created by Alice Parsons /
Copywriter
Having a well-designed website is about more than just flashy images and punchy text. Aspects like layout, signposting, and responsive design make all the difference when it comes to getting conversions, so it’s important to plan out your design strategy accordingly.
b4b specialise in a variety of web design services, from simple updates to total redesigns. In this post, we reveal some of the key aspects to consider when designing a new website.
Website Design Key Feature 1 - Visual hierarchy
Think about the last time you visited a new website. Chances are, your eyes were drawn to certain elements in order: the top left, the top right, and finally, the content below.
The layout of your website page is important for getting your visitors to focus on what you want them to. Although the best layout for a specific page depends on its content and purpose, it should always have the most important aspects front and centre.
Below, you can see the homepage of the website we created for recruitment agency TeamJobs in Poole.
We placed the logo and company name on the top left, making it immediately clear whose website the visitor had landed on. We then included links to the most important pages on the top right, as well as the company’s phone number.
This allows visitors to easily find the information they’re looking for or get in touch with the business. Finally, we placed the headline and entry form underneath informing the visitor what the company does and how to get started with them.
Website Design Key Feature 2 - Whitespaces
When it comes to website design, less really is more.
When a visitor lands on your website, they don’t want to waste time searching through huge paragraphs of text. They’ll skim through the page for the information they’re after, and if they can’t find it soon enough, they’ll head off and look elsewhere.
Adding whitespace (or negative space) - spaces between and around sections of content - creates natural flow throughout your website. By cutting content down into bite-size chunks, it prevents information overload and makes finding certain information much easier and less frustrating for users.
Above is a section of the homepage we designed for the worldwide eSports company, PGS. As you can see, the relevant content is isolated from other parts of the page, making it stand out much more than it would have if it was surrounded by other sections of text and imagery.
(By the way, whitespaces don’t actually have to be white!)
Website Design Key Feature 3 - Calls-to-action
Call-to-action (CTA) buttons are a key part of modern website design. After all, how can your customers use your services if they don’t know where to go to get started?
CTAs should be spread across most if not all of your website pages. It’s a good idea to stick to a single, strong CTA - such as ‘Book Now’ or ‘Get a Free Quote’ - as this will help reduce confusion.
Make sure your CTAs stand out from the rest of your content - a good way to do this is to make them an eye-catching colour. Below, you can see how we used a gold CTA button on the website for Cobra RIBS, contrasting it against their blue colour scheme and making it clear what visitors should do.
Website Design Key Feature 4 - Responsive layout
Optimising your website for both mobile and desktop devices is more important than ever. As of November 2022, over 60% of all web traffic came through mobile phones - a poorly-optimised mobile site could deter a lot of potential customers!
Mobile layouts should follow many of the same rules as desktop layouts, but should be optimised for vertical navigation and smaller screens. The important thing is to make sure visitors can view and move through the site easily, no matter the device they’re using.
In the images above, you can see how the new website we designed for W&S Recycling changes depending on the device used to view it. This is most obvious in the service tabs underneath the main image: the desktop version has them listed horizontally, while the mobile version stacks them vertically instead.
Talk to Bournemouth’s top web design agency
The four factors listed above are key to any good web design strategy, but there are plenty more things to consider: imagery, copy, and SEO optimisation being just a few.
At b4b, designing great websites is one of our (many!) talents. We’ve created bespoke websites for all kinds of businesses, from luxury chalets in the French Alps to aerospace equipment manufacturers. Whatever your business sector, you can trust us to design a website that will really make it shine!
Get in touch with our friendly web design team online or call us on 01202 684400!
