Understanding the design entirely is easier said than done. Preparing code and the aesthetics that make a website attractive requires a unique skill set. The requirement of such a skill set prevents many front-end designers and developers from working proficiently and meeting the organization’s objectives. This guide will share some guidelines and practical web design tips for building beautiful and functional web pages.
Front-end design is a combination of a website’s graphic design and user interface. As a front-end designer, your job is to turn the imagination and design into reality via code.
Let’s start with some website design tips that can help you create perfect sites.
Essential Website Design Tips for Crafting Outstanding Sites
1. Fonts and Typefaces
In this section, we will discuss factors like typefaces, font size, and spacing.
A. Typefaces
Typefaces means a particular look and feel applied to an alphabetical and numerical text. Some commonly used typefaces are Times New Roman, Roboto, Arial, Popins, Libre Franklin, etc. Let’s understand how typefaces are different from fonts.
Fonts can be considered specific instances of a typeface. For example, Gotham (16 px), Gotham (18 px), and Gotham (20 px) are three different fonts in the “Gotham” typeface.
Using multiple typefaces on a page makes it look clumsy and unattractive. As an experienced designer, we must understand how much variation is suitable for a website.
As a standard guideline, you can use a maximum of three fonts on a website. However, this guideline can be changed in some cases. For example, a fancy site may use more font variations.
B. Font Size
Font size is another crucial aspect of readability and brand image. Using extra small fonts can make it difficult for users to read. On the other hand, extra large fonts will take more space and result in a cluttered layout.
Therefore, choosing the right font size is essential for accessibility, readability, and a positive UX. Here are some commonly used font sizes:
– Body Text
- Desktop: 16px-20 px
- Tablet: 15px-19px
- Mobile: 12px-16px
– Headings
- H1: 28-36px
- H2: 24-32px
- H3: 20-28px
- H4: 18-24px
- H5: 16-20px
- H6: 14-18px
Once you have chosen a specific font size for your heading and normal text, ensure you follow the same font size throughout your website.
C. Letter Spacing
Letter spacing is an overlooked factor but plays a crucial role in readability. It means a horizontal space between two letters in a word. There are no hard and fast rules, but understanding its importance is crucial for displaying visually appealing text.
Let’s explore the above topics with a quick checklist and examples.
Fonts and Typefaces Checklist with Examples
- Ensure the fonts are readable and have proper spacing.
Image Source: WP Engine
- Headings & subheadings must have different font sizes for differentiation.
Image Source: WP Engine
- Use the same font size, family, and weight for each heading tag.
Image Source: WP Engine
- All the normal text should have the same font size, family, and weight.
Image Source: WP Engine
- You need to verify the fonts in responsive design.
Image Source: WP Engine
- If the heading is long, split it into two lines.
Image Source: WP Engine
A Proper Usage of Fonts and Typefaces – Example
Here is an example of the WPEngine website. They have used a different font style to differentiate the headings from normal text. Moreover, they have correctly used font weight and letter spacing that directly catches the readers’ attention.
Image Source: WP Engine
I have taken a reference from their WordPress Hosting page. Apart from the above section, their all-over design is attractive. Their selection of font style, color, alignment (specifically in the testimonials section), etc., will impress you.
2. Consistent Design
Design is the first thing any user will see on a website. A bad website design will make the business look unprofessional and unreliable. Therefore, to maintain the brand identity, we must ensure the design is consistent throughout the website.
Here is an example of an inconsistent design created with different styles and color schemes.
Key Elements of A Consistent Website
The best way to start creating a consistent website is to outline the fonts, elements, and color palettes that will be used throughout the process. You can plan these factors considering the brand’s target audience, characteristics, and mission.
Once the outline is created, remember to follow it while you design any web page. For example, we have created Media Kit pages, which include logos, typography, color and button patterns, etc., to be used throughout the website.
Importance of Additional Research
You should also check how different websites use color palettes and layouts while you are designing a web page. This process will help you get new design references. Learn from these designs and create your own unique and attractive version of it.
Consistent Design Example
Here is an example of the WPEngine website:
If you check the pages under the “Products” category, they all have the same banner pattern.
Their use of real people, heading fonts, button colors, Trust Pilot reviews, etc., all look consistent.
When you open any page from the “Solutions” category, the banner theme changes. However, it remains consistent throughout the other pages in the “Solutions” category.
Consistent Design Checklist with Examples
- Remember to use the same color pallet on all the web pages with the same contrasts/shades. For example, if we use blue or purple colors, ensure you only use the contrasts/shades of blue or purple colors on the entire page.
- Ensure all the pages follow the same theme.
- All the page buttons should have the same colors and design.
- The button color and background color should have proper contrast.
Image Source: Hostinger
- Avoid using inline CSS in any case.
- All the images and icons should be relevant to the concept.
Image Source: Hostinger
3. Navigation
As front-end designers, our goal is to simplify navigation so that users can find what they are looking for. If a website has poor navigation, it will be difficult for users to get their desired information, which can cause the business to lose a potential customer.
