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What is web design and what does a web designer do

Published 2026-07-25 · 5 min read

Web design is not drawing pretty screens. It is deciding what a visitor sees first, what second and what not at all, so that they more easily do the thing they came for.

What it covers

Web design joins appearance and behaviour: page layout, information hierarchy, typography, colour and contrast, behaviour on a phone, the states of buttons and forms, and the path from arrival to action. The result is not a picture but a system that has to work on a five inch screen and a twenty seven inch monitor, on a fast connection and a slow one.

How it differs from neighbouring crafts

A graphic designer makes identity, logos and materials that do not move. A web designer makes something that scrolls, clicks and resizes. A developer turns that into code that runs in a browser. On small projects one person does all three, but they are three different skills and it is worth knowing which one you are paying for.

How to recognise good design

  • Within three seconds it is clear what the business does and where you are.
  • Every page has one obvious next action.
  • Text reads without strain on a phone, in daylight, outdoors.
  • Nothing jumps around while the page loads.
  • Forms ask for the least data the job genuinely requires.

Why this is also an SEO question

Google measures real user experience: speed, layout stability and mobile usability. Design that ignores those three costs rankings, not only impressions. That is why design and SEO should not be done separately.

Our web design starts from what the visitor needs to do, tell us who your customers are.

Common questions

Is web design the same as graphic design?

No. Graphic design makes static materials and identity, while web design makes something that scrolls, clicks and resizes.

Does a designer need to code?

Not necessarily, but they must understand what is feasible in a browser, otherwise designs appear that cannot be built as drawn.

Does design affect Google rankings?

It does, because Google measures speed, layout stability and mobile usability, and all three depend on design.

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