Designing a Sleek and User-Friendly Website: What to Consider Before You Start

Here is a few things you should consider when planning your new or updated website?

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” –Steve Jobs

When planning a new website, or refreshing an existing one, the way it works is just as important as the way it looks. A beautiful website can still fail if users find it confusing, slow, or hard to navigate. Here are a few key things to consider before you begin the design process.

1. Plan Your Navigation Before Anything Else

A clear structure is the foundation of a great website. Before thinking about colours, layouts, or images, map out your pages and how users will move between them.

A site that’s easy to navigate will keep people engaged for much longer. On the other hand, if visitors can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll leave and usually go straight to a competitor. First impressions matter, and a confusing layout can lose a customer instantly.

Tip: Make your contact details or a contact button visible on every page. Sticky contact tabs or floating buttons are a popular and effective way to boost enquiries while keeping things user-friendly.

2. Know What Your Customers Are Searching For

Before writing any content, spend some time understanding what your customers want to know and the words they use to search for it. This will help you:

• write clearer, more relevant content

• show up in Google searches

• speak directly to your ideal customers

  
  

The better you understand your audience, the easier it is to create a website that answers their needs.

3. Remember: Your Website Is Your Online First Impression

Your website is often the first-place people meet your brand, so it needs to feel welcoming, polished, and easy to use. Think of it as your digital storefront. If it’s cluttered, outdated, or hard to navigate, potential customers may assume the same about your business.

Aim for clean layouts, clear headings, strong calls to action, and content that feels purposeful rather than overwhelming.

4. Make Sure Your Website Works Beautifully on Mobile

More than half of all online browsing now happens on mobile devices. That means your website can’t just be “mobile-friendly” — it needs to feel great on mobile.

Your site should:

• load quickly

• be easy to read

• have buttons that are simple to tap

• look clean on phones, tablets, and larger screens

  
  

A mobile-optimised design isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential.

A successful website blends beauty, clarity, and usability. If you take the time to plan your structure, understand your audience, write purposeful content, and design for all devices, you'll create an online presence that works hard for your business.

If you need help planning or designing your new website, 360 Creative Design is here to guide you through the process.