8 effective web design principles and design examples

Website design is an essential aspect of every business’s marketing strategy. The design you have on your site will determine how many people will actually visit your site and what they might do there.

If your design is not user-friendly or not truly reflective of your brand, then you’re not doing your company any favors.

Your website is your business card. Potential clients get the first impression of your brand and services when they visit your website.

To improve the user experience and get more people to visit your site, you need to design it strategically.

It doesn’t matter what type of business you have or what niche market you’re targeting. A few fundamental principles of website design will help you create a modern, user-friendly design that quickly catches a reader’s attention.

This article will give you insights into why these principles are essential and how they can be implemented in your website designs.

What makes a good website?

A good website is designed for the reader rather than the designer.

The design should be easy to navigate, load quickly, look good, and be intuitive and consistent with your branding. All these factors are crucial for a good user experience.

However, it’s important to note that design is not solely about aesthetics.

Good website design is about making it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for and navigate the site without getting lost.

To make this happen, you need to consider these key factors:

• What are your visitors looking for?
• How are your visitors likely to interact with your site?
• What actions do they want or need to take?

Creating a business website is no easy feat.

The same goes for an online presence that shoppers and potential customers will take notice of.

But don’t worry, we got you covered!

8 website design principles

Whether you’re redesigning an existing website or launching a new one, it’s essential to keep in mind these web design principles when planning your new site.

They will help you create a website that is modern, intuitive, and easy to navigate.

1. Simple is best

The principle of simplicity is an integral part of any good website design. It is key to both the readability and usability of your website.

The latest trends in website design aren’t always the best ones.

If you’re trying to stand out from the crowd, you’ll see people using many complicated elements and templates that are difficult to navigate.

You need to keep your designs simple so they’re clear and easy to use. Don’t use unnecessary details or elements and keep your website clean and clutter-free.

You don’t have to go with a minimalist website design. But, when you add details, they need to be relevant and add value to the website.

You can let your content shine when your site is simple and easy to navigate.

2. Consistency

Good design is consistent in every way.

Ensuring your designs are consistent across channels will help to build trust and credibility with your target audience.

If you have a website, you should ensure the same visual style is used in your print and digital marketing materials.

Seeing the same message and the same colors and identity across multiple channels helps reinforce the brand and convey professionalism.

This will build familiarity and trust with your readers and show that you’re a brand that’s consistent in everything you do.

If you’re using multiple platforms to promote your business, you want to ensure that the visual design and tone remain consistent across all of them.

3. Typography and readability

You can’t expect people to read your content if it doesn’t look appealing.

That’s why you need to choose fonts that work well with the content of your website.

(Source: Fontpair)

A great tip is avoiding overly fancy fonts that look out of place on a website. Instead, stick to standard, easy-to-read fonts that are legible and professional.

It’s also useful to highlight the essential words and phrases in bold and capital letters. You can also use different font sizes to make your content more exciting and readable.

For example, instead of having all your content in one large font, use several smaller fonts with varying sizes to break up your page and help your readers see each section more clearly.

Also, if your font is too small or too large, it may be hard to read on a computer screen or any other mobile device.

4. Responsive and mobile friendly

With the growth of mobile, creating a user-friendly, responsive website is crucial for your success.

Did you know that nearly 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices?

Users want to be able to navigate around your site quickly, so you need to make sure that the website is designed with mobile users in mind.

You can do this by using a responsive design that adjusts the layout according to the viewing device, such as a computer, tablet, or mobile phone.

5. Color palette and imagery

There are millions of color combinations that you can use in your website design. However, you don’t want to make it too broad or use too many colors.

You should keep the palette simple and use only three to five colors in your design.

You don’t want to use too many images in your design either.

Use images that represent your brand, service, and products by all means. But you don’t want to include irrelevant images or any that don’t tell the story or add value.

When designing a website, it’s essential to consider the visual style and tone of the design.

