design best websites
A pragmatic, step-by-step approach to website design that ranks, converts, and scales.
This guide focuses on the three pillars every modern website must balance: search engine visibility, outstanding user experience, and effective online marketing. Each section includes actionable steps you can implement today, testing methods, and tool recommendations.
Planning & content strategy
Good websites start with a clear purpose and prioritized content. Before designing layouts, define primary user goals, the conversion event (call, form, booking), and the content needed to support those goals.
Actionable steps
- Identify 1–2 primary goals — the single most important action visitors should take. Keep it focused (e.g., request quote, book service, buy a product).
- Create a content map — list top-level pages and the key message for each: homepage, service pages, about, contact, blog. For each page, note primary keyword targets and user intent (informational, transactional, navigational).
- Write thin-to-thick content — start with concise headlines and value propositions; expand into high-quality sections that answer user questions and include proof: case studies, testimonials, and credentials.
- Define success metrics — set KPIs: organic sessions, goal conversion rate, time on page, bounce rate for targeted pages.
SEO fundamentals for high-performing pages
SEO is both technical and editorial. Aim for fast, crawlable pages with clear topical focus and structured content that satisfies user intent.
On-page SEO checklist
- Unique title tag (50–60 chars) with primary keyword early
- Compelling meta description (120–155 chars) that matches intent
- One H1 per page; H2/H3 used for logical sections
- Use schema markup for FAQs, reviews, products, local business where relevant
- Include descriptive, keyword-rich image alt text
- Internal links from relevant pages; use descriptive anchor text
Technical SEO essentials
- Fast server response (Time to First Byte under 200ms where possible)
- Mobile-first responsive design and viewport tag
- XML sitemap submitted to Google Search Console
- Robots.txt correctly configured (no blocking of essential resources)
- Canonical tags to prevent duplicate content issues
- HTTPS site-wide with valid SSL
Keyword and content strategy (practical)
- Seed keywords: Start with a short list of 10–20 keywords customers would use.
- Group by intent: Create clusters for informational vs transactional queries.
- Map to pages: Assign a primary keyword to each page—avoid multiple pages targeting the exact same phrase.
- Content depth: For competitive terms, produce comprehensive pages (longer, more structured, with FAQs and rich media).
User experience patterns that increase conversions
UX is how your site feels and how easy it is for users to complete desired actions. Small, intentional patterns make a big difference in conversion rates.
Clear above-the-fold value
Headline states primary benefit, subheadline clarifies the offering, and a single, obvious CTA is visible without scrolling.
Use progressive disclosure
Start with essential information, then reveal details as the user scrolls or interacts—keeps pages scannable and fast.
Visual hierarchy & whitespace
Use size, spacing, and contrast to guide attention. Reduce noise and give elements room to breathe.
Microcopy and trust signals
- Microcopy: Use short, action-oriented labels for buttons (e.g., Get a Quote, Book 15-min Call).
- Trust signals: Add testimonials, client logos, certifications, and measurable outcomes (e.g., "Average response time: 2 hours").
- Forms: Keep forms minimal—collect only what you need. Each extra field reduces conversions.
Performance & accessibility
Fast, accessible sites reach more people and rank better. Performance and accessibility improvements also often improve conversion rates.
Performance checklist
- Compress and serve images in modern formats (WebP/AVIF)
- Lazy-load below-the-fold media
- Minify CSS/JS and avoid render-blocking scripts
- Use a CDN and caching headers
- Avoid large client-side frameworks when unnecessary
Accessibility essentials
- Semantic HTML with ARIA where appropriate
- Keyboard navigability and focus styles
- Color contrast that meets WCAG AA
- Descriptive alt text for images and transcripts for media
Content marketing, funnels, and traffic sources
A website succeeds when people find it and take the desired action. Build content and funnels that match the channels you plan to use.
Match content to channel
- Organic search: Create authoritative pages and a blog that answers high-value questions. Focus on topical depth and internal linking.
- PPC & social ads: Use focused landing pages with a single message, clear CTA, and minimal navigation to reduce distractions.
- Referrals & partnerships: Create co-marketing landing pages and clear tracking parameters to measure performance.
Basic funnel structure
- Awareness: SEO content, social posts, or ad creative that drives visitors.
- Consideration: Pages with benefits, comparisons, and FAQs to answer objections.
- Conversion: Dedicated landing pages (or product/service pages) with clear CTA, social proof, and low-friction forms.
- Retention: Thank-you pages, email onboarding, and content that encourages repeat visits.
Measure, test, iterate
Continuous measurement and small experiments separate good sites from great ones. Use data to prioritise improvements.
Essential tracking
- Analytics: Pageviews, sessions, user paths, and conversion funnels (Google Analytics 4 or equivalent).
- Search Console: Track impressions, CTR, and indexing issues for organic performance.
- Heatmaps & recordings: Hotjar or similar to identify friction points and validate UX assumptions.
- Speed & Core Web Vitals: Monitor LCP, FID/INP, and CLS across real users (RUM) and lab tests.
Experiment framework (simple A/B testing)
- Hypothesis: "Changing the CTA text from X to Y will increase clicks by Z%."
- Design test: Create variant and control with one variable changed.
- Run: Ensure sufficient sample size and run for a statistically meaningful period (or use sequential testing tools).
- Decide: If results are significant, roll out change and document learnings.
Ready-to-run checklists
Pre-launch checklist
- Title tags & meta descriptions written for all pages
- H1 present and unique per page
- Images optimised & alt text added
- Google Analytics and Search Console connected
- Forms tested and email notifications verified
- PageSpeed under acceptable thresholds on mobile
- Robots.txt & sitemap checked
Ongoing maintenance checklist (monthly)
- Check analytics for traffic drops and page regressions
- Run accessibility and performance audits
- Update content for seasonal changes or promotions
- Review backlinks and domain health
Tools & resources
Frequently asked questions
How do I prioritise pages for SEO?
Is long-form content always better?
How often should I test or iterate?
A pragmatic closing note
Designing the best website is an iterative blend of clarity, speed, and measurement. Start with clear goals, deliver succinct content that matches user intent, make technical choices that prioritise speed and crawlability, and measure outcomes. Small, regular improvements compound into substantial gains.
