How To Design An Impressive Website | 8 Easy-to-follow Steps

In this article, we will explore 8 easy-to-follow steps to design a website that leaves a lasting impression. Whether you’re a beginner or an aspiring designer, our guide will help you create an impressive website that stands out in the digital world.

Key Takeaways

• With our 8 incredibly straightforward steps, website design will be a breeze.
• Shopify stands out as the top choice among available website builders due to its user-friendly interface and extensive built-in features that seamlessly support e-commerce and marketing activities.

8 Simple Steps To Design A Website

Here are 8 simple steps to design a website you should not miss.

Step 1: Determine the main objective of your website

Before delving into the intricate details of website design, it is imperative to establish the main goal of your website. The primary purpose will define the direction and focus of your web design efforts, ensuring that your website aligns with your desired outcomes.

Firstly, identify the broad category your website falls into, such as e-commerce, portfolio, blog, or informational. Each type demands a distinct approach to design and content presentation.

Next, pinpoint specific goals that your website aims to achieve. Whether it’s increasing sales, attracting more visitors, building a recognizable brand, or establishing thought leadership, setting clear and measurable goals will pave the way for success.

Moreover, defining your Unique Selling Point (USP) is crucial in distinguishing your website from the competition. Determine what makes your website stand out and communicate it effectively to your target audience.

To gain valuable insights into your users’ needs and preferences, heed the advice of experts like Wolfgang Bruns, Product Manager at MVF Global. “Understanding your users is crucial in customizing and improving their experience, directly impacting your website’s bottom line. Consider segmenting your traffic to provide a more personalized user experience, enhancing user engagement and ultimately contributing to the success of your business.”

Step 2: Conduct Market Research and Competitor Analysis

Research your target audience to understand their demographics, interests, and pain points. Conduct surveys and interviews, or use analytics tools to gather data about how users interact with websites in your industry. This research will comprehensively understand your audience’s expectations from a website and what features or content they find most appealing.

Next, analyze your competitors’ websites to examine their design elements, navigation, content organization, and overall user experience. This analysis will help you understand what works well in your niche and what aspects you can improve or differentiate on your website.

Moreover, stay up-to-date with current web design trends that are making an impact in the digital landscape. Here are some web design trends you should not miss.

1. Micro-interactions: Small animations occur when a user engages with a website. Micro-interactions, such as animated emojis or subtle transitions, add personality and create a more engaging user experience. They can help build a connection between users and your website.
2. Brutalism: Inspired by mid-twentieth-century building construction, brutalist web design embraces a bold and striking approach. Although considered unconventional and controversial, it offers a unique and disruptive design style that can set your website apart.
3. Chatbot Support: Chatbots are becoming increasingly essential for customer-facing services. They provide time-efficient and cost-effective solutions for handling customer inquiries and support requests. The advancement of chatbot technology, including improved emotional intelligence, enhances the user experience and streamlines customer interactions. Since they’re large language models (LLMs) training them on data and enhancing their output can go a long way for businesses of any size.

Remember that trends should complement your website’s purpose and not be included merely for novelty.

Step 3: Choose the Right Website Builder

Selecting the right website builder is crucial as it lays the foundation for your website’s design, functionality, and ease of use. Choosing a website builder impacts your ability to create a professional, visually appealing, and user-friendly website without extensive technical knowledge.

Here are four website builders recommended:

Shopify

Pros and cons

Pros:

• All-in-one e-commerce solution
• User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
• Unlimited bandwidth, products, and storage space
• 150+ ready-made themes
• SEO optimization and blog pages
• 24/7 phone support, live chat, and email support

Cons:

• No free plan
• Premium themes come with an additional cost

Web design features

Shopify offers a seamless and user-friendly website-building experience through its drag-and-drop interface, making website creation effortless, even without coding skills. Its versatile customization options enable easy branding, allowing you to select color schemes, add logos, and choose fonts. It gives you complete creative control to align your website perfectly with your brand identity.

Furthermore, Shopify provides an array of professionally designed, ready-made themes tailored to various industries and styles, accelerating website development. Managing your online store is a breeze with Shopify’s single dashboard management, offering complete control over product management, inventory tracking, order processing, and customer data.

