5 Website Design Lessons That Actually Help Your Site Convert (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this two-part blog post, I shared the 5 strategies and clarity lessons that completely changed how I approach websites.(If you missed Part 1, you can click here to get caught up! Those were the decisions that needed to happen before design ever begins.
In this blog post, we’re getting into the second half - the design and conversion lessons.
These are the tactical decisions. The small choices that might not seem like a big deal, but they are the difference between a website that looks nice and one that actually brings in clients.
And just like I said in Part 1, these lessons come from real experience. I built more than 25 websites in 2025, on my own, and these patterns showed up again and again.
Let’s get into it
Part 2 of 2 : 5 Website Design Lessons That Help Your Site Convert
Lesson 6: I turn off navigation on sales pages
This is one of the simplest changes I’ve made, and one of the most impactful.
Most websites keep their full navigation at the top of every page, but when someone lands on your sales page, you don’t want them exploring. You want them to decide.
The navigation gives them an easy out, one click, and they’re off your sales page, scrolling somewhere else, losing focus.
So now, when I’m designing a long-form sales page for a business with one main offer, I turn the main navigation off.
They can still navigate through the footer if they really want to. But the main experience keeps them focused on the one task we want them to complete.
This works best when:
You have one main offer
You’re using a long-form sales page
The goal of the page is very clear
Less distraction leads to more clarity. And more clarity leads to better conversions.
Lesson 7: I push back on script fonts (even when clients want them)
This one can be a little controversial, because script fonts are pretty and my clients love them because they feel elegant, feminine, and elevated.
But if something is hard to read, people just won’t read it, they scroll right past.
I’ve seen this happen so many times. A beautiful design, but key information is written in a script font that people have to work to understand.
And if someone has to work to read your website, they’re not going to take action.
So now, I always make sure the heading font and body copy font are extremely legible. If a client really wants a script font, we can use it. But very intentionally and very sparingly. Think small accents, not headings or paragraphs of text.
Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how pretty your website is if people can’t actually read it.
Legibility always wins.
Lesson 8: Podcast and YouTube players can be a distraction
This is one I used to say yes to all the time.
Clients would want to feature their podcast or YouTube channel right on their website. And it makes sense - they’ve put a lot of time into that content, and it builds trust.
But over time, I started to notice something..
If someone made it all the way to your website, there’s a good chance they already found you through your long-form content.
And when you put a full podcast or video player front and center, you’re giving them a reason to leave the page rather than take the next step.
Now, instead of booking a call or inquiring, they’re clicking into a 30-minute episode. And just like that, the momentum is gone.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include your content at all, it just needs to be strategic.
Free content helps when it:
Answers specific objections
Builds trust right before a decision
But it hurts when it:
Pulls attention away from your main offer
Gives people something else to do instead of taking action
So now, instead of embedding players everywhere, I guide clients to link to their content in more intentional ways.
The goal of your website is not to entertain. It’s to guide people toward a decision.
Lesson 9: Action-based CTAs convert better than cute phrases
This is one of those things that seems small but makes a huge difference.
Clear, direct calls to action almost always outperform clever ones - my go-to’s are.
“Book a Call”
“Inquire Now”
These work better than:
“Let’s Chat”
“Ready to Shine?” (What does that even mean?)
I know the cute ones feel more on brand and way more fun, but they also create a tiny moment of confusion. And even a tiny moment of confusion can stop someone from clicking.
Your CTA should tell someone exactly what they should do, the action they should take.
And one more thing I’ve found is that consistency matters.
When you use the same CTA language across your website, it reinforces the action and helps users recognize it and know what to do.
You can still have personality on your website. Just not at the expense of clarity.
Lesson 10: Clear expectations on your services page lead to better results
This is one of the biggest shifts I’ve made, and it has changed everything about my projects.
I used to think the services page just needed to explain what was included. Now, I see it as a place to set expectations.
Because when people understand how you work before they ever inquire, everything goes smoother. They show up to the call more prepared, more aligned, and the project feels easier for both of you.
One thing my clients often say is that my process feels different from other designers they’ve worked with.
And that’s because I include a lot of what I call “homework” before design starts. Things that help them get clear on their messaging, their offers, and their goals.
When I started putting that process directly on my services page, I noticed a shift. People who didn’t want to do that kind of work filtered themselves out, and the people who did inquire were already bought into the process.
If you want to do this on your own services page, keep it simple. Map out your main phases, usually around 3 to 7 steps.
For each step, explain:
How long it takes
What happens during that phase
What you need from the client
This aligns expectations from the start, filters out the wrong-fit clients, and sets your projects up for success before they even begin.
If you zoom out, all 10 of these lessons come back to one thing. Clarity.
In Part 1, we talked about clarity in your offers, your pages, and your strategy, and in Part 2, we talked about clarity in your design decisions.
At the end of the day, it’s not about how pretty your website is; it’s about how well it works.
When your strategy is clear, and your design supports it, your website becomes a tool that actually moves your business forward.
If you’re reading this and realizing your website might need more than a visual refresh, and you want someone who is going to think through all of this with you, I would love to help.
You can learn more about working together or book a call here:
P.S. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. That post walks through the strategy and clarity lessons that make all of this work.
