What is good web design? Criteria, examples and best practices

When decision makers talk about “good web design”, they often mean different things. Some focus on visuals. Others on user experience. Others simply want a website that finally generates leads. The challenge is that design is subjective — but good web design is not. Modern websites follow clear criteria that affect usability, trust, and business performance.

This article explains what good web design actually is and how you can evaluate your own website using objective criteria. You’ll see practical examples, common mistakes, best practices and the principles agencies like DeNitro apply when designing sites for SMEs across Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Europe.

If you’re planning a redesign or evaluating your current website, these insights will help you understand what matters — and what doesn’t.

What defines good web design?

Good web design balances aesthetics, usability, clarity, performance and strategy. It helps users understand what you offer, trust your business and take action. A beautiful website that confuses users is not good design. A technically strong website that looks outdated is not good design either.

The core idea is simple: good design is where beauty meets function.

Here is a structured comparison that shows the difference between “pretty design” and “good design”.

Good design helps the business, not just the brand.

Why good web design matters for SMEs

Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. It influences trust, credibility, conversion and how your brand is perceived. For SMEs in DACH — where customers value precision and professionalism — design quality directly affects whether someone contacts you or leaves.

A good website communicates competence before you say a word. Users decide within seconds whether your business feels reliable.

Here’s how good design influences performance:

Good design is not decoration. It’s a business asset.

Core criteria of good web design

1. Clear and intuitive structure

Users should understand your website instantly. Good structure guides them — not through complexity, but through logic. Menus are simple. Buttons are obvious. Pages follow a predictable flow.

A well-structured website answers three questions within seconds:

• What does this business offer?

• Is this relevant to me?

• What should I do next?

If a visitor cannot answer these quickly, design is failing.

2. Strong, readable typography

Typography influences clarity more than visuals. Good design uses consistent font sizes, clear hierarchy and strong contrast. Readability is vital for SMEs with long service descriptions, case studies or technical content.

Typography creates voice. A legal firm uses calm and neutral fonts. A SaaS startup chooses modern, confident shapes. A local business uses approachable and friendly styles.

3. High-quality visual identity

Your website should express your brand — colours, imagery, layout rhythm, visual balance. Good design feels cohesive. Nothing looks random.

Authentic images outperform stock photos. Custom illustrations create identity. Minimalist layouts communicate confidence. Strong colour discipline reflects maturity.

4. Mobile-first experience

Most SMEs underestimate mobile usage. Many industries — trades, consulting, local services — receive more than half of their traffic from smartphones.

Good web design prioritizes mobile:

• buttons large enough to tap

• text easy to read

• scrolling smooth

• layouts clean

If your mobile site looks like a compressed desktop version, it’s outdated.

5. Speed and performance

Modern users expect instant loading. Good design optimizes images, scripts and layouts to deliver speed without sacrificing quality. Fast websites convert better and rank better.

Performance is a design principle, not only a technical requirement.

6. Accessibility and usability

Accessible websites are easier for everyone. High contrast, keyboard navigation, logical headings, alt text and readable text sizes benefit all users — not only those with impairments.

Accessible design signals professionalism. It also improves SEO because search engines reward clarity.

7. Consistency across pages

A website feels good when everything works consistently: spacing, buttons, headings, image style, grid layout. This reduces cognitive load and improves trust.

Consistency is the difference between an amateur design and a well-crafted experience.

8. Conversion-oriented layout

Good design leads visitors toward action:

• contact form

• booking page

• call-to-action button

• quote request

• product purchase

Calls to action should feel natural, not aggressive. A specialized agency can support you in designing layouts that guide users step by step.

9. Honest, clear content

Good design supports good content. Messaging must be simple, direct and benefit-driven. Users want clarity, not marketing buzzwords. Designers and copywriters should work together — not in isolation.

10. Scalable design system

Good design grows with your business. When you add new pages, they should automatically fit the system. SMEs benefit from modular components, reusable sections and defined style rules.

Scaling becomes easier, faster and cheaper.

Examples of good web design for different SME types

Good design looks different depending on the business model. Here are practical examples.

A medical practice in Zürich

Needs calming colours, soft typography, strong credibility, real photography and clear navigation for treatments. Patients should find services quickly and trust the clinic without reading long text.

A SaaS startup in Amsterdam

Needs bold typography, modern layouts, simple explanations, animated feature sections and a strong pricing page. The website should guide users from problem → solution → product demo.

A local renovation business in Hamburg

Needs clear service pages, real project photos, simple contact forms and local SEO optimization. Clarity is more important than fancy visuals.

A consulting firm in Munich

Needs minimalist structure, strong typography, brand consistency and deep content sections. Trust and clarity matter more than animation.

Different businesses need different design priorities — but the principles remain the same.

Common mistakes that make websites look unprofessional

Overcomplicated layouts

Trying to show everything at once leads to clutter. Simplicity builds trust.

Too many fonts and colours

Inconsistent visual identity makes the business appear less professional.

Heavy animations

Animations should support the experience, not dominate it.

Weak mobile experience

Many SMEs forget that mobile visitors are often in a hurry and need clarity.

Old or generic stock photos

Users notice this instantly. Generic visuals reduce trust.

No clear calls to action

Users should always know what the next step is.

Avoiding these mistakes already puts your website ahead of most SME websites in DACH.

Best practices: how to achieve good web design

Start with strategy, not visuals

Good design begins with understanding your audience, goals, messaging and structure. A beautiful layout without strategy is decoration — not design.

Build a modular design system

Reusable blocks, spacing rules and consistent patterns ensure long-term quality.

Prioritize clarity

Every page should have one clear purpose. Remove distractions.

Combine design with SEO

Good web design supports your visibility. Structure, headings and layout must work together with search intent.

Test your design

Ask real users to navigate. Ask where they get stuck. Fix friction.

Update regularly

Design ages. Businesses evolve. A website should be maintained like any other asset.

Agencies like DeNitro help SMEs apply these best practices through a unified approach to branding, web design, development and SEO.

Table: What “good design” vs “bad design” looks like

A quick overview decision makers can use when evaluating their own site.

If your site matches more items on the right, it’s time to redesign.

Conclusion: good web design is clarity, trust and purpose

Good web design is not about trends. It’s about creating a website that helps users understand you quickly, trust you deeply and act confidently. For SMEs in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, where customers expect precision and professionalism, design quality directly shapes business performance.

Good design means strong structure, readable typography, authentic visuals, clear messaging and conversion-focused layout. It also means building something scalable — a system, not just a page.

If you’d like to understand how your current website performs — and what improvements would bring the biggest impact — you can schedule a no-obligation call with the DeNitro team.