A successful website requires not only compelling design but also excellent content. It should be designed to provide good user experience, at the same time enable users to understand the site’s overall theme at a glance.

6 practical website design tips for small businesses and beginners

1. Always keep visual design in mind

“A picture tells a thousand of words”. Pictures can convey the real value of the content, grab the user’s attention, and explain complicated concepts.

We are very visual creatures. Think about it: what did you first see on this blog? words or pictures? We are easily drawn by images and we retain information from them longer.

Tips:

Images must show the goal of the product

Display the main picture on the homepage

Use high-quality images

Highlight the product picture

Improve product visual interface design

Integrate images into your design

Note: Do not use just any good-looking but irrelevant images for web design. Users will simply ignore them. Instead, choose pictures that show the use of the product, and capture the user's attention with an outstanding visual design.

2. Mobile friendly - responsive design

On March 26, 2018, Google officially announced Mobile-Friendly Update. This update penalizes sites that aren’t mobile-friendly.

We are now living in a society that can't be without mobile devices. When the user browses your website on a mobile phone, he expects to see the content exactly like he would see on a desktop or laptop. This requires better user experience design for the user. So, responsive design is a necessary element for every website.

3. Rich interaction design

Excellent interactive website design can bring enjoyment to users and improve the user experience. Mockplus helps you quickly create interactive prototype web pages and make your website design more attractive to users.

Tips:

Use contrast in design

Be consistent

Use appropriate dynamic effects

Avoid pop-up window design

Create excellent form design

4. Clear navigation design

The most important element of a site is the navigation menu. This is the only way for visitors to browse your site and discover and learn about your products. Therefore, it must be simple and intuitive. Make sure easy navigation is a priority when you create your design.

Tips:

Use tight and readable copy

Use simple copy but infuse personality to make it simple and easy to understand to users. However, do not forget to focus on the product - what it is and how it works.

Limit items in the menu to less than 7

Having too many menu items only confuses visitors - they need to spend more time reading all the options in front of them. They may end up missing the important pages.

Rule of thumb: A user should be able to get the information he needs in 3 clicks, starting from the homepage

One of the most basic rules of usability design is to get all the necessary information after 3 clicks from the homepage.

Clicking on your brand logo should always direct users back to the homepage

Your brand logo is not only for appearance’s sake Users also expect to return to the homepage by clicking on it.

Avoid drop-down menus

Why you should avoid the drop-down menu:

It's difficult for search engines to crawl drop-down menus.

Users move their eyes faster than they move the mouse. When the user moves the mouse to the menu bar to click and too many options appear, they get confused and will probably get turned off.

5. Highlight main content of your website

Users may use different keywords to reach your site, so you have to highlight the main product and content of your website. Make sure the user recognizes your website’s selling point at a glance.

Tips:

Bold the text of the product information

Show the product image to attract users

6. Use of "white space"

"White space" creates a more balanced layout, more clearly showing elemental effects and attracting users' attention. When a website’s layout is poor, users will find it difficult to understand what the site is trying to convey.

A good practice is to make sure there is enough spacing between words and segments. This makes for easier reading. Additionally, limit the number of design elements. If there are too many design elements, the user's attention will be dispersed. Improve user experience by using white space to guide the user so he can quickly find the information he seeks.

Bonus tips

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Minimalissimo

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Ben Hardman

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Wingnut & Co.

