"The website looks great!" — I hear that a lot. And sure, maybe it does look great. But good web design is so much more than aesthetics. A website can be beautiful and still completely fail: visitors can't find what they're looking for, the page takes forever to load, it's barely usable on a smartphone, and nobody ends up clicking "Contact."
In this article, I'll show you the 7 timeless traits that truly define professional websites. No short-lived trends that'll be outdated in two years — just principles that apply today and will still apply five years from now. For each trait, I'll explain why it matters, how to tell whether your website meets it, and what you can specifically improve.
1. Clear Visual Hierarchy: Guiding the Eye
When a visitor lands on your website, they decide in less than 3 seconds whether to stay or leave. In those 3 seconds, their brain scans the page looking for orientation: What's important here? What should I read first? Where should I click?
A clear visual hierarchy ensures your visitor can answer these questions intuitively — without having to think.
What this means in practice
Size signals importance: The main heading is larger than subheadings. Subheadings are larger than body text. The most important button is larger than secondary links. As simple as this sounds — a surprising number of websites ignore this principle.
Spacing creates structure: Related elements are placed close together, while different sections are separated by whitespace. The eye immediately recognizes which content belongs together and where a new section begins.
Contrast directs attention: A colored button on a neutral background automatically draws the eye. A calm background lets the important elements stand out.
Quick test for your website
Open your homepage and squint your eyes so you can't make out the details — just shapes and contrast. Can you still immediately tell where the heading is, where the main content sits, and where the call-to-action is? If so: good hierarchy. If everything blurs into one uniform mass: you're lacking visual hierarchy.
2. Consistent Branding: Everything in Harmony
Imagine walking into a restaurant. The entrance area is elegant and minimalist. Then you enter the dining room — and suddenly everything is colorful and tacky. The menu uses three different fonts. The napkins don't match the tablecloths. You'd feel uneasy, even if you couldn't quite put your finger on why.
That's exactly how visitors feel on a website with inconsistent branding. And discomfort = less trust = fewer conversions.
What consistent branding looks like
Color palette: A maximum of 2-3 main colors plus neutral tones. These colors run throughout the entire website — buttons, headings, accents, hover effects.
Typography: A maximum of 2 fonts — one for headings, one for body text. Font sizes are systematically graded and used consistently across every page.
Visual language: Photos and illustrations have a unified style. Not professional studio shots on one page and pixelated smartphone photos on the next. Not flat-design illustrations one moment and photorealistic 3D the next.
Tone of voice: Are you addressing visitors casually or formally? Are you relaxed or buttoned-up? This decision must be consistent across every page.
Quick test for your website
Click through 5 different pages on your website. Do they feel like they belong to the same brand? Or do some pages seem like they're from a different website entirely? Pay special attention to: Are the colors the same everywhere? Are the same fonts used? Do the pages share the same basic layout?
A look at my portfolio shows you what consistent branding looks like in practice — every project has its own style, but within each project, everything is cohesive.
3. Intuitive Navigation: 3 Clicks to the Goal
Navigation sounds simple — but in practice, it often isn't. Many websites have menus with 12 items, nested dropdown menus three levels deep, and you still can't find the contact page.
The rule of thumb: Every important piece of information should be reachable within a maximum of 3 clicks. And "clicks" aren't the only issue — the visitor also needs to know where to go next at each click. If they have to guess, you've lost them.
What intuitive navigation looks like
Clear labels: "Services" instead of "Solutions." "About" instead of "Story." "Contact" instead of "Get Connected." Visitors come to your website to solve a problem — not to decode creative menu labels.
Logical grouping: Related pages belong together. "Services" contains all service pages. "Blog" leads to the blog. Sounds obvious, but it's often ignored.
Few main items: The main navigation should have 5-7 items. More than that overwhelms the visitor. If you have 15 pages, you need a sensible sub-structure — not 15 items in the main menu.
Consistent placement: The navigation is in the same spot on every page. In the header, in the footer, in the sidebar — but always where the visitor expects it.
Quick test for your website
Ask someone who's never seen your website to find a specific piece of information — for example, your phone number, your pricing, or a specific service. Watch where they click. Do they find it in under 30 seconds? If not: your navigation needs work.