A typical web design mistake is the absence of clarity in links, menus, and labels.
We don’t want to create a complex structure on our website where the products are displayed illogically. Such a structure will make the customer aimlessly click on links and visit pages without a clear direction.
Image Source: Gemini
Types of Website Navigation
When we think of navigation on a website, we often focus on the top menu bar. But there are actually three other essential types of navigation. Let’s understand them all:
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Top Menu
The top menu bar is the primary way of navigation. It is located at the top of the page and contains the website logo on the left, along with other important pages and categories.
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Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs are hierarchical text links usually found on blogs or e-commerce sites. They show how different pages are nested with each other. Breadcrumbs can be helpful for users who like to explore other categories or interests on a website.
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Sidebar
Sidebars are generally found on blogs or other content-rich websites. As the name suggests, they can be found on either the left or right side of the page. A typical blog layout contains the content on the left and a sidebar on the right, covering approximately one-fourth of the layout.
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Footer
Another necessary navigation type is the website footer, which is located at the end of the page. Some websites like to have a detailed footer menu, while others keep it short with a couple of important links. Neither of these approaches is correct or incorrect. The ultimate decision depends on the website’s goals and complexity.
Basically, you should include the essential links in the footer, as users tend to scroll through the pages to find the information they are looking for if it isn’t on the top menu or the page itself.
Let’s understand how you can optimize your website’s navigation.
Navigation Checklist with Examples
- Focus on simplifying the navigation process. Aim to get users where they want with as few clicks as possible. Consider using a mega menu for a large site with multiple pages.
Image Source: GoDaddy
- Ensure the menu is easily accessible for users even when they scroll through the page.
- The products should be categorized and displayed logically.
- All the important web page links must be added to the header and footer menus.
- Make the navigation menu stand out from the rest of the page content. It should not blend with the content, which makes it hard to differentiate. Use white space, different colors, or a dividing line.
Image Source: GetBalance.Com
4. Links
Continuing our previous point, links are crucial to any website’s navigation. Let’s start with broken links.
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Broken Links
Broken links and 404 errors cause people to leave the website and find the information elsewhere. A website with broken links will increase bounce rates and poor user engagement.
A high number of broken links on the website can damage the brand image and showcase unprofessionalism. A mistake caused by a lack of attention can frustrate a potential customer’s desire to explore the website further.
The first step to prevent broken links is to ensure there are no typos or writing mistakes while adding the links. If you find any links with 404 errors, contact the responsible person to give the correct URL to add.
Moreover, it is important to ask someone to cross-check the web page to ensure there are no broken links.
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External Links
Another vital link type to focus on is the external link. External links are those hyperlinks that point visitors outside our website. As a common practice, you must add a “nofollow” tag to all external links.
Moreover, we add blogs and knowledgebase article links that take users out of our service page. Designers sometimes forget to add the target=“_blank” with such links and open them in the same tab. This is a wrong practice as it disrupts the user’s purchasing experience.
If you find an external link in the design process, ensure it is marked with the “nofollow” tag. Additionally, you must ensure that all the links that take users out of our service page open in a new tab.
Links Checklist with Examples
- Remember to check for any typos when adding links to a web page.
- Ask someone to cross-check the page for broken links.
- Remember to add a nofollow tag with target=”_blank” with external links (links that take users to other websites).
- Ensure the blogs and knowledge base links (any other link that takes people out of the service page) should be opened in a new tab.
- Remember to change bookmark link IDs while adding a new section.
- The bookmarking link ID and its title must be relevant to the heading text.
- If you have copied code from a previously published page, remember to change the links of that section (especially plan links).
- The canonical link must be the same as the page link (if no specific instructions are given); if you have designed a new page, remember to change the canonical link while publishing.
5. Responsive Design
Another common website design mistake is a lack of responsiveness and mobile optimization. If a website is not optimized correctly for different devices, it will be difficult for users to purchase products or find information on their smartphones.
Such a website cannot adapt to different screen sizes, resulting in bad layouts and misplaced elements.
Things to Keep in Mind for Responsiveness
A designer should prioritize mobile responsive design to address these issues and ensure a seamless browsing experience across all devices.
For different sections and layouts, use CSS breakpoints and media queries. You can also use Bootstrap’s pre-built responsive components to streamline development.
Finally, test the web page on multiple devices to ensure consistent responsiveness.
Responsiveness Checklist With Examples
- Remember to check for responsiveness for each section of the page.
- Check responsiveness across different screen sizes and devices.
- List the most crucial web page elements, such as banners, tables, and pricing cards, and ensure they are visible and accessible across all devices.
- Use relative elements like percentages for widths and heights to allow adjustments for different screen sizes.
- Use media queries to apply different styles based on screen size and orientation.
- Ensure the navigation menu is easily accessible and adaptable to different screen sizes.
- Remember to check alignment in all the sections of a web page.
6. Research & Analysis
A common mistake of front-end designers is following the same outdated design methods. Your design outputs will be negatively affected if you don’t regularly learn from competitors and other relevant websites. The designs will lack originality and fail to meet the user’s needs.