The platform offers unlimited storage for all your website content, allowing you to upload and showcase extensive product catalogs, high-resolution images, and videos without any limitations.

E-commerce features

Shopify offers a robust foundation for your online business. Enjoy the freedom of unlimited product listings, showcasing your entire catalog without constraints. The seamless in-house payment gateways ensure smooth transactions with no extra fees, providing a delightful shopping experience for your customers.

Expand your payment options globally with its payment gateway – Shopify Payments, and over 100 third-party gateways, catering to customers worldwide with convenient payment methods. Efficiently track stock levels and manage inventory with inventory management tools while customer management features enable solid and lasting relationships with your clientele.

With over 8,000 app integrations, Shopify empowers users to enhance marketing, analytics, shipping, and customer support. As your business grows, Shopify’s scalability ensures your online store can handle increased traffic and sales, supporting your success at every step.

Who should use Shopify

Shopify emerges as an exceptional and well-recommended option for

• Retail Stores
• Online Boutiques
• Handmade and Craft Businesses
• Dropshipping Businesses
• Beauty and Cosmetics Stores
• Electronics and Gadgets Stores
• Food and Beverage Businesses

Wix

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Affordable plans
• User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Free 200 emails per month
• SEO optimization and blog pages
• Phone support, live chat, and email support

Cons:

• Storage limitations for some plans
• Unoptimized responsive

Web design features

Wix presents a comprehensive array of website features, empowering users to craft a distinctive and professional online presence. A standout feature is the built-in membership area, granting website owners the ability to offer exclusive content accessible to members. This is especially advantageous for businesses or organizations seeking to provide premium content or restricted access to specific website sections.

With Wix’s user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, constructing a website becomes an intuitive and effortless journey. For those wondering how to create a website from scratch, Wix simplifies the process, allowing users to effortlessly add, rearrange, and customize elements on their web pages without any coding knowledge, making website creation a seamless experience.

Personalization is pivotal in establishing a strong branding identity, and Wix excels in this domain. The platform offers accessible tools that empower users to customize the appearance and design of their website, ensuring a perfect alignment with their brand identity.

Wix further facilitates the website creation process with its vast collection of ready-made templates, catering to various industries and styles. Users can conveniently select a template that suits their needs and personalize it to fit their brand, saving valuable time and effort.

E-commerce features

Among the key features is the flexibility to use custom domains, enabling businesses to possess professional and branded web addresses. 

With Wix, online stores gain the advantage of listing and selling up to 50,000 products, providing ample space for businesses of all sizes to showcase their complete product range. Whether you operate a small boutique or a large-scale retailer, Wix’s Ecommerce platform readily accommodates your inventory needs.

Wix’s Ecommerce features encompass advanced shipping capabilities, allowing businesses to set up various shipping methods, rates, and rules. This high level of customization ensures that shipping processes align precisely with the business’s specific needs and requirements, offering customers a seamless and reliable shipping experience. 

Additionally, the platform supports multiple payment gateways and currency options, facilitating smooth and secure transactions. This versatile feature allows businesses to cater to customers worldwide by accepting payments in different currencies and through various payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, and other online payment systems.

Who should use Wix?

Wix is ideal for individuals or businesses aiming to elevate their business visibility with professional portfolios. Its user-friendly interface and abundant design options empower owners to efficiently create sales websites without spending excessive time on the design process.

Squarespace

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Affordable plans
• User-friendly experience drag-and-drop interface
• No coding requirement
• Unlimited bandwidth
• 30 minutes of video storage
• SEO optimization and blog pages
• Chat and email support

Cons:

• Only 32 extensions are available

Web design features

Squarespace’s web design capabilities revolve around simplicity and accessibility. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes creating a stunning website a breeze, requiring no coding knowledge. Users of all levels, even without technical expertise, can easily design and customize their websites.

The platform boasts a diverse selection of beautifully designed themes that automatically adapt to various screen sizes, ensuring a responsive and seamless browsing experience on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

A standout feature of Squarespace is its support for memberships and subscription solutions. Businesses can effortlessly set up membership areas, exclusive content, and subscription plans to engage their audience and generate recurring revenue. This feature is particularly advantageous for businesses offering premium content or establishing recurring revenue streams.

