Is Your Website Design Stopping You from Ranking on Google?

21 Jul 2025
Is Your Website Design Stopping You from Ranking on Google?

If your website looks outdated, loads slowly, or confuses your visitors, you’re losing business. Poor web design affects how people see your brand, how long they stay on your site, and whether they trust you enough to buy or contact you.

At 110 DigiTech, we’ve seen it over and over: businesses come to us wondering why their competitors are outranking them on Google, and the answer often starts with their website. If your design doesn’t support user experience (UX), mobile responsiveness, and SEO best practices, it’s holding back your traffic, leads, and conversions..

Whether you’re a business owner in Adelaide looking to improve visibility or a beginner trying to learn how website design impacts rankings, this blog breaks down how poor design is costing you leads, traffic, and trust. 

If you’re considering professional website designing services in Adelaide, or want to understand what goes into a high-performing site, contact us to get a free consultation.

How Poor Web Design Affects Your Business

When your website isn’t built with the user in mind, it creates friction—and friction kills conversions. Let’s break down exactly how.

1. You’re Losing Trust Within Seconds

According to Stanford research, 75% of users judge a company’s credibility based on its website design. If your homepage looks cluttered, outdated, or unprofessional, potential customers won’t stick around.

Example: Imagine searching for a local plumber in Adelaide. You click two websites—one is clean, fast, mobile-friendly; the other takes 10 seconds to load and looks like it hasn’t been updated since 2010. Who would you call first?

2. Your Rankings Drop in Search Results

Google cares about user experience. If your site is slow, hard to navigate, or not mobile responsive, it sends a signal to Google that your site isn’t helpful.

  • 53% of mobile users will leave a page that takes more than 3 seconds to load (Google).
  • Poor structure confuses search engine crawlers, making it harder for your pages to get indexed or ranked.

By investing in website design services in Adelaide, you ensure your site follows current SEO best practices, such as clean code, fast load times, and responsive layouts—boosting your visibility in local search.

3. Higher Bounce Rates, Lower Conversions

If users land on your site and don’t know where to go next, they’ll leave. That’s called a bounce—and Google tracks it.

  • A bounce rate above 70% is a red flag for poor UX.
  • Even minor issues, such as unclear calls-to-action or broken links, can cost you sales.

Pro tip: A simple layout with simple navigation and clear calls to action, such as “Book Now” or “Request a Quote,” can increase your conversion rate by 200% or more.

Signs Your Website Design Is Hurting Your Business

Are you unsure if your website design is holding you back? Here are the most common website development mistakes we see when auditing websites for businesses across Adelaide.

1. Your Website Takes Too Long to Load

Speed is a ranking factor. If your site loads slowly, users will leave—and Google will notice.

Stat: A 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 20% (Portent)

Quick Test: Use PageSpeed Insights to check your speed. If your score is below 90, it’s time for an upgrade.

2. It’s Not Mobile-Friendly

With more than 60% of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, your site must work flawlessly across all platforms.

3. Outdated Web Design and Visuals

If your site feels like it belongs in the early 2000s, your customers’ll click away fast.

  • Visual clutter
  • Low-quality images
  • Inconsistent branding

All these erode trust—especially for small businesses competing in local search.

4. No Clear Call to Action (CTA)

If your visitors can’t quickly figure out what to do next—call, book, buy—they’ll leave. Good design guides action.

Tip: Instead of “Learn More,” use specific CTAs like “Get a Free Quote in Adelaide” or “Book Your Free Strategy Call Today.”

5. Your Web Design us Hard to Navigate

Confusing menus, broken links, or pages buried under four or more clicks can kill usability.

Good site architecture is a core part of SEO and user experience—and it’s something professional website designing services in Adelaide should always address.

Is Your Website Design Stopping You from Ranking on Google how to fix it to get more leads

How to Fix Poor Web Design and Turn It Into a Lead-Generating Asset

Fixing your website isn’t just about making it “look better”—it’s about making it work better for your business. A strong web design strikes a balance between function and form. It should load fast, look clean, and make it obvious what users should do next. Whether you’re a local business owner or just getting into website development, these Google-friendly website tips will help you design a site that performs.

1. Design With Purpose: Make Your Website Easy to Scan and Goal-Focused

Before you worry about fancy animations or trendy colours, start with the basics—what do you want your website to achieve?

Whether it’s generating leads, booking appointments, or selling products, every part of your layout should guide users toward that primary goal.

Once that goal is clear, your design should make it easy for visitors to scan and act. Most users don’t read—they skim. That means your site needs to be clean, simple, and structured for quick understanding.

Here’s how to do it right:

  • Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear headings.
  • Stick to 2–3 web-safe fonts that are easy to read on all devices.
  • Use high-contrast colours for readability.
  • Include high-quality visuals that support your message.
  • Use plenty of white space to reduce clutter.

Remember, Your homepage should immediately answer:

  • Who are you?
  • What do you offer?
  • What should the user do next?

This balance of clarity and direction is what sets effective websites apart—and it’s precisely what 110 DigiTech focus on in our website design services in Adelaide.

2. Prioritise Mobile-First Design from the Start

Over 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. If your website doesn’t function smoothly on a phone or tablet, you’re likely losing customers before they even see what you offer.

Your layout should adapt perfectly across all screen sizes—no awkward scrolling, no tiny text, and no buttons too small to tap. It is the foundation of mobile-first design, and it’s a must-have in today’s digital landscape.

