94% of first impressions are design-related. That means those first moments are extremely important. If you’re concerned about your website’s design or appeal, don’t worry. You don’t necessarily need a complete overhaul or a massive budget to transform a boring website into something more interesting. Sometimes, the smallest changes make the biggest impact.
1. Embrace the Power of White Space
White space on your website equals breathing room. It’s one of our favorite things to implement. Cramped layouts overwhelm visitors and make information hard to digest. You can add generous margins around your text, spaces between sections, and padding around your site’s buttons. These simple edits create a more readable (and professional) experience.
2. Create a Cohesive Color Palette
Nothing screams amateur like a ton of random colors. You want to choose 2-3 main colors that complement each other, and you want to stick to them throughout your site. These colors should be consistent with your brand and hopefully be dictated by your brand color palette. Your primary color should dominate, your secondary color should support, and your accent color should highlight important elements like call-to-action buttons.
3. Upgrade Your Typography Game
Most of us have probably heard various tirades against Comic Sans or seen a few memes about the beleaguered font. This is because font choice is important. In a way, typography is the voice of your website. Here are a few classy fonts that might be appropriate and reflect your brand personality:
- For professional sites: Try Montserrat or Open Sans
- For creative businesses: Consider Poppins or Nunito
- For luxury brands: Explore Playfair Display or Cormorant
Keep it simple with maximum two font families—one for headings and one for body text.
4. Add Visual Hierarchy with Size and Contrast
Guide your visitors’ eyes exactly where you want them to go. Make your most important elements the largest and boldest. Use contrasting colors to highlight key information. Your headings should take center stage of course, followed by subheadings, then body text. Think of it as creating a visual roadmap that leads users through your content with ease.
5. Incorporate High-Quality Images and Graphics
Blurry, pixelated, or generic stock photos instantly cheapen your website’s appearance. Use high-resolution images that tell your story:
- When possible, choose photos that feature real people over generic photos
- Consider custom illustrations or icons for a unique touch
- Optimize images for the internet (under 100KB when possible)
6. Optimize for Mobile Responsiveness
More than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices, so a mobile-friendly design is a must. Here’s how to make sure your site works well on every screen size:
- Test your site on actual phones and tablets, not just by resizing your browser
- Make sure buttons and links are large enough to tap easily
- Make text readable without zooming
- Simplify navigation for smaller screens with a clean hamburger menu
- Stack content vertically rather than forcing horizontal scrolling
Transform Your Site Today
Great design isn’t about following every trend. Instead, you want to create a user experience that serves your audience while reflecting your brand. You can start with one or two of these changes and gradually implement others. Your visitors will notice the difference even if they can’t pinpoint exactly what changed. Sometimes, the most powerful transformations are the subtle ones.If you need website design services, please get in touch with us today.