Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Web Design

Last updated on December 14, 2015

Having the most gorgeous website design doesn’t necessarily equate with a successful website. Even the most creative design will fail if it lacks usability and clean functionality.

Use these “do’s” and “don’ts” as guidelines in yourwebsite design.

The “Do’s” of Effective Website Design

Do keep the website simple.In website design, more isnotnecessarily better. Simplicity is important to achieving to of the keys to a successful website, usability and functionality.

Do make sure your website isreadable.This may seem like an obvious “do” that shouldn’t have to be listed, but enough websites are out there that cannot easily be read, so the point needs to reiterated.

Use an easy-to-read, web safe typeface that stands out against the background and other designs. Make sure the selected typeface is a readable size. Too small of text can be hard to read. Nobody wants to squint to read a website—many people probably won’t. Instead, they’ll click away from your site and find what they’re looking for elsewhere.

Tips: Sans Serif fonts are typically easier to read online. Fourteen- to 18-point are standard font sizes used on the web.

Do use white space.White space is a good thing, and it exists for a reason. Having white space as part of your design helps keep the page clean and limit potential clutter. Website visitors scan more than they read web content word-for-word. White space helps lead the eye from one section to another. Use white space to lead your visitors through your site.

Do make your site mobile friendly.More and more people are accessing websites from devices other than their desktop or laptop computers. Having a mobile version of your site is no longer optional—it is a “must.” Optimize your website to be mobile friendly.

Do provide the type of content and information your visitors are looking for.Give visitors what they’re looking for. Focus on strong, informative content with clear calls to action. Use italics and bold to call out especially important or key content. For example, if you’re working on web design for a Pittsburgh business, localize the content, making it specific to potential customers in the Pittsburgh area.

The “Don’ts” of Effective Website Design

Don’t consider the design/development ever “done.”Monitor, measure and modify. Track your site’s performance and solicit feedback. See what’s working and what’s not. Adjust accordingly.

For example, if many users stop mid-way through completing a contact form, look into it to see what’s causing them to exit before finishing it. Perhaps it is the length of the form, and users get three or four fields in, and click away. In this example, a possible solution would be to shorten the form to just four fields.

Your website design will never be done. Consider it a work in progress, always looking to improve and optimize it.

Don’t let your site become too cluttered or busy.You have seconds—literally just seconds—to engage visitors on your site before they lose interest and choose to click away. An overly busy or cluttered website is ineffectual because visitors don’t know where to start, and there is usually no single element that stands out enough to draw them in.

Don’t let your pages take too long to load.Long load times frustrate visitors. Just as you may lose visitors due to a cluttered site, pages taking too long to load may get the same result. Optimize your site to ensure quick load times.

Don’t use complicated navigation.Another way to simplify your website is in its navigation. It should be easy for your visitors to find what they’re looking for with a simple, intuitive navigation. Adhere to the “three-click rule,” meaning visitors should be able to find what they’re looking for within three clicks. If a user can’t simply and quickly find what they’re looking for on your site, they’ll click away and look elsewhere.