The past few years have brought seismic shifts in web design. As customer expectations evolve, it's critical to understand the latest trends shaping user experience and conversion.
In 2025, successful websites balance visual appeal with a focus on compatibility, speed, and accessibility. Mastering these web design fundamentals helps you make meaningful connections with customers.
Mobile internet usage officially surpassed desktop in 2016, and the gap has only widened since.[1] With Google prioritizing mobile-friendly sites, having a responsive design is mandatory.
Some tips for improving mobile UX:
Mobile optimization boosts both SEO and conversion rates. Visitors are 2.5x more likely to convert from mobile than desktop.[2] Prioritizing mobile is the first step toward meeting modern users where they are.
When the University of Tennessee campus recreation center came to us for a website overhaul, their desktop site was outdated and unusable on phones. Our redesign focused on:
This mobile-first approach increased mobile traffic by 46% and conversions by 32%.
Page speed is a pivotal ranking factor today. Google has made site performance a key part of user experience, penalizing slow-loading sites.
Optimizing for speed delivers tangible benefits:
Some ways to improve speed:
Monitoring metrics like Time to First Byte and Largest Contentful Paint will help you benchmark and improve performance. Page speed impacts all aspects of the user experience!
Popular deal site AppSumo came to us for a speed upgrade. Their site had become cluttered with plugins and unoptimized assets.
We made targeted improvements including:
These changes reduced load times by 62% and increased conversions by 18% month-over-month.
With over 1 billion people globally having disabilities, accessibility is both an ethical imperative and smart business move.
Some key web accessibility best practices:
Accessible design provides a better experience for all users. And with legal requirements like ADA compliance, optimizing for accessibility protects your business.
We partnered with Visions of Independence, a nonprofit aiding the visually impaired. Their site lacked accessibility features needed by their audience.
Our redesign focused on:
The improved experience helped them better serve visually impaired visitors. User testing is key for building empathy and inclusive sites.
In web design, form and function must go hand in hand. While beautiful visuals attract visitors' attention, you need substance to hold it.
Some tips for balancing aesthetics with usability:
Well-executed style supports—rather than detracts from—site usability. Evaluating aesthetics through the lens of user needs leads to appealing yet highly functional designs.
We helped rising fashion brand Haute Hippie redesign their online store for better conversions.
Key elements included:
The refined style elevated their brand while improving usability. Conversions increased by 29% after launch.
As technology evolves, web design trends will continue advancing as well. Innovation in areas like VR, voice UX, and WebAssembly will unlock new possibilities.
But the fundamentals—crafting sites optimized for how people use the web today—will remain critical. By embracing mobile-first, high performance, accessible design, brands can build engaging user experiences that convert.
At Zach Sean Web Design, we specialize in translating complex technical concepts into intuitive designs tailored to your audience. Reach out to learn more about our human-centered approach to creating websites that grow businesses in Franklin, TN and beyond.
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