At the same time, you also need to keep the design simple and clean so it’s easy to navigate.

You don’t have to use a complex design with many details, images, and elements on your website. A simple, clean, and modern design that’s easy to navigate is all you need.

6. Fast loading

In these days of instant gratification, you want to ensure your site loads fast. The longer your website takes to load, the higher the chances of customers leaving.

You don’t want your readers to spend too much time on your site when they’re trying to find information or make a purchase.

To ensure that your site loads quickly, you should use a WordPress theme that loads fast.

For instance, here’s how a website built using the Astra theme performs.

It scores a perfect 100 on PageSpeed Insights and loads in less than a second.

First impressions play a significant role. If your website loads slowly, most people won’t bother visiting it again.

It could also be the factor that causes people to leave your website before they find what they’re looking for.

7. Easy navigation

Navigation is the key to easy, modern website design.

You want to ensure that your navigation is straightforward with a logical hierarchy of links. That way, visitors can easily navigate from one section of your website to another.

Moreover, you want to ensure that your navigation is consistent across all your pages.

You can do this in several ways, including using a navigation menu, structured navigation, or a navigation bar.

8. Communication

Website design is all about communication.

You should ensure your website designs communicate effectively, so potential clients can easily understand the information you’re trying to present.

You can do this by using images, color palettes, and typography to help create a visual language that communicates your brand values and personality.

At the same time, you need to ensure that your visual designs are easy to navigate while also being quick to load.

Where to find website design inspiration

Creating a website can be a daunting task. Considering the countless platforms and design trends, it can feel almost impossible to stand out from the crowd.

Website design inspiration is everywhere. We just have to look for it. Creators are inspired by nature, poetry, art, music… the list goes on.

Fortunately, there are several places where you can find inspiration for your new site.

We wouldn’t want to overwhelm you with too many options.

Hence, here are some of the best sources for website design inspiration that should more than help you.

Starter Templates

Would a library of 600+ professionally designed website templates help you?

We definitely think so! Especially when it covers almost every niche and industry there is.

Starter Templates has a pre-built website for just about anyone and anything. Be it personal blogs, static websites, online stores, restaurants, cafes, marketing agencies, and influencers.

Each of these templates has been thoughtfully planned and designed. Every element has been strategically thought out and incorporated into the website design.

By exploring the various templates, you are sure to find elements that you can, in turn, incorporate into your own designs.

Recommended Astra’s templates:

• Personal website designs and templates
• eCommerce website templates
• Blog templates and designs

Dribbble

Dribbble is another resource to help you come up with ideas to get those creative juices flowing. It houses designs from creative professionals across the world.

Find inspiration for your next design project by browsing through their extensive portfolio.

And it’s not limited to just website designs. Dribbble has you covered even if you were looking for design options to create landing pages, apps, animation, branding, and more.

Bēhance

Behance is owned by Adobe and is a social media platform that showcases creative work from designers across the globe.

From poster and logo designs to branding, illustration, typography, and package designs, Behance has an impressive portfolio to help inspire you.

Lest we forget, they’ve got an equally impressive portfolio of website design templates too!

10 best website design examples

When it comes to designing a website, you have a lot of options.

You can go the trendy route with flat colors and simple templates or stick with the classic design where you have to spend hours designing your site from scratch.

However, there’s an easier way.

By knowing a few web design principles and applying them to your page, you can create a visually appealing website that users will love visiting again and again.

We’ll explore ten great examples of website design so that you can get inspired. You can then apply some of these principles in your next project if you haven’t done so already.

The following website examples are some of the winners chosen by Awwwards.

This group recognizes the talent and awards the efforts of the best web designers, developers, and agencies worldwide.

1. VIITA Watches

VIITA Watches manufactures high-end smartwatches for luxury and premium brands like Bugatti, Swarovski, Nano, and more. That had to be reflected in their website design.

What’s good about VIITA Watches website design?

The creative design uses minimal content allowing the images to do all the talking.

