Web Design Principles Every Designer Should Know
Good web design is key to optimizing marketing efforts and increasing organic traffic. Similar to every creative discipline, web design involves various principles. Designers should follow these rules to create a perfect balance between a visually striking and functional design. In that sense, the following are some effective web design principles every designer should know and follow.
Purpose
Every site has its own unique purpose. It may be promoting purchases, telling the brand story, or providing demonstrations to customers. Designers should capture the purpose of their site during the initial design stages. This purpose will also decide to message and call to action. Most importantly, it will give designers a clear plan to work on design elements and content creation. Businesses can solidify their purpose by considering a target audience and their pain points. Understand the demographics of these consumers to find the right direction. Moreover, they can also reinforce unique visuals and content to ensure standing out from the competition.
Content
Every user wants information from a website. Providing valuable content is essential to engage with the audience. Hence, designers must avoid filler content during the design phases. Make sure to speak with the users with phrases and concepts that are familiar to them. Following system-oriented terms can make conversions difficult. Furthermore, they should allow information to flow in a natural and logical order. Quality is the primary concern to gain the credibility of readers and allow them to engage with the website. This further helps to create a loyal audience base.
Visuals
High-quality visuals of appropriate size and resolution can complement a good design. Photos, illustrations, and other visuals are vital to providing an interactive experience. People get a rest from reading content with creative graphics. Ideally, it adds energy to a design by filling negative white spaces. Designers can choose from an endless variety of designers. A high-resolution image makes for a positive first impression. This maintains the high level of user experience provided by other design principles. Businesses should make sure to choose images or graphics that are ideal for their niche.
Typography
Fonts convey thoughts and ideas in the right tone. In addition to the content, the right typography conveys meaning with stylized shapes and fonts. Designers should get design ideas from other elements of web design. Maintaining consistency throughout the visual representation is essential in every aspect. Traditional typefaces are suitable for conservative designs. And modern design elements require a little experiment in tone and style. The most important thing to consider when choosing typography is readability. Make sure to communicate large blocks of content with an ideal style of typecase that is easy to read as well.
Harmony
Inconsistent design interrupts the user experience. Bad user experience leads to reduced conversions and sales. Considering the overall impact of harmony, consistent layout, typography, and design elements gives better chances of higher rankings. Making the fonts, visuals, and navigation user-friendly makes the design even more exciting. The harmony principle also extends to the brand identity because of the consistent voice and tone. Designers can utilize the basic guidelines to help with consistency. These guidelines serve as an explanation to improve the guidelines and colors of the website. However, designers must ensure an immediate change for the entire site.
Tone
In the line of unique brand elements, the tone is another element that designers should focus on to create an impactful design. Choosing the right tone ensures all the other elements flow in a natural direction. Most importantly, the chosen tone should reflect the values of the business and its mission statement. The palette of the design will also communicate so much information, as it reflects the message. As always, consider the readability of content when applied to content. Ensuring readability for a website further improves user experience and avoids any disruptions in the overall interaction.
Authenticity
The most important of all design principles is authenticity. An honest design communicates how powerful and valuable the brand is in keeping the promise to consumers. Audiences don’t need shallow jargon intended for marketing. Adding depth and authenticity helps to communicate values without any cliches. Connect with new users to position the brand as an authentic partner. Designers can combine content and visuals to convey this aspect of the business. However, they have to choose the right tools from endless possibilities. As always, follow basic guidelines, along with a few exceptions to ensure flexibility without breaking the basic design.
