Website design: Key elements and business impact

Artyom Dovgopol

Web design is not art for art’s sake, but a bridge between business goals and user needs😉

Key takeaways👌

What is web design?

Viral pics and memes, nice colors, and funky fonts are definitely important, but they’re only a very small part of what we know as web design. In reality, it’s a complex discipline somewhere between art and high-tech that is all about creating a unique user experience that’s not only good to look at and interact with, but also brings new clients and profits to the brand.

Modern website design is full of experimentation and new trends that are hard to pinpoint—that’s how dynamic everything is.

There are a few basic elements that will stay unchanged no matter how much AI assistance we’ll see in the coming years:

• Visual design (how it looks)
• UX design (how it works)
• Information architecture (how it’s organized)
• Content design (how it’s read and perceived)
• Technical implementation (how it works technically)

Each is essential, each directly affects how your potential clients will perceive and interact with your brand. Efficient web design does a lot of important things at the same time:

• Reflects brand identity
• Ensures ease of use
• Guides user attention
• Evokes the right emotions
• Motivates action

Forrester Research (2016) found that a well-designed user interface can increase conversion rates by up to 200%. That’s… a lot of conversions. Of course, it doesn’t mean you can skip other important parts of the brand and just ride off into the sunset with your beautifully designed web page. On the other hand, no matter how good your product is, chances are it’ll go unnoticed without a proper web presentation.

Perhaps true mastery in web design lies not in impressing, but in disappearing — creating a space where business and customer meet without barriers

Elements of the web design

So yes, a properly designed website is sort of a puzzle, where each element contributes to your potential success. A very costly game of Bingo of sorts—get as many of these as possible, and earlier than others (preferably), and swim in profits and recognition.

Here are the main elements you should be focusing on:

1. Visual Identity

The foundation on which your brand’s recognition is built. Memorable visual designs go a very long way, with some brands being practically carried by visuals alone. Fonts matter, believe it or not:

• Color scheme. Choosing the right colors helps increase brand recognition, making it more likely that users will return specifically to you.
• Typography. Fonts speak about your brand as much as words. Classic typefaces build trust, modern ones convey innovation, and decorative fonts highlight creativity.
• Graphic elements. Icons, illustrations, and photos should match your brand’s character and resonate with your target audience.

2. Structure and Navigation

The skeleton of the site that determines ease of use. You can have a work of art with an IP attached to it, but if your potential client gets lost in all the interesting stylistic choices, then it’s practically useless and even harmful to your brand:

• Intuitive navigation. Users should always understand where they are and where they can go next. Menus, breadcrumbs, and a clear page hierarchy are the basic tools for orientation.
• Logical information architecture. Content should be organized so that users can find the needed information in no more than three clicks.
• Responsive design. The majority of internet traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t adapted for different screen sizes, you’re losing a large part of your audience.

3. User Interface (UI)

This is what the user directly interacts with. An “In Cart” button that doesn’t do anything will kill any spark your potential client might have had—in a very efficient fashion.

• Buttons and forms. They should be noticeable, clear, and easy to use on any device.
• Microinteractions. Small animations that confirm the user’s actions significantly improve the user experience.
• Element consistency. Buttons, input fields, and icons should follow a unified style across all pages of the site.

4. Content and Its Presentation

Content is king, but how it’s presented is no less important. These days, for example, text that’s clearly generated by AI can potentially damage your brand’s image. Yes, the art of copywriting is very much alive—thank you very much for asking.

• Readability. Well-chosen fonts, line spacing, and line length make reading comfortable.
• Visual hierarchy. Headings, subheadings, and highlights help structure information and guide user attention.
• Balance between text and visual elements. The human eye processes visual information before text. Use this to reinforce key messages.

5. Loading Speed and Performance

Technical aspects directly affect how your site is perceived. The average user is used to lightning-fast load times and will skip over all your beautifully designed products if it takes longer than usual to load.

• Load time. Users are highly likely to leave the site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.
• Image optimization. Properly compressed images help reduce load time without sacrificing quality.
• Minimizing HTTP requests. The fewer elements that need to load to display the page, the faster it will open.

And a bit more about web design…

To make your site visually harmonious and appealing, check out the article: Color and psychology: How to choose the perfect palette for your website

Design and business metrics

And let us highlight this—the quality of your website is directly tied to how successful your brand will be. Putting effort and time into it is not just “ticking another box” and can affect a whole bunch of success metrics:

• Increased conversion and sales. A clear user journey, strong calls to action, and trustworthy design directly impact conversion rates. A well-designed user experience can boost conversions several times over.
• Lower customer acquisition cost. A site with high conversion requires less traffic to achieve the same business results. This means reduced spending on advertising and marketing.
• Stronger brand and loyalty. Most users judge a company’s reliability by its website design. A memorable and professional design creates a positive brand impression and encourages customer return.
• Improved SEO performance. User-friendly design reduces bounce rates and increases time spent on site, factors that positively influence search rankings. Additionally, Google directly considers user experience in ranking through Core Web Vitals.
• Competitive advantage. In highly competitive niches, quality design can be the deciding factor when a user chooses between your offer and a competitor’s.

Website performance evaluation

Of course, you’ll need a few specialized tools and methods to track said success metrics and finally determine if your website does what you’ve designed it to do or not. Here are a few you could use:

• User behavior analytics. Track heatmaps for clicks and scrolling, time on page, and user paths.
• A/B testing. Compare different design versions to determine which performs better.
• Surveys and feedback. Direct user feedback helps identify pain points that aren’t visible through analytics.

Conclusion

In a competitive digital environment, good design is no longer a luxury — it's a necessity. The best design is the one users barely notice, because everything works intuitively and helps them achieve their goals.

Create websites that not only look great but also effectively convert visitors into customers.

Recommended reading 🤓

"Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products", Nir Eyal

An innovative look at how to create products that build lasting user habits using the four-step model: trigger–action–reward–investment.

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"Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability", Steve Krug

A classic guide that explains why interface intuition and user psychology matter more than strictly following design rules.

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"Designing for Emotion", Aaron Walter

This book explores how emotional design can build deep connections between users and your product, turning visitors into loyal customers.

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