The UX/UI Mistake That Makes Good Websites Fail

Last Updated:
December 1, 2022

Uncover why a polished appearance alone won't keep visitors engaged and how aligning UX and UI can turn your website into a trusted digital space.

What Does a UX/UI Designer Do in Web Design?

Why This Matters

You only get one shot at a first impression. For most businesses, that moment happens on your website, whether you’re launching a digital store, chasing leads, or simply getting your message out there.

Now, there’s nothing quite like pouring days into a new site, hitting “publish,” and then watching your visitors quietly scamper away before they’ve even read your hero line. Frustrating? That’s putting it mildly. The real reason lies under the surface: your site can look amazing but feel like wading through syrup, or it might work quickly but look like it’s been stuck in a mid-2000s time capsule.

That’s a daily headache for web owners, freelancers, and “DIY” site hustlers alike. Every clunky button or confusing page costs you in lost trust, missed sales, and hours spent fixing what could have worked on day one.

UX and UI make all the difference here. They turn a website into a reliable shopfront (or portfolio, or hub) instead of a confusing maze. When you apply sound UX and Web design principles, you save time, build real authority, and your site will deliver for you without unnecessary hassle.

Common Pitfalls

Let’s call out the biggest culprit: thinking that UX and UI are one and the same. Happens all the time.

If you’ve ever said, “Can someone make my site look more modern?” you may be assuming UI alone will boost engagement, increase your conversions, and make visitors stick around. You switch up the colour scheme, maybe throw in a shiny new font, add a few bigger images, and yet… people still get lost, fail to click that all-important button, or bounce away before your page even loads properly.

On the flip side, maybe you’ve created a ruthlessly simple, speedy site. It works. It’s logical. But visitors still don’t trust it. It feels impersonal, unrefined, or worst of all, generic.

UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) have overlapping functions but they are not the same. UX determines how a site functions. UI determines the visual and emotional experience of using each element. You need both working together for consistent results.

Other common blunders:

Relying on your own opinion (“I like it, so users will too!”)
Neglecting to test with real people (“It makes sense to me, job done.”)
Overcomplicating layouts (“Let’s add more features because why not?”)
Copying trends blindly (“It looks like a famous site… but my conversions shrank.”)

If any of those ring bells, you’re in good company. The key is to move past them, learn the basics of both roles, and put them into action no matter what your title is.

Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1: Separate UX and UI in Your Mind (and Workbook)

Before diving in, draw a literal line on your notepad: UX on one side, UI on the other. This distinction matters for everyone, not only big agencies; solo founders and side-hustlers benefit too.

UX: User journeys, structure, logic, overall flow, how users find key tasks (like buying, signing up, or reading)
UI: Colour palette, font choices, spacing, button designs, imagery, icons, layout polish

By separating the two, you can see where your site struggles instead of guessing. If navigation is confusing, look at UX. If buttons don’t stand out or headers are hard to read, UI needs attention.

Pixelhaze Tip: Pretend you’re new to your own site. Try to complete the simplest task (e.g., contact yourself, make a pretend order, subscribe to something). Where do you get stuck or frustrated? Jot them down under UX or UI. Now, you have a to-fix list.

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Step 2: Map Out the Key User Journey

Every website has a “main event.” What is yours? Maybe you want people to book a call, buy a mug, download a PDF, or read a story. If you’re not sure, everything else will become noise.

Write down your number one outcome (the action you want anyone on your homepage to take).
Trace backwards: What are the steps from landing on your site to doing that action? Sketch it out.
Ask: Where could visitors get confused, disappear, or get bored along this route?
Remove anything that doesn’t move users towards your main outcome.

For example:
If your goal is email signups, but your homepage features a carousel, blog teasers, and three competing CTAs, that’s too much. Pick one, and focus on it.

Pixelhaze Tip: Sit a non-techie friend or family member in front of your site. Give them the single task you care about—buy, book, or sign-up—without help from you. Watch (without talking) where they hesitate, backtrack, or give up. That’s real user feedback worth gold.

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Step 3: Prioritise Content and Simplify Visuals

The vast majority of websites suffer from “kitchen sink syndrome.” Too many sections, conflicting colours, three different call-to-actions above the fold, and images that distract.

Your job now is to cut out the excess.

Decide what information is vital (what real users need to trust or act), and what’s just there for show
Make critical info big and obvious, placing it above the fold or within one click from the homepage
Apply the same plan to visuals: choose two or three maximum brand colours, a clear font hierarchy (H1, H2, body), and stick to a single button style

If your design is too cluttered, nothing feels important and everything gets ignored.

