Your website isn’t just there to look nice. It’s there to convert. Whether that means booking a demo, signing up for a waitlist or making a purchase, your site should guide people to take action.

But if the experience is clunky, confusing or just not quite right, you’re probably losing leads before they even understand what you offer.

Good UX (user experience) design bridges the gap between interest and action. It’s not about adding more stuff. It’s about removing friction and helping people get what they need, quickly and confidently.

Here’s how to use UX design to improve conversions on your startup’s website.

1. Make your message clear within five seconds

When someone lands on your homepage, they should immediately understand:

• What your product or service is
• Who it’s for
• Why it matters

That clarity should come from your headline, subheading and visuals. Not from a long scroll or paragraph of text.

Avoid clever taglines that don’t actually say anything. Use plain, confident language that spells out your value. And always include a clear call to action that’s easy to spot.

2. Guide your user, don’t overwhelm them

Founders often try to say everything all at once. But more information doesn’t always mean more clarity. If your homepage is trying to do five things at once, users won’t know where to look and they’ll leave.

• Focus on one primary goal per page
• Break content into clear sections with headings
• Use visual hierarchy to show what matters most
• Keep choices simple and limited

The easier it is to follow the path, the more likely people are to complete it.

3. Reduce friction in your forms and flows

Conversion points like sign-ups or demo bookings are often where UX breaks down. Long forms, awkward steps or unclear instructions can kill momentum fast.

• Only ask for the information you really need
• Label fields clearly and use helpful placeholder text
• Give feedback when something’s missing or incorrect
• Let people know what happens after they hit submit

Every extra step adds drop-off risk. A smooth, reassuring experience builds trust.

4. Use consistent design patterns
Your site should feel intuitive. That means using familiar layouts, consistent buttons and predictable interactions.

• Keep navigation in standard places
• Use the same colours and styles for buttons
• Stick to a small set of fonts and font sizes
• Repeat layout styles so users know what to expect

Consistency doesn’t just look good. It helps users feel in control.

5. Optimise your calls to action

A good call to action does two things. It tells people what to do next, and it gives them a reason to do it.

• Use clear, specific text like “Book your demo” or “See it in action”
• Make buttons large enough to tap or click easily
• Place calls to action in multiple locations, not just at the bottom
• Match the message to the user's intent at each stage

Test different versions and placements. Small changes can lead to big results.

6. Should you prioritise mobile UX?

It depends on your audience. If you're B2C, the answer is almost always yes. Most consumers are browsing on their phones, so the mobile experience needs to be smooth. Bad mobile UX instantly kills trust.

If you're B2B, your users are more likely on desktop during work hours. That means your desktop experience is more important upfront, but mobile still matters.

For mobile optimisation:

• Make text easy to read without zooming
• Use large, well-spaced buttons
• Stack content in a scroll-friendly layout
• Test key pages like pricing, forms and bookings

Think about how and where your users engage, and design for that.

7. Build trust through design

Conversions aren’t just about logic. They’re about trust. Users need to feel like your business is credible and worth their time.

Design cues that build trust include:

• Real product screenshots instead of mockups
• Testimonials, case studies or familiar logos
• Clear privacy messaging near forms
• Fast load times and clean, professional visuals

If your site looks sloppy, people will assume your product is too.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need flashy animations or a full redesign to improve your website’s performance. You just need to make it easier for users to do what they came to do.

Clear messaging, focused layouts and a few UX tweaks can make a real difference to your conversion rate.

At The Marketing Mix, we help startups design websites that look great and actually get results. If your site isn’t converting like it should, we’d love to help.

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