Are you a DIY designer building your own website? Need some simple tips to ensure your site doesn’t look a mess?

FrontDesk share their web design tips for beginners in this infographic.

Here are a few of the things you’ll learn:

• Match your colour palette to your brand
• White space is your friend
• Make important information big
• Never use more than three fonts
• Adopt fonts that are supported by all browsers
• Skip comic sans
• Use contrast
• Use a grid
• Use free high-quality stock images
• Test your load time and optimise it
• Label your navigation icons

Hope the infographic helps.

 

Every business, freelancer, or creative professional needs a website in today’s digital world. But what if you don’t have a background in design? Don’t worry—you don’t need to be a professional web designer to create an effective and visually appealing website. With a few simple principles, you can ensure your site looks professional, is easy to navigate, and effectively communicates your message.

In this guide, we’ll cover 12 simple web design tips that will help non-designers build their own website successfully.

Match Your Colour Palette to Your Brand

Your website’s colour scheme should reflect your brand identity. The colours you choose set the tone and evoke emotions in your audience. Here’s how to create a cohesive colour palette:

• Choose 2 main colours that represent your brand’s personality.
• Select 1 complementary colour that balances the main colours.
• Add 1 accent colour for buttons and important elements to create contrast.
• Use online tools like Adobe Colour or Coolors to find pre-made colour palettes that work well together.

If you’re unsure which colours to use, look at competitors in your industry to see what works well for similar audiences.

White Space Is Your Friend

White space, or negative space, refers to the empty areas of your website that separate content and elements. Many beginners make the mistake of overcrowding their site with text and images. However, strategic white space improves readability and guides users’ attention to key elements.

To use white space effectively:

• Avoid cluttering your pages with too much text or too many images.
• Give your content room to breathe by increasing margins and padding.
• Keep call-to-action buttons and important messages surrounded by empty space to make them stand out.

Make Important Information Stand Out

Your most important messages should be the most visible elements on your website. Use these techniques to ensure key information stands out:

• Use larger fonts for headlines and important text.
• Utilize contrasting colours to highlight buttons and calls to action.
• Place critical information “above the fold”, meaning visitors see it immediately without scrolling.

Stick to a Maximum of 3 Fonts

Too many fonts can make your website look chaotic and unprofessional. Instead, stick to a maximum of three fonts that complement each other:

• Choose a primary font for headings.
• Use a secondary font for body text that is easy to read.
• Add a third font sparingly for stylistic purposes, such as call-to-action buttons.

Sans-serif fonts (like Arial, Helvetica, and Open Sans) are generally easier to read on screens than serif fonts (like Times New Roman).

Use Web-Safe Fonts

Not all fonts display correctly on all devices. Web-safe fonts ensure that your text appears as intended across all browsers. Popular web-safe fonts include:

• Arial
• Georgia
• Verdana
• Times New Roman
• Roboto

Google Fonts offers a wide range of free, web-safe fonts that you can integrate easily into your site.

Avoid Comic Sans (and Other Outdated Fonts)

Fonts like Comic Sans and Papyrus can make your website look amateurish. Instead, stick with modern, professional-looking fonts that convey credibility and trustworthiness.

Use Contrast to Improve Readability

Contrast plays a crucial role in web design by ensuring your text is easy to read and elements stand out. Follow these best practices:

• Use light text on dark backgrounds and dark text on light backgrounds.
• Ensure buttons and call-to-action elements contrast with surrounding content.
• Test different colour combinations to ensure accessibility for all users, including those with visual impairments.

Stick to a Grid Layout

A structured layout helps create a visually appealing and organized website. Using a grid-based design:

• Aligns elements properly, preventing a messy look.
• Makes navigation easier for users.
• Creates consistency across different pages.

Most website builders, like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace, have built-in grid systems that simplify the process.

Use High-Quality Images

Low-resolution or pixelated images can make your site look unprofessional. Here’s how to ensure high-quality visuals:

• Use professional stock images from sources like Unsplash, Pexels, or Shutterstock.
• Resize and compress images to ensure fast loading speeds.
• Use SVG files for logos and icons to maintain quality at any size.

Optimize Page Load Speed

If your website takes too long to load, visitors will leave before they even see your content. Improve your site’s speed by:

• Compressing images using tools like TinyPNG.
• Minimizing the number of plugins if using WordPress.
• Enabling browser caching to store commonly accessed files.
• Using a content delivery network (CDN) to serve your website faster across different locations.

Label Your Navigation Icons Clearly

Your website navigation should be simple and intuitive. Visitors should know exactly where to find information. Best practices include:

• Using descriptive labels for menu items (e.g., “Services” instead of “What We Do”).
• Keeping the navigation bar consistent across all pages.
• Including a search function for easy access to content.

Don’t Fear a Blank Page – Start with a Plan

Staring at a blank page can be overwhelming, but the best way to get started is by planning. Follow these steps:

• Start with the content—write out what you want on each page before focusing on design.
• Use inspiration boards—browse other websites in your industry to get ideas.
• Sketch a wireframe—outline the basic layout before jumping into a website builder.

Final Thoughts

Designing your own website doesn’t have to be intimidating. By following these 12 simple web design tips, even non-designers can create a professional, functional, and visually appealing site. Focus on user experience, readability, and branding to ensure your website effectively represents your business or personal brand.

Remember, your website is a reflection of you or your company. Take the time to get it right, and you’ll create a site that engages visitors and achieves your goals.

Are you ready to build your own website? Start applying these tips today and watch your site come to life!