Pixelhaze Tip: Use the “squint test.” Squint at your site from a few feet away. What jumps out? If it’s not the main action or headline, try again. If you’re using a tool like Squarespace, commit to one section per page for each user goal.

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Step 4: Build Wireframes and Clickable Prototypes

This stage is where UX and UI start working together. Professional designers use their preferred tools here. Figma and Adobe XD are top picks, but you can start with pen, paper, or the grid system in your builder.

Map out rough layouts (wireframes) for each main page. Stick-figure style is fine at this stage.
Turn key wireframes into clickable mock-ups (many tools, even free ones, let you link buttons to demo the journey)
Check each pathway: Can users reach their goal without confusion? Are the touchpoints clearly labelled or differentiated visually?
Start introducing your actual colours, fonts, and images only once the skeleton works smoothly

This prevents the common mistake of perfecting visuals for a layout that doesn’t function the way you need.

Pixelhaze Tip: Don’t be precious. First drafts are meant to be torn apart. Test, tweak, then test again. The best web designers fail generously, over and over, until things flow naturally.

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Step 5: Conduct Real-World User Testing (No Excuses)

This is where success or failure is decided, and most folks skip it. Remember, you aren’t your audience. Holding on to assumptions will undermine your design.

Recruit 2–5 testers (friends, family, or strangers are fine)
Give them one or two very clear tasks (e.g. “Find the contact form and send a message,” “Buy a T-shirt using your phone”)
Observe, without interference, and take notes where they stall, ask for help, or click the wrong thing
The most honest (and painful) feedback happens here. If they miss a button, that’s on your UI; if they can’t find a page, that’s UX.
Refine, update, and repeat. Continue until every tester completes every goal in one go.

Pixelhaze Tip: Use screen recording tools or just watch over their shoulder—sometimes you’ll spot a pattern you never noticed in all your hours staring at the design. Even one round of real-person testing puts you ahead of 90% of websites out there.

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Step 6: Document Your Learnings and Build a Simple “Mini Style Guide”

Every website, even basic brochures, benefits from having a one-page style guide. This keeps your design decisions and structure consistent over time.

List your main colours and where they should be used (backgrounds, buttons, headlines)
Note your font pairings and proper sizes for titles and body text
Summarise your “do and don’t” UX/structure logic: main actions per page, preferred navigation flows, image style rules
Keep it handy for anyone who’ll touch your site again—including “future you”

This reduces the chance of future edits or updates breaking your solid work on UX or UI.

Pixelhaze Tip: Many platforms let you save style settings as presets. Use them! Consistency is essential—when every section looks and feels the same, users are more comfortable and more likely to take the actions you want.

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What Most People Miss

Great UX/UI happens when you develop empathy for your site visitor. Imagine someone arriving on your site distracted or only half-invested, and willing to leave at the slightest frustration.

If you design with their perspective first—rather than only considering your preferences or showcasing your best work—you’ll notice the confusing menu label, the conflicting colours, the absent trust badge, or the buried headline much sooner. Each adjustment then simplifies, reassures, and helps people do what they came to do.

Another crucial point: having a design degree or paying for an expensive agency is not required. Being curious, seeking honest feedback, and making changes based on what users actually experience is what makes the difference.

The Bigger Picture

Improving your UX and UI impacts not just conversions or aesthetics; it directly shapes your brand’s reputation online.

Websites that work reliably foster trust, which in turn brings action: sales, signups, inquiries, all the results you need. For agencies or solo designers aiming to grow, these practical skills prevent endless revisions, missed deadlines, and spiraling costs.

It pays off: getting these fundamentals right up front prevents wasted time later. Your website will work for you, and you’ll have far more headspace for important things like content, outreach, and products.

Most of all, building and editing websites becomes fun again when you know every detail matters and each choice delivers a result.

Wrap-Up

To recap: UX/UI is not a mysterious concept or a trendy buzzword. It’s a practical skillset you can apply right now on any website.
Separate structure from styling, prioritize your user’s journey, reduce clutter, seek honest feedback, and document your system for future use.

You don’t have to be an expert to make a massive difference. Small, focused changes add up quickly, and the confidence that comes from a site that works (and looks the part) pays long-term dividends.

Want more helpful systems like this? Join Pixelhaze Academy for free at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership.

Cheers,
Elwyn