The one-page website uses impressive scrolling and parallax background effects that engage users from the get-go.

2. Orb

Orb provides architectural, interior design, and 3D visualization services. The homepage keeps things simple with just enough content and links to their completed work.

What’s good about Orb website design?

The website design is minimalistic and uses impressive scrolling effects to showcase the portfolio of work. You also have the option to view the website in dark or light mode.

3. Rollie

Rollie is an eCommerce website that sells footwear for men and women. The website is elegantly designed and uses soft, pastel colors that are pleasing to the eye.

What’s good about Rollie website design?

The hero section of the website has a promotional video that runs in the background. Scroll down, and you’ll find the various footwear categories featured very creatively.

The background scrolling enhances the user experience, and the content is strategically placed to convey the message.

4. Icam

Icam are experts in the stainless steel industry, and that’s evident as soon as you land on their homepage.

What’s good about Icam website design?

The site uses all kinds of scrolling effects, such as parallax and infinite scrolling, to engage readers.

White background, minimal text, and impressive use of product images are what strike you about Icam’s website design.

5. DrawHistory

DrawHistory is a branding and design consultancy that provides solutions for businesses of all kinds.

What’s good about DrawHistory website design?

The homepage is strategically designed, having all the correct elements to capture the attention of prospective clients and customers.

We like the Read Me text that appears as soon as you hover over some of the case study images. The website looks great on mobile devices as well.

6. Hematogenix

Hematogenix is an industry leader in cancer drug development and testing services. And the website design looks every bit a leader.

What’s good about Hematogenix website design?

The website is well designed and uses pastel colors and elegant scrolling effects that enhance the entire look and feel of the site. To top it all, soothing music runs in the background.

7. Kubota

Kubota has a wide range of products that support the lives of human beings. They offer solutions in the areas of food, water, and the environment, which is evident in their website intro.

What’s good about Kubota website design?

While their website is heavy on content, the design is clutter-free and offers users a great reading experience. They’ve also incorporated background music soothing to the ears and soul!

8. re_

re_ is an online grocery store with several offline stores.

What’s good about re_ website design?

They are consistent with their branding and use website colors that match their offline stores.

Their shop page is easy to navigate and adding products to your shopping cart is pretty seamless. The website integrates the store’s Instagram account as well on the homepage.

9. Lewa House

Lewa House is all about wildlife conservation and accommodation in Kenya.

What’s good about Lewa House website design?

We just love this website for a couple of reasons.

To begin, the introductory video sets the tone and explains what Lewa House is about. Next, an interactive map helps you get a bird’s eye view of the entire property.

Explore the lodge, wildlife, and more using this highly engaging and interactive map. Not to mention, a voiceover walks you through the entire website.

10. Ultima Collection

Ultima Collection deals in luxury properties in exotic locations across the world.

What’s good about Ultima Collection website design?

If you sell luxury, you’ve got to show it on your website. And Ultima Collection’s website does precisely that!

Every element on the website looks and feels luxurious, from the intro video to the use of colors and typography. The entire website is elegantly designed and built to sell luxury.

Wrapping up

The most important thing to remember when designing your website is that you have to design for your visitors.

They are the ones who will be using your website and reading your content, so make it as easy to navigate as possible for them so they will be more inclined to use it.

Good design isn’t about showing off with flashy elements and templates. It’s about creating a site that’s easy to use and navigate, looks good, and is simple enough for anyone to use.

That way, more people will find your business and use it!

While designing your website, you probably come across many different design inspiration sources.

Design inspiration can be a fantastic thing. It spurs new ideas and helps come up with new and fresh solutions.

However, it can also be a curse. It can result in you seeing and thinking about similar designs too much.

We’ve covered the web design principles that should help you come up with a nearly perfect website design and impress your audience. Furthermore, check the guide on the web design process to learn our secret to designing 300+ websites.

Is there something we missed? How do you design your website? Let us know. We’d sure like to hear from you.