If you don’t stay updated with the latest trends and best practices, your designs might look stale and uninspiring.
Without referring to other sources, you might not be able to understand user behavior and expectations, and your designs will be difficult to navigate or will not meet the customer’s needs.
How to Avoid This?
To avoid the above issues, you should always keep yourself updated by conducting detailed research and analysis of competitor websites.
For example, you can check websites like Hostinger, WPEngine, GoDaddy, Cloudways, etc. Not only that, you can also take design references from websites that are not our direct competitors.
Here are a few examples:
- A section from the Zoho CRM page. They have included the services you get with their CRM, with a unique animated design and concept.
Image Source: Zoho
- On their Hospitality CRM page, they have included businesses that recommend their service, which quickly grabs your attention as you browse through the page. On the other hand, you can check the section of the AccuWeb Hosting website, which doesn’t directly catch the user’s attention while scrolling through the page.
- Check out the animations and layouts they have used on their Zoho Mail page.
- Their FAQ section is also well organized, with a button to quickly expand all the FAQs.
Image Source: Zoho
These were some website references that I visited for writing this blog; your research should not be limited to these references. Whenever you get time, explore such websites for design references. You can create a spreadsheet and note all the references with their respective dates.
This way, you can easily find all the useful designs and layouts that we can implement on our website.
Research & Analysis Checklist With Examples
- Regularly find new websites for design and layout references. Understand their method of displaying information and different sections.
Image Source: Convertixo
- Make a sheet and add all your findings date-wise.
- Whenever designing a new page or section, refer to this document and get inspiration from other websites.
7. SEO Practices
A bad website lacks SEO best practices, preventing it from ranking higher in search engines. Examples include broken links, image optimization, missing alt texts, mistakes in robots meta tags, and improper usage of headings.
Such issues lead to poor rankings and limited traffic.
Things to Keep in Mind As A Designer
While there are multiple best SEO practices, you need to ensure some essential elements as a designer. For example, all the links should properly work and redirect users, and all the images should have proper alt and title tags.
When splitting the headings into two lines, do not use <br> tag; use css width. Using the <br> tag might break the keyword that was supposed to be targeted.
Let’s understand the other vital elements from the checklist below.
SEO Checklist With Examples
- Ensure that no excessive heading tags are used, such as blank headings or too many H2 or H3 tags.
- Pay attention to meta titles and meta descriptions.
- While publishing a page, remember to verify that robots meta tags are marked with index follow.
- All the images should have proper alt and titles relevant to the image.
- Images must be compressed before adding them to the page and should not exceed a specific size (e.g. 200kb).
- If the image quality is reduced while compressing, consider using next-gen formats like webp.
- Check the web page speed and performance at PageSpeed Insights. If it is low, work on improving it.
- Remove Unused CSS.
- Optimize the DOM size, only create DOM nodes when needed. And destroy them when not needed.
- Check your code at W3 Validator.
Conclusion: Effective Website Design Tips
Here, we explored practical tips you can implement as front-end web designers. I hope you got some valuable insights from here; if you have any suggestions about our content or any essential tips we missed, please feel free to comment below, and we will include them.
FAQs on Website Design Tips
1. How to Make Better Web Design?
Start with defined goals for improving your web design and understanding your target audience. Use a grid system to balance your layouts, and choose a color palette that is compatible with your brand. Above all, readability is essential; find readable fonts and use proper sizing and spacing. Moreover, the same design elements should apply to each page. Simplify navigation for users to help them find information quickly. Last but not least, ensure your website is responsive for maximum user experience on all mobile devices.
2. What is UI and UX in Design?
UI (User Interface) refers to all the elements and objects of a design, including buttons, icons, colors, and typography. UI design focuses on creating an aesthetically pleasing interface that improves user interactivity.
On the other hand, UX (User Experience) is the overall experience a user gets when using a website (design in our case). UX includes usability, functionality, and user satisfaction.
Combining a good UI and UX design will create a user-friendly and enjoyable experience.
3. What are the basics of good website design?
Good website design includes choosing the correct fonts and typefaces, uniformity of design throughout the site, optimizing navigation, responsive design, periodic research and analysis, and best practices for SEO.
4. How many fonts should I use on my website?
A rule of thumb is to use no more than three different fonts on a website and keep it clean.
5. What is the role of responsive design?
Responsive design involves a website adapting to screen size, ensuring the user experience across all devices, such as desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
6. How do I prevent broken links on my web page?
Always check your site for broken links and 404 errors. All added links must be correct and should be checked from time to time.
7. What are some top SEO tips for web designers?
Set up proper alt and title tags for images, ensure all links are working, avoid overusing the heading tags, and optimize your pages for speed.
8. What should I consider when choosing fonts for a website design?
Consider readability, appropriate font sizes, and proper letter spacing. Ensure the fonts align with your brand image and are consistent throughout the site.
9. Why research is important in website design?
Study and analyze competitor websites and industry trends to keep your designs fresh and relevant. This will also help you understand user behavior and preferences. Apply the knowledge you’ve learned while creating further designs.
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