E-commerce features

A notable e-commerce feature is the provision of free custom domains, empowering businesses to develop a professional and branded online presence. This elevates credibility and brand recognition, which is vital for attracting and retaining customers.

The platform also includes advanced analytics, providing businesses valuable insights into customer behavior, sales performance, and marketing effectiveness. With detailed data and reports, users can make informed decisions to optimize their e-commerce strategies and drive growth.

Squarespace’s higher-priced plan allows unlimited products, perfect for businesses seeking to scale their operations. This means businesses can showcase and sell a vast product range without limitations, catering to the needs of both small and large-scale e-commerce ventures.

Who should use Squarespace?

Squarespace is an excellent option for individuals or businesses prioritizing visually appealing and professional showcases of their products, services, or creative works rather than solely focusing on large-scale e-commerce operations.

WordPress

Pros and cons

Pros:

• The customizability of website design
• Complete access to its codes
• Over 59,000 free WordPress plugins are available
• Infinite possibilities for building a website
• Open-source platform with a vast community of developers and users
• User-friendly CMS
• SEO optimization

Cons:

• A substantial learning curve requirement for the extensive customization options. 
• Must have coding knowledge
• Familiar with HTML/CSS/PHP requirements
• Limited customer support

Web design features

WordPress.org serves as a self-hosted, open-source CMS (content management system) and the most popular website design platform.

With WordPress, you gain complete control over your website’s appearance and functionality, and it comes with no direct cost. However, to make your website live, you must invest in web hosting, security, a domain name, and any necessary plugins or themes.

Despite its popularity, WordPress may not be the most user-friendly option for the average individual. WordPress could prove challenging unless you possess coding expertise or have the financial means to hire a professional developer.

E-commerce features

The e-commerce features of WordPress revolve around its versatile plugins, which are complex pieces of code that can be effortlessly added to your website with just a few clicks. These plugins eliminate the need for programming functions and provide a simple way to create web shops for various products, integrate virtual shopping carts, and establish a secure and reliable payment system for processing transactions.

The main functionalities that WordPress e-commerce plugins add to your website include customization options for product pages, various payment gateways, additional shopping cart and checkout features, seamless integration with shipping carriers, search engines, and product filters. 

Moreover, they offer navigation improvements, integration with tax software, partner and affiliate programs, loyalty and membership programs for retail customers, SEO tools to prevent duplicate content issues, Google Analytics tracking and tags remarketing, and numerous other advanced features. Among these plugins, WooCommerce by Automattic remains one of the best and most popular options for WordPress.

WooCommerce is hailed by many SEO experts as the most user-friendly platform ever created. It automates the removal of duplicate content, a significant SEO concern.

You will find numerous additional WooCommerce functionalities exploring the WordPress plugin repository, including solutions like PayPal and Amazon payments, Mailchimp for marketing automation, tracking tools, and multilingual add-ons.

Who should use WordPress?

WordPress proves to be less beginner-friendly due to its demand for technical knowledge, making it better suited for individuals with coding expertise or those willing to invest significant funds in hiring a professional website designer.

5 Tips on how to choose the best website builder for your business

Here are five essential tips to help you choose the best website builder for your business:

1. Define Your Needs and Goals: Identify your business’s specific needs and goals for the website. Determine the type of website you want to create (e.g., e-commerce, portfolio, blog), your target audience, and the essential features required to achieve your objectives.
2. User-Friendly Interface: Opt for a website builder with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It should offer easy-to-use tools and drag-and-drop functionality, allowing you to design and customize your website without requiring extensive technical knowledge or coding skills.
3. Templates and Customization Options: Look for a platform that offers a diverse range of professionally designed templates and ample customization options. The availability of customizable themes ensures you can create a visually appealing and unique website that represents your brand identity effectively.
4. Mobile Responsiveness: In the mobile-driven era, choosing a website builder that provides responsive templates is crucial, ensuring your website looks and functions seamlessly on various devices and screen sizes. A mobile-friendly website enhances user experience and boosts your online visibility.
5. SEO Features: Consider a website builder incorporating essential SEO features. These features should enable you to optimize your website for search engines, including customizable meta tags, URL structures, and image optimization. A website with good SEO practices can improve your website’s ranking and attract more organic traffic.