You'll find more about typical navigation mistakes in my article 5 Website Mistakes That Drive Visitors Away.
4. Mobile-First Design: Not Just Responsive — Built for Mobile
"Responsive" and "Mobile-First" are two different things. Responsive means: the desktop website is adapted so it works on mobile devices. Mobile-First means: you design for the smartphone first and then expand for desktop.
Why is that a big difference? Because "desktop first, then make it responsive" often leads to compromises: elements are simply stacked on the smartphone, fonts get smaller, buttons get squeezed together. It works — but it doesn't feel native.
What Mobile-First actually means
Respect touch zones: Buttons and clickable elements need to be large enough for fingers — at least 44x44 pixels. And they can't be too close together, so you don't accidentally hit the wrong button.
Prioritize content: On a small screen, there's no room for everything. Mobile-first forces you to decide: What's truly important? What can go? The result is often better for desktop too — because you've focused on what matters.
Optimize performance: Mobile users often have slower connections than desktop users. So the mobile version needs to load especially fast. No massive images, no unnecessary JavaScript, no bloated code.
Simplify forms: A 10-field form on desktop is already pushing it. On a smartphone, it's torture. Reduce forms to the absolute minimum. Name, email, message — done.
Quick test for your website
Open your website on your smartphone (not on Wi-Fi — use mobile data). Navigate through 3-4 pages. Does it feel natural? Are all buttons easy to tap? Do you need to zoom anywhere? Is the text easy to read? Do pages load quickly?
Bonus test: Try filling out a contact form on your website from your phone. If it's frustrating, you're losing mobile leads.
5. Fast Load Times: Performance Is Design
Speed isn't a technical detail — it's a design decision. Every design choice you make affects load time: high-resolution background videos, elaborate animations, five different fonts, 20 embedded third-party scripts — all of this makes your website slower.
And slowness costs you money. 53% of mobile users leave a website if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. That means: more than half of your potential customers never even see your design — because they've already left.
Performance as a design principle
Good web design asks with every decision: "Is this element worth the performance cost?"
Images: Yes, you need images. But they should be delivered in modern formats (WebP or AVIF), properly compressed, and loaded via lazy loading only when they're in the visible area.
Fonts: Two fonts are enough. Every additional font file means additional load time. And use modern techniques like font-display: swap so text is visible immediately, even while the font is still loading.
Animations: Subtle animations can enhance a design. But a parallax effect on every element just because it "looks cool" slows the site down and distracts from the content. Animations should serve a purpose — directing attention, smoothing transitions, signaling interactivity.
Third-party scripts: Every chat widget, every analytics tool, every social media plugin costs load time. Ask yourself with every embedded script: Do I really need this?
Quick test for your website
Test your website on Google PageSpeed Insights. Do you have a mobile score of at least 80? If not, there's work to be done. The Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS) should all be in the green zone.
With my website projects, performance isn't an afterthought — it's planned from the start. Because a beautiful website that takes 6 seconds to load isn't a good website.
6. Clear Call-to-Actions: Every Page Has a Goal
A website without clear calls-to-action is like a sales pitch that never closes. You talk and talk — but never say: "Would you like to buy this?"
Every single page on your website should have a goal. And the visitor should immediately understand what that goal is and what they should do next.
What makes a good CTA
Clarity: The visitor needs to immediately understand what happens when they click. "Book a free consultation" is clear. "Learn more" is vague. "Get started" — start what?
Visibility: The CTA needs to stand out. Different color from the rest of the page. Enough whitespace around it. Large enough to catch the eye immediately. Not hidden somewhere at the bottom of the page.
Context: A CTA needs the right context. First you explain the benefit, then comes the call-to-action. "Want a website that actually brings in customers?" -> "Let's talk about it."
Hierarchy: There's a primary CTA (the main action you want) and secondary CTAs (alternatives for visitors who aren't ready yet). Primary: "Request a quote now." Secondary: "Learn more about our services." The primary CTA is visually dominant.
Quick test for your website
Open each page of your website individually. Ask yourself for each page: "What should the visitor do here?" If you can't answer that in 2 seconds — then neither can the visitor. And then you'll lose them.
Also check: Is there a CTA "above the fold" — meaning in the visible area without scrolling? On longer pages: Is the CTA repeated?
