If you compare contemporary websites to their counterparts of say, a few years ago, it’s almost like you are comparing your life today, with someone who lived, in the dark ages. Yes, the differences are many and varied. Be it the choice of colors, typography, user-interface elements, buttons or graphics, every design element has evolved, so much so that some of them are not easily distinguishable from their older versions. Today, older websites, or those that have designs that still follow the old design stratagems appear boring and lifeless.
It’s interesting and surprising really, that even with the availability of new and emerging web design technologies such as – CSS3, HTML 5 and Web 2.0/3.0 standards, many designers are still not able to create interesting websites. This presents a problem because the competition to capture the mind space of target audiences is tough and those websites that don’t interest, tend to miss out.
As can be imagined, designers don’t have it easy, but they need to push themselves to create websites that stand out from the crowd and hold their user’s attention by the collar.
Here is a five point strategy that will help you fine tune your design strategy and make it more interest oriented.
The Maverick Approach – Don’t Follow, Lead
If you are a nonconformist, it will automatically reflect in your website design. Think different and give your website an unconventional look and feel. Users like surprises so try and work in that direction. Pleasantly surprise them by introducing something new in your website, which no one has ever thought of before. It may be a new texture, an interesting animation or anything you find suitable (and extraordinary).
Look at everything from the user’s prism
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the website design, but always do it keeping the user in your line of sight. Yes, go ahead and put that call to action button right in the middle of the page, but always ask yourself, whether the website visitor is going to appreciate it or not.
It is true that users do get used to certain formats over a period of time, and expect some things to always remain the same. But that should not deter you from experimenting with the layout, and other design elements that can be tweaked here and there.
One of the better ways of doing this is by zeroing in on a theme. Pick a concept, flesh it out, make sure it’s something that suits the interests and preferences of your target audiences. Remember, you don’t have to like your design; it’s your audience that needs to appreciate it. Put yourself in its shoes and then think. This way you will know that your creativity won’t go wrong.
Look at things with a new perspective
Give a new twist to the same things, or put the same old wine in a new bottle, if you must, but it must look like you have tried something new. But, more than that try to go beyond the conventional and think out of the box; look at things with a completely new perspective.
For example, if you have to make use of an image of a goldfish on the homepage of a site use a blue goldfish instead of the regular orange one. This will have the desired impact on your users, who’ll expect ordinary but get something extraordinary instead.
Weave a Story
By the phrase “weave a story”, I mean engage the users thoroughly in the overall website design. Any page that visitors may come across must be unique and attractive and each web page must allow them to discover something new about the website and its features.
The key here is implementing responsive web design, meaning creating a design that is based on the users’ behavioral pattern and environment. This will allow them to interact better with the site.
The use of CSS transitions, CSS media queries, responsive navigation menus, fluid images, etc. is a great way of weaving a story, wherein the main characters are the website’s users.
Be inspired, from anything and everything
As a designer, you can take inspiration from nature, new constructions, from the people you meet, or even when you are experiencing a moment of solitude but definitely. Start developing the habit of getting inspired from your environment. This won’t come naturally, but you need to work at it. Keep getting out of the confines of your office space, and take time out to see the world around you, how it moves, how it looks and how every element interacts with one another. The more you see the more you are inspired. Trust me; it will do wonders for your web design.
This will give you a new outlook towards life in general, which is something that will be of great help in choosing the right colors, fonts and any other design element that you want to use on your website.
In Conclusion
Staying away from boredom inducing websites is all about taking the right design decisions. So, think very carefully about what you want to do, what you don’t want to do, and more importantly, how to go about doing what you want to do. I know this reads like a tongue twister but until and unless you have a carefully thought out plan replete with the right decisions, your website is never going to work. So, decide carefully and only then implement.
Last modified: July 1, 2025