Let’s be honest — most websites look decent these days. But not all of them feel right when you use them. That feeling? It usually comes down to UX.
If you’ve ever clicked off a site because it was frustrating, confusing, or just plain annoying, then you’ve felt the effects of bad UX in web design.
In this post, we’re diving into what UX actually means, why it matters, and how beginners (like you!) can start thinking about it when building a website.
- What is UX in Web Design?
- Why UX in Web Design Matters
- Core Elements of Good UX in Web Design
- Common UX Mistakes Beginners Make
- How to Start Thinking About UX in Your Own Website
- Free (and Cheap) Tools to Help with UX
What is UX in Web Design?
UX stands for User Experience. In web design, it’s all about how a person feels when they interact with your site. It covers everything from how fast your site loads, to how easy it is to find the contact page, to how enjoyable the overall experience is.
UX is not just about how a website looks — that’s more the realm of UI (User Interface). UX is the full journey someone takes from landing on your site to taking the action you want them to take.
Think of UX as the vibe your website gives off. A good vibe keeps people around. A bad one? Well, they’ll bounce.
Why UX in Web Design Matters
Imagine you’ve opened a shop. It’s beautifully decorated, but the tills don’t work properly, the aisles are cluttered, and customers can’t find what they’re looking for. No matter how nice it looks, people won’t want to shop there.
Your website is no different. Here’s why UX in web design should be at the top of your list:
- Better User Retention:
If your website is easy to use, people will stick around longer. They’ll explore more, engage with your content, and are more likely to become customers. - Improved Conversion Rates:
Clear navigation, well-placed calls to action, and a smooth checkout process can all increase conversions — whether that’s a sale, a sign-up, or a contact form submission. - SEO Benefits:
Search engines love sites that users love. Google pays attention to things like bounce rate, time on site, and mobile usability — all of which are directly influenced by UX. - Builds Trust and Credibility:
A website that works well makes your business look professional and trustworthy. Broken links and confusing layouts? Not so much.
Core Elements of Good UX in Web Design
Let’s break down the key ingredients that go into a positive user experience:
1. Usability
Can people use your site easily? That means:
- Clear navigation
- Logical page structure
- Obvious buttons and links
- Accessible design (for users with disabilities)
It seems simple like a simple concept, but it is often overlooked.
2. Consistency
Keeping fonts, colours, button styles, and page layouts consistent makes your site feel polished and professional. It also helps users know what to expect as they move through the site.
3. Responsiveness
Your site should work well on all devices — phones, tablets, laptops, you name it. Mobile-friendly design is non-negotiable in 2025.
In this day and age, Google actually considers mobile first when it is deciding how high to place you in its rankings. So design for mobile first and then adapt it for larger screens.
4. Loading Speed
People are impatient. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, chances are they’re hitting the back button.
Let’s be honest, slow technology must rank somewhere in the top 5 of pet hates among everyone. We are used to getting things fast, and websites are no different.
There are loads of great tools out there to help you measure your website’s speed and give you suggestions on how to improve it:
- Google PageSpeed Insights – Offers detailed performance scores and suggestions for both mobile and desktop.
- GTmetrix – Provides speed scores, waterfall charts, and recommendations for improving load times.
- Pingdom Website Speed Test – Easy-to-use tool that tests from different locations and gives quick insights.
5. Clarity of Information
Your content should be easy to read, well-organised, and free of jargon. Bullet points, subheadings, and short paragraphs are your friends.
If we aren’t watching a video then we are skim-reading. Yes, longer-flowing sentences can be great for SEO. But you need to find the balance between providing a wealth of knowledge and presenting it in a digestible way.
Websites that are in a very technical market need to pay close attention to this. Just because the content makes sense to you, as the subject matter expert, doesn’t mean that it will make sense to your audience.
6. Visual Hierarchy
Not all information is equal. Use size, colour, and placement to guide your visitors’ eyes to the most important parts of the page.
Why it works:
<h1> is the largest and boldest — it grabs attention and sets the topic.
<h2> breaks the content into key sections, keeping things organised.
<h3> is used for smaller sub-sections under each heading, guiding the reader further.
<p> provides the supporting content in a clear, readable way.
Common UX Mistakes Beginners Make
Getting started with web design? Avoid these common UX pitfalls:
- Too Much Stuff :
Don’t try to cram everything above the fold. Give your content room to breathe. - Confusing Navigation:
Stick to a simple, clear menu. Don’t get clever with names — call the blog “Blog”, not “Thoughts” or “Journal”. - Inconsistent Design:
Changing fonts or button styles on every page is jarring. Pick a style and stick with it. - Overloading on Effects:
Animations and pop-ups can be fun… until they aren’t. Use them sparingly and always with purpose.
How to Start Thinking About UX in Your Own Website
Ready to improve the UX of your own site? Here’s how to get started:
1. Put Yourself in the User’s Shoes
Try to browse your site like a first-time visitor. Can you find what you need? Is anything confusing? Are the calls to action clear?
If you struggle with this, speak to a friend or family member who doesn’t know much about your industry. Ask them to visit your website without much guidance, and then give you feedback.
2. Map the User Journey
Think about the steps users take from landing on your homepage to completing a goal — like making a purchase or filling in a form. Remove any unnecessary steps or distractions along the way.
We are simple beings at the end of the day. We want the best outcome with minimal effort – so give the people what they want!
Consider the main outcome of your website, for example, if your goal is for users to fill in a contact form, make sure they don’t have to click more than once to get there.
If you want people to buy a product from you, remove as many steps as possible for them to find the product that they want, add it to their basket, and checkout.
Has anyone ordered from Ocado recently? There are about 5 checkout pages where they try to sell you extra groceries, and every time I wonder if ordering from them is even worth the hassle!
3. Use Real Feedback
Ask friends, clients, or testers to use your site and tell you what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes it takes fresh eyes to spot a UX issue.
Make sure not to lead anyone that is testing your website to the answer that you want. Give them vague instructions, and watch what they do! And we mean watch what they do, not listen to what they say they have done. What people say and what they do is often very different.
There is a great free tool called Hotjar which records user interactions with your website and allows you to track pain points.
4. Test on Mobile
Check how your site looks and behaves on different devices. Is the text readable? Are buttons easy to tap?
It’s often not enough just to flip through it once on your phone. Test it on as many mobile devices as you can. Phones all have different screen sizes, and also different operating styles, which can all affect how your website looks.
Google offers an inspection tool on desktops that will let you choose different screen sizes to show how your websites will look. Just right-click and select inspect to open up the tool, and then select the screen size that you want.
But don’t take this as gospel, it is still good practice to test it on real mobile devices.
5. Keep It Simple
Simplicity is a core principle of good UX. Don’t make users think too hard.
Free (and Cheap) Tools to Help with UX
You don’t need to be a UX pro to start improving your site. Here are a few handy tools:
- Google Analytics – See how users move through your site.
- Hotjar – Heatmaps and session recordings show where people click (or don’t).
- PageSpeed Insights – Get speed tips straight from Google.
- Web.dev – Check accessibility, SEO, and performance all in one.
- Canva or Figma – Great for mocking up page layouts before you build.
Final Thoughts: UX is More Than Just a Trend
UX in web design isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a key part of building a website that actually works. Whether you’re designing a portfolio, setting up a blog, or running an e-commerce store, thinking about UX from the start will save you headaches down the line.
And remember: a good user experience isn’t about flashy design. It’s about creating a website that people enjoy using — one that helps them find what they need without friction.