Here’s how to get it right:

  • Use a responsive framework like WordPress with Elementor, Webflow, or have it custom-built by a team like ours at 110 DigiTech.
  • Test your site across major browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.
  • Make sure your CTAs are large enough to tap on mobile devices.
  • Keep navigation simple and thumb-friendly.

Bonus: Google gives preference to mobile-friendly websites in search rankings. A responsive design doesn’t just improve user experience—it also supports your SEO goals.

If you’re looking to improve performance and rankings, our website designing services in Adelaide are built with mobile-first, SEO-focused principles from the ground up.

See Our Projects of Website Design & Development Services

3. Guide Users with Clear Structure and Simple Navigation

Your website should guide visitors—not confuse them. An innovative layout combined with intuitive navigation helps users take action faster and improves how Google understands your site.

  • Use Visual Hierarchy to Lead the Way

Visual hierarchy refers to the arrangement of content in a way that naturally directs attention. It helps visitors understand what’s important and what to do next—without thinking twice.

Here’s how to implement it:

  • Highlight key content first (like your offer or value proposition).
  • Make CTAs stand out with size, colour, or button placement.
  • Use whitespace to separate sections and avoid clutter.
  • Maintain a logical flow from top to bottom.

Good structure boosts conversions—and it’s essential for effective UX design and website optimisation in Adelaide.

  • Keep Navigation Simple and Consistent

A confusing menu can kill engagement. Your navigation should be effortless and familiar across every page.

Best practices:

  • Place your main menu at the top, ensuring it remains visible at all times.
  • Add a search bar near the top so users can quickly find what they need.
  • Use internal links to guide users deeper into your content—and support SEO.
  • Maintain consistency in navigation layout, wording, and structure.

Simple navigation isn’t just for users—it improves your site’s crawlability and helps your pages rank better on Google.

If your site feels hard to follow or cluttered, our website designing services in Adelaide can help restructure it into something clean, fast, and user-friendly.

4. Speed It Up—Because Every Second Counts

Website speed is a dealbreaker. If your site takes too long to load, users will likely bounce before they even have a chance to see what you offer.

Just a 1-second delay in load time can reduce conversions by up to 27%. That’s traffic and revenue you’re leaving on the table.

Here’s how to speed things up:

  • Compress images without losing quality.
  • Use clean, lightweight code with minimal scripts.
  • Choose a fast and reliable web hosting service that meets your traffic and performance needs.
  • Minimise unnecessary plugins and third-party tools.

Speed is also a confirmed Google ranking factor. The faster your site, the better your chances of ranking well and converting visitors into customers.

At 110 DigiTech, we include site speed optimisation in all our web development and SEO services for Adelaide businesses, because performance is the foundation of online success.

best website design in adelaide

5. Use SEO-Optimised Structure to Support Visibility

A well-designed website doesn’t just look good—it’s structured in a way that helps search engines understand and rank it. This is where SEO and web design work in tandem.

If your pages aren’t set up with proper structure, even the best content might never get seen.

Here’s what SEO-friendly structure looks like:

  • Use proper heading hierarchy (H1 for titles, H2/H3 for subheadings) to guide both users and search engines.
  • Add alt text to images so they’re indexable and accessible.
  • Use semantic HTML to organise your layout and content for better crawlability.
  • Keep URLs clean and keyword-relevant.
  • Link pages together with internal linking to support content flow and strengthen SEO.

Pro tip: Optimise your homepage and core pages with targeted keywords like:

  • Professional website design in Adelaide
  • custom web design services
  • SEO-friendly websites for small businesses

Getting these fundamentals right means better rankings, more visibility, and higher-quality traffic. That’s why businesses across Adelaide trust agencies like 110 DigiTech for web design services that’s built with SEO baked in from the start.

6. Stay Consistent Across Every Page

When your website looks and feels the same across every page, users are more likely to feel confident in your brand and take action.

Here’s how to maintain that consistency:

  • Stick to the same fonts, colours, and logo placement across the site.
  • Maintain a consistent writing style and tone throughout all content.
  • Avoid switching between different design styles, layouts, or image types.

Inconsistent design can feel unprofessional and confuse users. On the other hand, a consistent layout fosters recognition, reinforces your branding, and facilitates easy navigation for visitors.

It’s one of the most overlooked principles in website design—and one we prioritise in every project at 110 DigiTech, offering expert web development and website designing services in Adelaide that deliver both form and function.

Why User Experience (UX) Can Make or Break Your Website

User experience (UX) is more than just how your website looks—it’s about how easy it is to use. Can visitors easily find what they need? Does it work smoothly on mobile? Is it clear what action to take next?

Here’s the reality: 88% of users won’t return after a bad website experience (Zippia). And most won’t just leave quietly—they’ll head straight to your competitor.

If your site is slow, clunky, or hard to navigate, it’s not just a design issue—it’s hurting your bottom line.

Now the good news: 90% of users are more likely to return after a positive experience. Even better, websites built with UX in mind can boost conversions by up to 400%.

That’s the impact of thoughtful, user-first design. It’s why smart business owners are turning to website designing services in Adelaide that prioritise both user experience and performance. Because a good website isn’t just about how it looks, it’s about how it works.

Final Thoughts

Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. If it’s hard to use, slow, or confusing, you’re losing leads—possibly without even knowing it.

At 110 DigiTech, we don’t just build websites—we make digital assets that drive traffic, leads, and trust. Whether you need a complete redesign or just some expert guidance, our website designing services in Adelaide are here to help.

Let’s make your website work smarter.

Contact us today and let’s transform your site into something that drives business growth.