Step 4: Select a Template or Design Theme

It’s time to choose a template or design theme that aligns with your website’s style and purpose. Using pre-designed templates or themes can save you time and effort in web design while providing a solid foundation for your site’s layout and functionality.

Let’s browse templates for different industries. Different industries have specific design requirements, and selecting a template that suits your industry can enhance the overall user experience. For example:

• E-commerce: If creating an online store, look for templates prioritizing product showcases, smooth navigation, and seamless checkout processes. Shopify offers various e-commerce themes like “Supply,” “Debutify,” or “Electro,” designed to meet the specific needs of online businesses.
• Photography Portfolio: For photographers, a theme that highlights visuals with large image galleries and elegant layouts can work wonders.
• Business or Corporate: Companies may opt for professional themes that showcase their services, testimonials, and team members.

Each website builder offers various themes with various features and designs. Here are some highly-rated themes from Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace:

Shopify:

• “Brooklyn” – Ideal for modern apparel and accessory stores.
• “Minimal” – A clean and stylish theme for various product types.
• “Boundless” – Perfect for showcasing large, high-quality images.

Wix:

• “Brunch & Lunch” – A restaurant template with a modern and intuitive design.
• “Art Store” – Ideal for artists and creatives to display their work elegantly.
• “Online Music School” – A theme tailored for music schools and instructors.

Squarespace:

• “Bedford” – A versatile template for businesses, bloggers, and creative professionals.
• “Miller” – A sleek and minimal template for photographers and artists.
• “Paloma” – A chic and trendy theme well-suited for fashion and lifestyle brands.

Tips on Selecting and Customizing Themes:

• Simplicity and Responsiveness: Choose a visually appealing theme, easy to navigate and fully responsive across various devices.
• Customization Options: Look for themes that offer flexible customization options, allowing you to match your brand’s color scheme, logo, and other brand elements.
• SEO-Friendly: Prioritize optimized themes for search engines to ensure better visibility in search results.
• Consider Functionality: Ensure the theme supports your needed features, such as e-commerce capabilities, contact forms, or social media integration.
• Test Before Committing: Many website builders offer previews of their themes. Test the themes with your content to see how it looks and feels before making a final decision.
• Update Regularly: Choose themes from reputable sources and regularly update them to ensure compatibility with the latest web standards and security patches.

Step 5: Design and Arrange Website Elements

Designing a visually appealing layout and strategically arranging key elements are essential in creating a website that delivers a positive user experience (UX) and effectively communicates your brand message. Paying attention to the logo, color scheme, font, navigation menu, headers, media elements, and call-to-action buttons will contribute to a cohesive and engaging website design.

• Logo: Your logo is the face of your brand, so make sure it’s prominently displayed in the header section, usually at the top left corner. It should be clear, high-quality, and easily recognizable to build brand identity and trust.
• Color Scheme: Choose a color scheme that aligns with your brand and resonates with your target audience. Consistency in color usage creates a harmonious and professional appearance. Consider the psychological impact of colors when selecting your palette.
• Font: Opt for readable and web-safe fonts that reflect your brand’s personality. Stick to a limited number of fonts for consistency and use variations like bold or italics to emphasize important content.
• Navigation Menu: Keep the navigation menu clear, simple, and easily accessible to guide users through your website. Use descriptive labels and consider drop-down menus for organized sub-navigation.
• Headers: Use headers to structure your web pages and make scanning content easy. Differentiate between primary and secondary headers to aid user navigation.
• Media Elements: Enrich your website with high-quality images, videos, and media that effectively convey your brand’s message. Optimize media files for faster loading times.
• Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons: Design visually distinct CTA buttons encouraging users to take specific actions, such as signing up or purchasing. Use action-oriented text to drive engagement.

Step 6: Optimize Your Website

By implementing various optimization techniques, you can enhance your website’s visibility, accessibility, and loading speed.

