into long-term customers.
What to focus on:
Pro Tip:
Adding live chat support or a clear privacy policy can also enhance trust and encourage users to engage more with your site.
If your site isn’t bringing in leads, feels outdated, or just isn’t doing its job—it’s time for a change.
Book a free call to see how we can fix that.
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