I've designed hundreds of websites during my 25 years in the digital industry. My first site was created with HTML and images, probably on Geocities, back in the nineties. Looking back, it's almost amusing how simple things were then – a few images, some text, links and you had a website.
At that time, internet was taking its first steps, and everything was somewhat of an experiment.
Today, websites have evolved into something far more complex and crucial. It's simple: if you're not on Google or on Social Media, your company doesn't exist.
Pro Tip: Before reading further, stop and think: when was the last time you really analyzed how your customers use your website? Not just access metrics, but their actual behavior?
The digital landscape has evolved dramatically, yet websites remain fundamental to business success. Let me explain why through real-world impact rather than just theory.
Think about your own behavior when researching a company or product. Whether you start with Google, social media, or even AI search tools, you'll inevitably want to visit the company's website. That moment of truth – when a potential customer lands on your site – needs to deliver on their expectations and answer their questions effectively.
I once worked with a client who was losing international business simply because they couldn't respond to inquiries during their local business hours. A well-designed website solved this problem, turning after-hours inquiries into qualified leads and eventually sales. That's the power of constant availability.
Your website should serve as a carefully organized library of everything your customers need to know. One of my clients reduced their customer service calls by 60% simply by restructuring their website to better answer common customer questions. The key was not just having the information, but organizing it in a way that matched how customers actually looked for it.
Modern e-commerce isn't just about having a shopping cart. Today's successful online stores create immersive shopping experiences that guide customers through their decision-making process. They provide detailed product information, comparison tools, and reassurance at every step. Imagine information available to your customers in your product page – that would be impossible to deliver consistently and easily in a physical store. Not counting the simultaneous selling capacity.In a physical store, you need one sales representative (or two in some cases) per customer. Impossible to scale.
The most successful websites I've helped create don't just sell products – they build relationships. Through personalized user spaces, smart content recommendations, and intelligent support systems, they turn one-time buyers into loyal customers.
Let me share a story that perfectly illustrates why website design requires more than just good looks. Imagine planning a wedding for months, choosing a beautiful cake from a prestigious bakery. The cake looks stunning – perfect for those Instagram photos. But when it's time to cut into it, you find... nothing. Just hollow decorations.
Many websites are like this – beautiful on the outside but lacking substance where it matters. The visual design matters, absolutely, but it's just the frosting on a much more complex cake.
This is where things get interesting – and potentially controversial. Yes, technically, anyone can create a website today. Tools and platforms make it easier than ever. But there's a crucial difference between creating a website and designing an effective digital presence.
Think of it like cooking. Anyone can follow a recipe, but creating a memorable dining experience requires understanding of ingredients, timing, presentation, and your guests' preferences. Website design is similar – it's about understanding user psychology, business strategy, and how to merge them effectively.
When I begin a new website project, clients often proudly present their market research. They know their target audience's age, income, preferences, and buying habits. This information is valuable, but it's only half the story.
I remember a luxury brand client who knew everything about their affluent target market's shopping habits. Yet their website's conversion rate was abysmal. Why? Market research showed their customers valued premium experiences, but user research revealed these same customers found their checkout process frustratingly complicated. They were trying to recreate their high-end boutique experience online, but what their users actually wanted was efficiency and simplicity.
This illustrates the crucial difference between marketing research and user research. Marketing research tells you who your customers are; user research shows you how they actually behave. It's the difference between knowing someone's biography and watching how they interact with your product in real life.
What customer's say is usually not what they do or want. There are lot's of levels to investigate in order to understand users needs and deliver satisfaction.
Over my 25 years of creating digital solutions, I've developed a framework that consistently delivers results. Think of these pillars not as separate steps, but as interconnected elements that support each other.
The foundation of any successful website isn't technology or design – it's understanding. One of my clients spent months arguing about color schemes before we stepped back to ask a fundamental question: what problems are we trying to solve for their users?
This shift in thinking led to fascinating discoveries. Through user interviews and observation, we found that their customers weren't primarily concerned about the website's look – they were frustrated about not finding crucial product information quickly enough.
Success in digital design isn't about feelings; it's about results. When a client tells me they want a "better website," my first question is always: "How will we know it's better?"
For a recent e-commerce project, instead of vague goals like "improve user experience," we set specific targets: reduce cart abandonment by 25% and decrease support tickets by 40%. These concrete goals shaped every design decision we made.
This is where creativity meets strategy. Once you understand user problems and business goals, the challenge becomes designing solutions that serve both. It's like being an architect who needs to create a building that's both beautiful and functional.
A low-code software client needed to make a complex product usable and understandable to first-time devs while satisfying experienced engineers too. The solution wasn't a compromise – it was creating adaptive user journeys that suited both groups' needs.
Information architecture is like city planning for your website. It's not just about organizing content – it's about creating intuitive pathways that make sense to your users.
I once reorganized a healthcare provider's website based on patient journeys rather than internal department structures. The result? Patients will be able to discover their services by the terms they know, and not complicated jargons.
Beautiful plans can fail in reality. That's why I always start with prototypes – simple versions we can test with real users. Modern no-code and low-code tools like Webflow, Glide and Framer allow us to create and test ideas quickly, saving both time and money, without compromising the test of the interaction part of the project.
With a solid foundation in place, visual design becomes about enhancing functionality. Every color choice, every font, every element should serve a purpose in guiding users and supporting business goals, always with aesthetics as a lighthouse.
A website is never truly finished. User needs evolve, businesses grow, and technology advances. The most successful websites are those that adapt and improve continuously based on real user data and feedback.
Throughout my career, I've seen many website projects struggle or fail. The reasons are rarely technical – they're usually human and organizational. Here are the patterns I've observed and how to avoid them.
The most common scenario I see is what I call "the committee trap." A project starts with clear vision but gets diluted as more stakeholders add their opinions. One client had to restart their entire project after six months because every department wanted their priorities addressed first, resulting in a confused, ineffective design.
Another frequent issue is what I call "foundation skipping". Companies eager to see visual progress often rush past crucial research and planning stages. It's like building a house without proper blueprints – it might look good initially, but problems inevitably emerge.
Success in website design isn't mysterious – it's methodical. Start with clear ownership and decision-making processes. Document your goals and success metrics. Plan your content strategy before design begins. Most importantly, stay focused on user needs while balancing business objectives.
Today's website creation offers many options, from no-code tools to full custom solutions. The key isn't which tools you use, but how they serve your strategy. I've seen successful projects built with everything from no code tools (Webflow, Framer, Shopify, Glide, Salesforce, Magento, among others) to custom platforms.
The right choice depends on your specific needs, resources, and goals.
Creating an effective website is a journey of understanding, planning, and continuous improvement. Whether you're starting fresh or improving an existing site, success comes from focusing on user needs while maintaining clear business objectives.
Your next steps depend on where you are in your journey:
Starting Fresh:
Improving Existing Site:
Optimizing Performance:
Remember, the goal isn't perfection from day one, but continuous improvement based on real user needs and business goals.
