Web Design: Is Yours Working For Or Against You? < Back to Insights

Did you know that 75% of customers believe your website’s credibility is based on its design alone? 

Your website is a first impression. In just a few short seconds, it tells customers whether you’re organized, professional, and credible — or exactly the opposite. 

After all, a website is often the first example of a business’s customer service. A difficult-to-navigate, low-effort website doesn’t accurately represent a company that you can depend on, does it?  

What Is Web Design? 

Not to be confused with web development, which refers to the technical, back-end organization of a website, web design refers to a website’s visual and interactive experience for users. It’s in the navigation, graphic design and color scheme, typography, layout, hierarchy, and overall appearance of a website. 

Why Does Web Design Matter? 

One of, if not the most significant, reason good web design matters is the initial impression it offers your customers and prospects. 

A key part of that initial impression is how well your website functions on a customer's device. 

With over 60% of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, responsive, mobile-first web design is extremely important. Helping a website properly adjust and "respond" to a wide variety of devices—desktop and mobile alike—responsive design ensures proper performance of your website for all visitors. 

That level of mobile responsiveness, in addition to your site’s visual impression, ease of navigation, readability, and on-page elements including headers and copy, also directly impacts its Search Engine Optimization (SEO). And, in the age of highly-tailored AI-enabled search, demonstrating that your page is of value can be the difference between a user skipping past your site and it being the most relevant search result. 

If a customer lands on your website, isn’t impressed with its design, and immediately bounces back to the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), that sends a signal to Google and other AI-powered search engines that your page isn’t valuable — reducing your rankings, and therefore visibility. 

Make the Right Impression with Expert Web Design 

To ensure your business earns the impression it deserves, prioritizing a positive user experience (UX) through effective web design is key. When it comes to determining what type of web design will prove most successful for your unique business, there are a few questions to consider: 

• Who Is My Target Audience? 
  Is your company business-to-consumer (B2C)? Business-to-business (B2B)? Or both? Determining who your website is for directly impacts the type of content and design your audience will most resonate with, and is therefore best suited for success.   
• What Does My Brand Represent? 
  Whether your business is fun and playful or corporate and professional, like your logo or slogan, your website and online presence is another asset that should communicate your brand’s identity with consistency.    

• What Purpose Does My Website Serve? 
  Is it to inform your audience, sell products, or generate leads? Do you want customers to engage with content or submit a contact form? What types of calls-to-action (CTAs) should be included? 

• What Are My Competitors Doing? 
  Finally, to stand out and demonstrate your unique value proposition to customers, ensuring that your website’s design and content keep up with the competition is crucial. If a customer has clicked on your site, they’re already looking for a reason to choose you over the competition — don’t let an outdated website stand in the way of that. 

The Bottom Line: Your Website Should Work as Hard as You Do  

In today’s digital-first world, your website is way more than an online tool, it’s your most visible salesperson, your 24/7 customer service representative, and often the deciding factor in whether a potential customer chooses your business or moves on to a competitor. Investing in a thoughtful, and strategic web design ensures your site doesn’t just look good but strengthens your credibility and keeps customers engaged from the first look. When your website is designed with purpose, clarity, and usability in mind, it becomes a powerful tool that elevates your brand, drives conversions, and positions your business for long-term growth.