7. Whitespace as a Design Element: Less Is More
Whitespace — the empty space between elements — is often seen by non-designers as "wasted space." "There's still room! We could put another image there. Or some text. Or a banner."
No. Whitespace isn't empty space. Whitespace is an active design element. It lets your content breathe, gives the eye orientation, and ensures that important elements get the attention they deserve.
Why whitespace matters so much
Readability: Text with enough line spacing and paragraph spacing is significantly easier to read than cramped text. Studies show: more whitespace around text increases reading comprehension by up to 20%.
Focus: When everything is important, nothing is important. Whitespace helps you direct attention to the elements that truly matter. A single button with plenty of space around it draws the eye far more than a button squeezed between 5 other elements.
Professionalism: Compare the websites of Apple, Google, or other premium brands with a typical small-town website that crams every square inch with information. The difference? Whitespace. Premium brands let things breathe. Cluttered pages look cheap and unprofessional — even if the content is good.
Visual grouping: Whitespace shows which elements belong together and where a new section begins. It's the visual equivalent of a pause in conversation.
The misconception: "But we have so much content"
"We have so much to say — we can't leave everything out!" That may be true. But the solution isn't to cram everything onto one page. The solution is structure: distribute the content across multiple pages. Use subpages, accordions, or tabs for details. Show only the essentials on the main page and link to detail pages.
The golden rule: If you can't clearly identify the ONE core message on a page — then you're trying to say too much at once.
Quick test for your website
Take a screenshot of your homepage (the full page, not just the visible area). Shrink the image to postage-stamp size. Can you still see the basic structure? Are there recognizable sections separated by whitespace? Or does everything look like one uninterrupted block?
How does it all fit together?
These 7 traits don't work in isolation — they reinforce each other.
Clear visual hierarchy needs whitespace. Consistent branding requires a well-thought-out color system that also works for CTAs. Mobile-first design forces you to prioritize content — which automatically leads to better navigation and more whitespace. Fast load times require reduction — which in turn leads to cleaner design.
That's why professional web design is more than "someone making me a pretty page." It's a thoughtful system where every element has a function and everything works together.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic, also read my article Hiring a Web Designer: What to Consider — where I explain how to find the right designer who understands and applies these principles.
How can you tell if your website meets these traits?
The honest answer: it's hard to evaluate your own website objectively. You're too close to it — you know every page by heart, you know where everything is, you overlook problems because you're used to them.
The best test: Show your website to someone who's never seen it before. Give them a task — "Find out what we offer and how to contact us" — and watch what happens. Where do they click? Where do they hesitate? Where are they confused?
You can also do a quick self-assessment. Go through this checklist:
- Hierarchy: Is it immediately clear what's most important on each page?
- Branding: Do all pages look like they belong to the same brand?
- Navigation: Can a first-time visitor find the key information in under 30 seconds?
- Mobile: Is the website just as usable on a smartphone as on desktop?
- Speed: Does the website load in under 3 seconds?
- CTAs: Does every page have a clear next step for the visitor?
- Whitespace: Do the contents have enough room to breathe?
If you're unsure about one or more of these points, or have to answer "no": there's room for improvement. And that's nothing to be ashamed of — most websites have room to grow in at least 2-3 areas.
Conclusion: Good Web Design Is Invisible
The best web design doesn't call attention to itself. The visitor doesn't think "Wow, what amazing design!" — they simply find what they're looking for effortlessly, immediately understand what you offer, and instinctively know what to do next. Good design is like good air: you only notice it when it's missing.
The 7 traits we've discussed aren't design trends that will look different next year. They're timeless principles that have held true for decades and will continue to hold true in the future. Whether your website is built with WordPress, Webflow, Next.js, or any other technology — these principles are universal.
If you feel like your current website doesn't meet these traits — or if you simply want an honest outside perspective — get in touch. I'll take a look at your website and give you a straight answer about where you stand and what can be improved. No sales pitch, no obligation — just an honest analysis.
More articles you might find interesting:
- 5 Website Mistakes That Drive Visitors Away — The most common problems and how to fix them
- How Much Does a Website Cost? — Realistic pricing for professional web design
- How Long Does a Website Take? — From idea to launch: a realistic timeline