Does your website design answer these 6 vital questions?
Every company wants a great website design. After all, it’s your brand’s digital home, often the first touchpoint for users with your brand, and where you have the most control over initial impressions. The question is: What constitutes a great website design? This can vary widely, from country to country, company to company, and even person to person. What actually makes a website design 'great' is often the subject of intense debate. However, there are a few vital questions that every website should answer, along with clear best practices that help you avoid common mistakes.
6 questions your website should answer
Before diving into the specifics of how to create an exceptional website design, it’s crucial to first understand what defines a great website. From our experience, a truly great website doesn’t just look visually appealing—it answers key questions in a way that immediately resonates with visitors. Here are the fundamental questions every website should answer outstandingly well:
Am I in the right place? As soon as a visitor lands on your website, they should instantly know they’re in the right place. This means your website should clearly convey its purpose and target audience within seconds. Whether it's through messaging, visuals, or clear navigation, your website needs to eliminate any confusion about what it offers and whether it meets the visitor's needs. First impressions are everything, and your homepage should clearly guide users to the right path.
Why should I trust your brand? Trust is one of the biggest barriers to conversion on a website. Your visitors need to feel confident in your brand’s credibility and expertise. This is where social proof, testimonials, certifications, and a clear “About Us” section come into play. Highlighting your achievements, industry authority, or third-party endorsements helps establish that trust. Furthermore, a professional design and easy-to-navigate website contribute to the impression that your brand is legitimate and capable of delivering on its promises.
How can you help me? This question goes beyond just offering products or services; it’s about understanding your visitors' pain points and showing them exactly how you can solve their problems. Clear calls to action (CTAs), easy-to-understand service descriptions, and targeted content like case studies or customer success stories are essential for demonstrating your value proposition. By answering this question, you’ll turn passive visitors into active leads, making it clear that your website isn’t just informative—it’s a solution to their needs.
What makes you different from your competitors? Visitors will often compare your site to others in the same industry. To stand out, your website needs to clearly communicate your unique selling proposition (USP). What makes your products, services, or approach different and better? Whether it's through value-added features, superior customer service, or a unique brand story, visitors need to understand why they should choose you over your competitors. Highlighting what sets you apart will help visitors make a more informed decision.
How can I contact you? Easy access to contact information is essential. Visitors should be able to easily find how to get in touch with you, whether it’s through a phone number, email, or live chat option. Having multiple contact methods and a prominent contact section shows that your brand is accessible, responsive, and ready to assist. For businesses offering services, having a clear way to schedule consultations or support requests adds tremendous value.
What should I do next? Every page on your website should have a clear call to action (CTA). After consuming content or exploring your offerings, visitors need to know what action to take next. Whether it’s filling out a form, making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or downloading a resource, your CTAs guide users through their journey and lead them toward conversion. The question "What should I do next?" should be answered through well-placed, compelling CTAs that drive visitors toward your business goals.
By addressing these core questions effectively, you lay the foundation for a website that attracts visitors, builds trust and converts them into customers. With the right approach, your website can become a powerful tool for business growth and customer loyalty.
Website design: how to do it right
Now that we’ve covered the key questions your website must answer, how do you go about achieving this? Here’s the proven approach to website design that we’ve consistently used to help brands build websites that truly deliver for their audience
1. Walk a mile in your users’ shoes
What do you want users to achieve on your site? Buy products? Sign up for a newsletter? Simply staying engaged? Your website should guide them seamlessly toward those actions. To answer these questions, you first need to know who will be using your site. For this, creating detailed personas can help outline needs, challenges, and preferences. Then, consider the functionalities you’ll need. An e-commerce store, a blog, Integrations with CRM tools? Don’t forget to bring in decision-makers early. Marketing, sales, and IT teams can provide insights that shape the website’s purpose and functionality.
Banco Carregosa’s new website. We’ve recently helped a leading banking institution with a 200-year-old legacy revamp their website - without loosing their identity.
2. Future-proof the design
Trends come and go, but your website design shouldn’t look outdated next year. Avoid overly trendy design elements that may date quickly. Instead, focus on clean, classic layouts with room for subtle updates. Build using a design system with reusable components, making future redesigns or updates seamless.
3. Design for smaller screens and slow internet connections
No matter how stunning your site looks, a frustrating user experience can send potential customers straight to your competitors. Focus on intuitive navigation, mobile responsiveness, and accessibility. Remember: simplicity doesn’t mean boring – it means functional brilliance. A clear menu structure and logical content flow are non-negotiable. Design for smaller screens and slow internet connections first.
5. Make the most of the 3-second opportunity window
Speed is dealbreaker – a slow website frustrates visitors. In fact, most people will leave your site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Not forgetting that the website gets penalized by search engines, making it harder for your business to be found. There are of course technical ways to do this, but compressing images, videos, and other heavy files is probably among the most important. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.
Helping Fundação José Neves, a new education foundation, answer vital questions for their users.
6. Bake in SEO best practices
Search engine optimization needs to be baked into your website’s foundation, not treated as an afterthought. Otherwise, no one will find you. High-quality, keyword-optimized content that adds value to your audience is paramount. Regularly update blog posts and service pages. Write compelling meta titles and descriptions for each page, targeting keywords without sounding robotic. Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich. For example, “/services/web-design” is better than “/page1234”. If you’re struggling to optimise your website and generate more organic traffic, we can help.
8. Integrate analytics
Identify what success looks like for your site. Is it conversion rates, time on page, or bounce rates? Tailor your tracking to these goals. Start with platforms like Google Analytics or GA4 for traffic data, Hotjar for user behaviour, and Tag Manager for tracking events. Then, track user journeys from entry to conversion. Understand where users drop off and optimize those touchpoints. Schedule monthly or quarterly analytics reviews. Use the insights to tweak content, design, or CTAs to boost performance.
9. Don’t skimp on testing
Testing ensures everything works perfectly in every scenario. Check your website on all major browsers and devices to ensure consistency. Verify that all forms, buttons, and interactive features work exactly as intended. Also, consider recruiting real users to test the site. Their feedback can uncover overlooked pain points.
10. Collaborate with experts
The success of your website design hinges on the expertise of the team behind it. Partner with developers and designers who understand your vision and have a proven track record of delivering exceptional digital experiences. Look for agencies with proven portfolios and client success stories. At Articulate, we are ready to be your perfect fit, offering a track record of delivering high-performance, tailored websites that drive results and align with your vision.
Let’s talk about website design
At the end of the day, whether you opt for a custom-built website or an off-the-shelf solution, the goal is the same: creating an online presence that works for your business. Let’s talk about how we can create a solution that aligns with your business goals and gets you where you want to go. Your next big digital move is just one conversation away.