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Guides

Practical guides for web design

Step-by-step, jargon-free reads on the decisions that shape a clean website — from choosing backgrounds to improving performance and using AI sensibly.

All guides

Every guide is self-contained and links to the resources it references.

Performance· 7 min

Responsive Images and SEO: A Practical Guide

How responsive images affect SEO and performance — srcset and sizes explained simply, formats, lazy loading, alt text and a quick checklist.

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Visual Assets· 6 min

Hero Image Size for Websites: Dimensions, Weight and Formats

Practical hero image sizes for websites: recommended desktop and mobile dimensions, target file size, formats, and a quick export checklist.

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UX Audit· 7 min

UX Audit Example: A Landing Page, Reviewed

A concrete UX audit example walking through a fictional landing page — first impression, friction, mobile and CTA issues, then prioritised fixes.

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UX Audit· 7 min

UX Audit Checklist: A Step-by-Step Pass

A practical, step-by-step UX audit checklist for websites and landing pages — clarity, navigation, forms, mobile, trust, speed and priority scoring.

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UX Audit· 7 min

UX Audit Template: A Simple, Reusable Framework

A practical UX audit template you can reuse on any page — context, first impression, navigation, conversion, accessibility and performance checks.

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Backgrounds· 8 min

How to Choose Backgrounds for Clean Web Design

A practical look at choosing web backgrounds that protect readability, contrast and performance instead of fighting your content.

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Resources· 9 min

Useful Web Design Resources for Small Teams

Free and freemium web design resources that help small teams stay organised, build design systems and ship consistent interfaces.

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UI Design· 7 min

Simple UI Design Principles for Better Websites

Visual hierarchy, spacing, typography and contrast — the everyday UI principles that make ordinary websites feel clear and considered.

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Performance· 10 min

How Visual Assets Affect Website Performance

Images, compression, modern formats, lazy loading and Core Web Vitals — how visual assets shape the speed and feel of a website.

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AI & Workflow· 9 min

How AI Tools Can Support Web Design Workflows

AI as an assistant rather than a magic replacement: where it helps with wireframes, content drafts and prompts in a real design workflow.

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Trends· 8 min

Web Design Trends Worth Watching

Restrained trends worth your attention: gradients, Bento grids, accessibility-first layouts, minimal motion and AI-assisted workflows.

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