While there are many different types of website designs, there are still some basic elements that most sites have in common. Web design is all about creating an online presence for your customers, so choosing the right elements can make your website stand out among your competitors. Here are the most important 16 design elements you can consider.
Table of Contents
1. AIDA
When it comes to website design, one of the most important elements is AIDA. This acronym stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. It refers to the process that a website must go through in order to persuade a visitor to take buy action. To create an effective website, you need to focus on each stage of AIDA.
Attention
The first stage of AIDA is attracting the visitor’s attention. This is typically done with logos, written titles, images, and navigation options. Once you have someone’s attention, they are more likely to engage in your content.
Interest
After you have caught a potential customer’s initial attention, you need to keep them interested. This is typically done by utilizing content marketing strategies, such as writing an engaging blog post or creating a viral video that will spread via social media channels.
Desire
The third stage of AIDA is all about encouraging visitors to have a desire for your product or service. This often involves emphasizing the benefits of what you are selling, as well as providing an easy way for people to purchase your product or service.
Action
The final stage of AIDA is getting the visitor to take action. This could be anything from signing up for a newsletter to making a purchase. Whatever the desired action may be, you need to make it as easy as possible for the visitor to take it.
By following these four steps, you will be well on your way towards creating a website that successfully persuades visitors to complete a buy action.
2. White Space
White space, also known as blank space, provides breathing room for the user’s eyes to rest and focus on specific elements of each page. White space helps break up text blocks and other elements, making it easier for users to read your site.
3. Fonts
Fonts are the most part of a website. A special can make visitors have a deep impression of your website. So, you must choose a font that is both stylish and easy to read. You can choose the font you need in Adobe Fonts.
Most companies have their particular font, which creates a unique and memorable brand identity. When designing your website, it’s important to choose a font that reflects your company’s personality and style. Better not use more than three fonts throughout your site, as too many different fonts can be distracting for the user.
4. Colors
Different colors evoke different emotions and can be used to create different moods. In addition, certain colors are more effective for certain types of websites. For example, blue is a great color for corporate websites, while pink is often used for child-focused websites. You can try different colors in Coolors.
5. Images
Images are an integral part of any website design. They allow for the presentation of information in a visual context, and can help to make websites more visually appealing—which is why they need to be high quality.
A graphically rich website with vibrant images is far more likely to attract return visitors than one that takes a long time to load and then makes them squint at tiny pictures.
High quality images will help you to achieve a polished, professional look for your website. They add to the overall aesthetic and make your site look more credible and trustworthy.
6. Videos
Videos are great for adding movement and life to a page. High quality videos can be used as website design elements to help improve the user experience, increase visitors’ dwell time, as well as provide more information about the company or product.
7. Clean & Organized Layout
When designing the layout of the site, an effective rule to follow is “less is more”. The design should be clean and uncluttered so that users can focus on the content rather than being distracted by superfluous visual elements.
For instance, if there are multiple calls to action on one page (such as download buttons), it’s best to pick just one and place it prominently on the page. Similarly, if there are multiple forms to fill out, be sure that each form is necessary for a different purpose before including them all. This allows users to focus on the information they need to input rather than wasting their time.
Another way to keep your site organized is by using clear headings throughout the layout. This will help users skim the content quickly and find the information they need.
Make sure that all of your website’s pages are linked together properly. This allows users to navigate easily between different sections of the site.
8. Unique & SEO Content
Content is the king of an SEO website. When creating a website, keep in mind not only should the content be interesting and engaging for visitors, but keywords must be optimized for search engines.
Also, make sure that all of the website’s content is original. Copying and pasting text from other websites will not only look bad, but can also hurt your SEO ranking. So be sure to take the time to write your own content, ensuring that it is both informative and engaging.
9. Call to Action
Call to action (CTA) also plays an important role in website design. CTA is the part of your website where you ask your visitors to take a specific action, such as clicking on a link or downloading a file. CTAs are essential for encouraging your visitors to take action and convert them into customers.
There are a few things to keep in mind when creating your CTA:
Make it stand out
Your CTA should be easy to see and stand out from the rest of the page. You can do this by using a different color or font, or by making it larger than the other text on the page.
Keep it simple
Your CTA should be easy to understand and use. Don’t make your visitor have to guess what you want them to do. For example, instead of using vague phrases like “click here” or “learn more,” use specific text like “download the file” or “sign up for our newsletter.”
