Eight rules we design by
- Say what you do first. The first screen names the service and the area.
- Make the next step obvious. One main action per page, repeated where it helps.
- Stay consistent. Buttons, menus and labels behave the same on every page.
- Use the customer's words. "AC repair," not "climate solutions."
- Cut what does not help. Every element earns its place on the page.
- Design for phones first. Many local visitors arrive on one.
- Make it fast. Slow pages lose people before they read.
- Make it accessible. Contrast, labels and keyboard use work for everyone.
Where the rules come from
Most of these rules trace back to research, not taste. Nielsen Norman Group's ten usability heuristics include consistency and standards, a match with the real world, and aesthetic, minimalist design. The WCAG guidelines set the accessibility standard that most accessibility laws point to. Stanford's Web Credibility Project adds trust rules, like showing a real organization and making contact easy.
Rules that are really myths
- The three-click rule. People keep clicking when each click feels like progress.
- Nobody scrolls. People scroll, though attention drops below the first screen.
- More options help. Extra choices slow decisions and dilute the main action.
How to apply them
Good example. An electrician's site uses one blue call button on every page and names each service in plain words. The license number sits near every form.
Bad example. The same site uses three button styles, calls its services "solutions" and changes the menu on every page.
Recommended action. Walk through your site on a phone and check each rule. Fix the first one you fail before you change any colors.
See the most common web design mistakes. Our web design team reviews every page against these rules before launch.