What is Web Design: A Beginners Guide To Building A Awesome Website.
Fancy building a website but don’t know where to start? This no-nonsense guide from Cheap Web Design UK breaks down what web design is, why it matters, and how to get started with an awesome site that works on any device.
What is Web Design: A Introduction.
So, you’re sitting there wondering “What is web design? A beginner’s guide would be canny useful, like.” Well, good news this is exactly that! Web design isn’t just about chucking’ a few colours on a page and hoping for the best. It’s about creating a site that looks class, works smoothly, and keeps visitors sticking around instead of legging’ it elsewhere.
Back in the day, websites were dead simple just blocks of text and maybe the odd image if you were lucky. Now, a proper website needs to be fast, easy to use, and work on mobiles, tablets, laptops basically, anything with a screen. If you want to build a site that doesn’t just look mint but actually works, this guide is for you.
Here at Cheap Web Design UK, we help businesses, start-ups, and individuals create top-tier websites without breakin’ the bank. Whether you’re DIYing’ it or looking for a professional touch, this guide will give you a solid start.
So if you’re ready Let’s crack on!..
WHAT IS WEB DESIGN? A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO THE BASICS
Web design is all about how a website looks and works. It covers everything from layout and colours to usability and responsiveness (that’s makin’ sure it looks canny on mobiles). A good site needs to be easy to use, load fast, and have clear navigation so visitors can find what they need without gettin’ frustrated.
Once upon a time, web design was just HTML and a bit of CSS. Now, there’s all sorts—dynamic pages, animations, interactive elements, and even AI-powered features. But don’t worry, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to get started.
WHY WEB DESIGN MATTERS
FIRST IMPRESSIONS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YA
Your website is often the first thing people see about your business. If it looks outdated or is a nightmare to use, potential customers will be off faster than a Mackem on match day. A well-designed site builds trust, keeps visitors engaged, and makes them more likely to buy from you.
USER EXPERIENCE: KEEP IT SIMPLE, KEEP IT SMART
If people can’t find what they’re lookin’ for on your site, they won’t hang about—they’ll go somewhere else. Good web design makes sure visitors can navigate easily, find info quickly, and complete actions like buyin’ summit or filling out a form without getting frustrated.
GOOGLE ONLY LOVES MOBILE-FRIENDLY WEBSITES
Google’s not daft. If your site doesn’t work properly on a mobile, you’ll struggle to rank in search results. Sites that load quickly, have clear content, and work across devices get a boost in rankings. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on traffic, sales, and leads.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF WEB DESIGN
LAYOUT: KEEP IT CLEAN, KEEP IT CLEAR
A messy site is a big no-no. Your layout should be simple, structured, and make sense to the user. No one wants to be hunting around trying to find where to click.
RESPONSIVE DESIGN: EVERY SCREEN COUNTS
People browse the internet on all sorts phones, tablets, even smart TVs. If your site only works properly on a laptop, you’re alienating’ half your audience. Responsive design makes sure your site adapts to any screen size without lookin’ wonky.
COLOURS & FONTS: LESS IS MORE
Bright neon green text on a black background? Nah, not a good look. Stick to a couple of main colours that match your brand and choose fonts that are easy to read. You don’t need owt fancy—simple and clean always wins.
IMAGES & MEDIA: QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Images make a website more appealing, but chuckin’ too many on can slow it down. Optimise your images so they load fast and use high-quality visuals that match your content.
NAVIGATION: DON’T MAKE USERS THINK TOO HARD
If someone has to dig through menus and links just to find your contact page, they’ll give up. Keep your menu clear and concise, with obvious links to key pages.
HOW TO BUILD A WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH
1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLATFORM
- Website builders like Wix or Squarespace are great for beginners who want an easy drag-and-drop option.
- WordPress is top if you want more control and flexibility.
- Custom-built sites are best for unique, highly functional websites, but they need coding knowledge (or a web designer).
2. GET A DOMAIN & HOSTING
Your domain is your online address (like yourbusiness.co.uk), and hosting is where your site’s files are stored. Pick a fast, reliable host so your site loads quickly and doesn’t crash.
3. PLAN YOUR DESIGN BEFORE DIVIN’ IN
Before you start buildin’, map out your pages. Think about the user journey—how do you want visitors to move through your site? What’s the main action you want them to take? Keep it structured and easy to navigate.
4. WRITE CLEAR, ENGAGING CONTENT
Your content needs to be easy to read, informative, and relevant. Keep paragraphs short, break up text with headings, and make sure people can scan it quickly.
5. OPTIMISE FOR SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) helps your site rank on Google. Use relevant keywords, write solid meta descriptions, and make sure your images have proper file names and alt text.
COMMON WEB DESIGN MISTAKES TO AVOID
TOO MUCH GOING ON
Keep things clean. Too many colours, fonts, and flashing elements just make a site look cheap and unprofessional.
IGNORING MOBILE USERS
Most people browse on their phones, so if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losin’ business. Always check how it looks on different screen sizes.
SLOW LOADING TIMES
If your site takes ages to load, visitors won’t wait—they’ll just leave. Optimise images, use caching, and pick a good hosting provider.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Web design is all about how a site looks and feels, while web development focuses on the technical side of things (like coding and functionality).
Aye, website builders and WordPress make it easy to create a site without any coding knowledge
It depends, DIY website builders can be cheap, while custom-designed sites cost more but give you total control and a unique look.
CONCLUSION
So there you have it if you came here asking’, “What is web design? A beginner’s guide should make it clear,” then hopefully, you’re now clued-up. Web design is about creating’ a site that looks good, works well, and keeps visitors engaged.
If you want a website that’s class but don’t fancy doin’ it yourself, we’ve got you covered. At Cheap Web Design UK, we build quality, affordable websites that actually get results. Get in touch today and let’s get your business online the right way!