Mobile-Friendly and Responsive Design: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and responsive, adapting seamlessly to different devices and screen sizes. With most users accessing the internet through mobile devices, this step is crucial for providing a positive user experience to all visitors.

Positioning with “F” Pattern: Organize your content with the “F” pattern in mind, as research shows users typically scan web pages in this shape. Place important information and key elements along the top and left side of the page to capture users’ attention efficiently.

SEO Optimization: Perform Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to enhance your website’s visibility in search engine results. Make content tweaks, optimize images, and ensure responsiveness to positively impact your site’s ranking. Platforms like Wix and Shopify offer built-in SEO tools, enabling you to make necessary SEO adjustments conveniently.

Meta Data: Craft compelling page titles and descriptions (metadata) that accurately describe your webpage’s content. Metadata appears in search results, giving users a glimpse of your content before they click through. Adequate metadata can improve click-through rates and attract more visitors to your site.

Loading Speed: Optimize your website’s loading speed to prevent visitors from getting frustrated and leaving. Compress images, leverage browser caching, and optimize code to reduce loading times. A fast-loading website will likely retain users and rank higher in search engine results.

Image Alt Text: Include descriptive alt text for images to help search engines understand their content. Alt text provides context for images and serves as an alternative for users who cannot view images, improving accessibility and SEO.

Internal Linking: Utilize internal linking to connect relevant pages within your website. Internal links improve site navigation, encourage user engagement, and help search engines effectively discover and index your content.

Step 7: Test and Launch Your Website

Testing your website thoroughly before launching is essential to ensure a seamless user experience and avoid potential issues. Follow these everyday steps to conduct comprehensive testing:

• Check Links and Navigation: Verify that all links on your website are working correctly and directing users to the right pages. Test both internal and external links to ensure smooth navigation.
• Readability and Content Accessibility: Ensure all content is readable, well-organized, and easy to find. Pay attention to font sizes, colors, and contrast to enhance readability for all users.
• User-Friendly Navigation: Ensure users can easily access essential information without getting lost. Keeping users within three clicks from the homepage is recommended for a smooth browsing experience.
• Responsive Design: Test your website’s appearance and functionality on different devices, including desktop, mobile, and tablet. Ensure it adapts gracefully to various screen sizes and resolutions.
• Loading Speed: Check the loading speeds of your web pages using a free site speed tester. Aim to keep loading times under 5 seconds to prevent user frustration and potential bounce rates.
• User Experience (UX) Checklist: Consult UX checklists available online to ensure you cover all aspects of user experience. Addressing UX concerns comprehensively will enhance user satisfaction and engagement.

You are ready for the grand launch after thoroughly testing your website and resolving any issues. Announce your website through various channels such as social media, email newsletters, or press releases.

Monitor user feedback and analytics to identify areas for continuous improvement and ensure your website remains optimized and user-friendly.

Step 8: Analyze and Improve

Ongoing analysis and improvement are essential to ensure your website remains effective, user-friendly, and aligned with your objectives. 

Firstly, integrate your website with analytics tools like Google Analytics. This provides valuable insights into user behavior, traffic sources, popular pages, bounce rates, and more. Analyzing this data helps you understand user preferences and identify areas for improvement.

Next, actively seek feedback from website users, clients, or colleagues to gain different perspectives on the user experience. Encourage users to share their thoughts on usability, design, and content. Feedback can reveal issues you might not have noticed and provide valuable suggestions for enhancements.

Finally, regularly review analytics and user feedback data to identify areas that need improvement. Address any bugs, broken links, or technical issues promptly. Consider updating your content, design, and navigation based on user preferences and emerging trends.

Summary

Designing an impressive website is manageable when following these 8 easy-to-follow steps:

• Step 1: Determine the main objectives of your website
• Step 2: conduct market research
• Step 3: Choose a website builder
• Step 4: Select a template
• Step 5: Design the website’s element to your branding and preferences
• Step 6: Optimize the website
• Step 7: Test and launch your website
• Step 8: Maintain, analyze, and improve your website

How To Design A Website: FAQs

Read our FAQS about designing a website to get more valuable insights on creating stunning websites.