How to Properly Design a Website

Dr Marketing Inc • April 2, 2019
Web design workspace with colorful palettes, laptop mockup, and “WEB DESIGN” and “LAYOUT” graphics

Your website is your business’ face in the online world, sowhy not make it a pretty one? There are many elements to website design – andif you’re not a website designer, chances are there are a few things you mighthave overlooked. As you start to design your own business website, keep thesedesign tips and strategies in mind.


Steps to Designing the Perfect Business Website

Start with the Home Page

Responsive website mockup on desktop, tablet, and phone highlighting a unique selling point (USP).

The home page of your website needs to be inviting. It needs to be attractive, but also fully functioning, with the ability to direct users. When a user first clicks onto your website, they typically go onto the home page first. A user wants to see a simple, but attractive design that captures their eyes. Of course, the page needs to lead with your unique selling point (USP). Your USP is what draws in search results and online users, and it's going to get the right type of client to your website. Once you find your unique selling point, you can then begin to build your website around it.

A user will typically look for more information once they get to your home page. Depending on your industry, they could be looking for clarification on services offered, products and specifications, answers to popular questions, or the best way to contact you. Your home page should contain snippets of information that lead to additional pages of your website (internal linking).

About Us Page

Website homepage with six people in black, centered logo, and a computer graphic in the middle.

The About Us page is the second most important page on your website. When a user is ready to become a client, they want to get to know you. An about us page should be detailed and inviting – this is your time to shine! The page should be true to you and the brand you're creating, think design, photography, and description. The about us page is where you can share your story, how you got started, your education, passions, shortcomings, everything that’s unique about you and your business. Having a good description of who you are will humanize your business to the user. You will become a familiar face instead of a company name.
If there are commonly asked questions about your business, you might want to consider adding a frequently asked questions page. It may help increase the number of ready to purchase clients in your office.

Contact Page

Contact page with address, phone, email, social icons, and a map pin showing the location

So, you’ve wowed them, now it’s time to bring it home! Afteryour website users have learned more about you, they’ll be ready to contactyou! Your contact page needs to be easy to find, accurate, and contain onlycontact information. The contact page design is very simple and straightforward. It needs to contain:
Your Business Address(s)


  • Mailing Address
  • Email Address
  • Phone Number
  • Fax Number
  • Social Media Account Links
  • Notorieties or Awards logos
  • Hours of Operation

  • Optional design elements:
    Map – it should connect with map apps on mobile/tabletversions
  • Contact form or appointment request form


Moreover, your contact page needs to contain a call toaction. This call to action needs to briefly explain the variety of problemsthe user might be having and how you will solve it. It should also include asecondary call to action option, should a user choose not to complete yourcontact form.

Services / Products / Promotions Pages

Dental clinic website homepage showing three service panels with teeth illustrations and a dropdown menu.

The final section to design on your website is the meat – the services, products, and promotions pages. This is where you are able to expand and offer clients an in-depth description of exactly what they can expect from you. Whether you're selling a product or offering a service, images are very helpful in conveying your message. Just like they say, a picture is worth 1000 words! So, be sure to use the appropriate images throughout your content. Don’t forget to use titles, tags, and alt text too – they help with SEO by making the images search engine friendly. You can use keywords associated with an image as the title of the page you're on, to help promote synergy between your front & back-end. Then use the keywords in your content to improve the pages SEO quality. In addition, use the proper technical terms instead of made up names or abbreviations. Users are typically searching for a specific name, so let them find it!

Key Design Features EVERY Business Website Should Have

Logo

Row of eight colorful app or service logos on a white background

Do we really have to mention this one? Every business should have a logo, it’s kind of a given. Your logo doesn’t have to be anything fancy or intricate, it can actually be very simple and basic. Over the year’s logos have become more structured and easier to understand. It can be a simple geometric shape, graphic, include text or not, the options are endless. The key take away is that your website should have one that is visible to the user as soon as they load the home page to your website. It should also be in the same position and size on each page.
For more tips on logo design, check out our blog post – Tips and Tricks for Creating a Stunning Logo

Menu

On desktops, the menu should be at the top of your page –either to the right, to the left, or centered below your logo. The menu shouldonly contain the main titles of the pages:


  • Home Page
  • Services
  • About Us
  • Contact Us


Under each of the main titles can be dropdown menu optionsthat link to more detailed services. For example: services > toothextractions, teeth whitening, cleanings, etc. The menu is the map that users need to properly navigate yourwebsite.


*On tablet and mobile, the menu should be on the top right corner and be enabled as a drop-down menu. Most people are right hand dominantwhile using handheld devices, and this has proven to be the optimal position.

Balance

Side-by-side monitor comparison labeled symmetrical and asymmetrical website layouts.

Keep the visual design balanced. If you have a picture onthe page, information describing it should be directly beside or below it. Youcan have either symmetrical balance or asymmetrical.


 Symmetrical – there is an equal number of elements or designfeatures on either the horizontal or vertical landscape. The design should lookpretty basic and straight forward. Most of the content is typically centered inthe middle with a decent gap on each side. When creating this design, it’s bestto use a grid to perfectly map out the elements.


Asymmetrical – the complete opposite of symmetrical design.This design might seem a bit more scattered, but trust us, there is a methodbehind the madness. It’s a great way to draw attention to specific content ordesign elements


No matter which type you choose, the balance of your websiteis a feature you don’t want to neglect. It can enhance the entire userexperience. It can also help set your brands aesthetic and values. For moreprofessional businesses, a symmetrical layout is best – but for businesses withroom for creativity, an asymmetrical design might help attract more clients and set you apart from your competition (from a design prospective).

Don’t Be Afraid of Blank Space

Contact page with map pin and contact details, including phone, email, hours, and social media icons

Now after you’ve completed your first design draft, take a step back and simplify. We tend to over include information when writing, especially when it’s something we’re familiar with or passionate about – But when it comes to website design, the simpler the better! More importantly, white space attracts the eye. If you have a piece of content that you really want to stand out, you might want to set it apart in a blank area. This tends to work best for a contact or appointment request form.

Color Scheme/Theme

Chart of six color schemes with labeled color wheels: complementary, rectangle, analogous, triadic, square, split complementary

Color is everything when it comes to design! Your website should reflect your brand's colors (the colors used in your office, logo, or business documents). There is phycology behind the color scheme, and if you haven’t already decided on your branded colors you might want to put some thought into it. Talk to a branding expect at Dr. Marketing for help on choosing colors - Call us by clicking the button below! 

Stacked website mockups on a monitor with floating web page panels in blue and white

From the home page to blank space, website design is a complicated thing. If this is your first time designing a website, you might be in over your head. It takes a lot of expertise to design a website properly.There are many simple steps that can be overlooked. These steps can disrupt your website causing error codes, cause you to lose potential clients, or preventing you from ranking higher on search engines.


Not ready to take on designing your own website? Dr. Marketing offers complete website design services. Whether you have a website or don’t, we’re here to help! 

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