{"id":7339,"date":"2026-11-14T19:45:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-14T19:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsolutions.ee\/uncategorized\/website-design-principles\/"},"modified":"2026-11-14T19:45:35","modified_gmt":"2026-11-14T19:45:35","slug":"website-design-principles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsolutions.ee\/en\/blog\/website-design-principles\/","title":{"rendered":"Website Design Principles: 10 Rules That Bring Enquiries"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In short:<\/strong> The website design principles that bring enquiries are: a clear message at the top of the page, mobile first, fast loading, readable typography, sufficient contrast and accessibility, trust signals, visible calls to action, short forms, proper multilingual structure and a consistent look. In a Nielsen Norman Group study, about 57% of viewing time went to the first screenful, so your value proposition must be visible immediately. Google research found that 53% of mobile visitors leave if a page takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Since 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act (EAA) has also applied in the EU, covering many online services and e-shops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Good design is not about pretty pictures. It is a page where a visitor understands within seconds what you offer, trusts you and knows what to do next. Below are 10 website design principles<\/strong> based on usability research and our experience with company websites in Estonia. Each comes with a quick check you can run on your own site.<\/p>\n

Why does website design affect the number of enquiries?<\/h2>\n

Jakob Nielsen wrote at Nielsen Norman Group that users often leave a page within 10\u201320 seconds and that a page has roughly 10 seconds to communicate its value. If visitors cannot answer “is this for me?” in that time, they go back to search and on to a competitor. Design is a sales tool: it decides whether the money you spend on ads and SEO turns into enquiries.<\/p>\n

Principles 1\u20133: how do you make a good first impression?<\/h2>\n

1. Clarity above the fold<\/h3>\n

In Nielsen Norman Group’s 2018 eye-tracking study, 57% of viewing time was spent on the first screenful and 74% on the first two. The top of the page should say what you do, for whom, where, and what the next step is. “Bookkeeping for small businesses in Tallinn” says more than “Your success is our mission”.<\/p>\n

Check:<\/strong> can a stranger tell what the company offers after 5 seconds?<\/p>\n

2. Mobile first<\/h3>\n

Design for the phone screen first: one column, large buttons, a tappable phone number, a simple menu. Google indexes sites mainly based on their mobile version, so content hidden on mobile also loses out in search.<\/p>\n

Check:<\/strong> can you send an enquiry on your phone with one thumb, without zooming?<\/p>\n

3. Speed<\/h3>\n

According to Google’s 2016 study “The Need for Mobile Speed”, 53% of mobile visitors leave if a page does not load within 3 seconds. Google’s “good” Core Web Vitals thresholds are: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) up to 2.5 seconds, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) up to 200 ms and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) up to 0.1. In design terms: optimised images, fewer fonts and animations, and no heavy sliders in the hero section. For causes and costs, see why is my website slow<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Check:<\/strong> does PageSpeed Insights show green Core Web Vitals on mobile?<\/p>\n

Principles 4\u20135: is the site readable for everyone?<\/h2>\n

4. Typography<\/h3>\n

Use one or two typefaces, body text of at least 16 px, line height of about 1.5 and a sensible line length (roughly 60\u201380 characters). A clear heading hierarchy (H2, H3) helps readers as well as Google and AI systems understand the structure of your content.<\/p>\n

5. Contrast and accessibility<\/h3>\n

WCAG 2.2 requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Light grey text on white is one of the most common mistakes. Also: alt text on images, labels on form fields, a menu that works with a keyboard and a visible focus state. The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019\/882) has applied since 28 June 2025 and covers, among other things, e-commerce and many consumer-facing online services. Microenterprises providing services (fewer than 10 staff and turnover or balance sheet of up to EUR 2 million) are exempt from the service requirements, but accessible design brings more customers even where the law does not require it. Our website accessibility service<\/a> can help you work out whether the requirements apply to your site.<\/p>\n

Check:<\/strong> can you get through the whole page using only the Tab key?<\/p>\n

Principles 6\u20138: how do you turn a visitor into an enquiry?<\/h2>\n

6. Trust signals<\/h3>\n