Use action words
Phrases like “submit” or “download” are more effective than simply saying “click here.” They create a sense of urgency and encourage your visitor to take action.
Make it relevant
Your CTA should be relevant to what your visitor is looking for, whether it’s a product you are selling or information about your business.
Always have a CTA on every page of your website
Don’t make visitors search through different pages to find what they’re looking for. Put a CTA next to all the content on your site so that anyone can easily take action.
If you want to create effective CTAs, it’s important to understand your visitors and what they’re looking for. Keep these tips in mind when designing your website, and you’ll see an increase in conversions.
Navigation is just the element your visitors see after your logo. Your navigation should be easy to use and help users find what they need quickly. There are a few different types of navigation you can use on your website:
Hamburger Menu
The hamburger menu is a popular design element because it is easy to use and saves space on mobile devices. When clicked, the hamburger menu will expand to show the full menu. However, some users find it difficult to find the menu item they are looking for, so it is important to make the hamburger menu easy to find and use.
This type of navigation is a bar that runs across the top or bottom of your website. It’s one of the most common types of navigation, and it’s helpful because it gives users access to all parts of your site with just a quick click.
This type of navigation indicates exactly where you are on your website using ‘breadcrumbs’. For example, if you’re looking at an article on a website, the breadcrumbs navigation might show ‘Home > Articles > This Article’. It’s a great way to help users orient themselves on your site.
This type of navigation is a bar that appears along the side of your website. It’s helpful for websites with a lot of pages, as it helps users find what they’re looking for quickly.
This type of navigation is a search bar that allows users to search your website for what they need. It’s a great way to help users find content on your site, especially if it’s buried deep within your pages.
When choosing a type of navigation for your website, you’ll need to consider the needs of your users. If you have a lot of content, for example, you’ll want to use a type of navigation that helps users find what they’re looking for quickly. If you have a small website, then a simple horizontal navigation bar will probably be all you need.
Whatever type of navigation you choose, make sure it’s easy to use and understand. Users should be able to find their way around your site with a quick glance. If they can’t, you should consider revising your navigation design.
11. Mobile Responsive
Make sure your website can be viewed on all types of devices (desktop, tablet, and mobile phone). A website that is not mobile responsive will look different on devices with different screen sizes. This can be very frustrating for your visitors, as they might have to scroll back and forth or zoom in and out to read the content on your website.
In addition, Google now primarily uses the mobile version of the webpage for ranking and uses mobile responsiveness as a ranking factor. This means that if your website is not mobile responsive, it might not rank as high in Google’s search results as websites that are.
12. Easy To Use Forms
Forms are an important part of website design because they allow users to interact with the site. Good forms are easy to use and understand, and they work well on all types of devices.
When designing forms, make sure to:
- Use clear labels that explain what each field is for
- Use easy-to-read fonts and sizes
- Place buttons and fields in logical locations
- Use helpful error messages
If you can, test your forms on a variety of devices to make sure they work well.
13. Install HTTPS
Another important element is https. The “s” at the end of https stands for secure, and it means that all information transmitted between your browser and the website is encrypted. This is important because it helps protect your visitors’ privacy and keeps their data safe.
If you’re not using https, you’re putting your visitors at risk. In addition to being less secure, https is also a ranking factor in Google. Therefore non-https websites may not rank high in Google. So if you’re not using https yet, it’s time to make the switch.
14. Speed Optimization
Speed optimization is one of the most important factors in website design today. It is also a ranking factor in Google. People do not want to wait for pages to load. If they experience any waiting, they will leave your site and look at your competitors that offer what they are looking for faster.
There are lots of things you can do to speed up your site. You can host your website in a fast hosting, and join a content distribution network (CDN). Furthermore, you can also use a speed-up tool to increase your Google Core Web Vitals scores. For example, reduce image size, minify CSS files, Delay JavaScript execution and so on.
15. About Us Page
The About Us page is where you introduce your company to your visitors and explain what you are, and what you do. This page should be well-written, and it should explain why your company is the best choice for potential customers.
You can also put other important elements into Your About Us page. For example: management photo, company history, mission, awards and recognition, and etc.
16. Contact us Page
The purpose of the contact us page is to allow your visitors a quick and easy way to contact you. It should include the information of phone number, email address and the physical address for your company. Therefore visitors can easily send you a message or call.
Final Thought
The 16 elements listed above may help you understand some basic important elements in website design.
