Web Design Patterns

Principle-based patterns for designing website sections that feel human-designed, not AI-generated. Each pattern teaches WHY and WHEN, not just templates to copy.

What You Produce

Well-designed website sections: heroes, card layouts, CTAs, trust signals, and testimonials that match the business context and avoid the "AI skeleton" look.

When to Read Which Reference

Building this...	Read this reference
Homepage hero, page headers, landing pages	references/hero-patterns.md
Service cards, team grids, pricing tiers, portfolios	references/card-patterns.md
Conversion sections, buttons, banner CTAs	references/cta-patterns.md
Credibility: badges, licences, reviews, guarantees	references/trust-signals.md
Customer reviews, social proof, quote sections	references/testimonial-patterns.md

Load on demand — don't read all five for every project. Read the one(s) relevant to the current section.

Cross-Cutting Principles

These apply to ALL patterns. Internalise these before reading any reference file.

Anti-AI Patterns (Avoid These)

The "AI skeleton" that signals template-generated design:

1. The sequence: Hero → trust bar → 3 identical cards → features → stats → CTA → footer
2. Democratic design: Every element gets equal visual weight, no hierarchy
3. Perfect symmetry: Everything centred, perfectly aligned, no intentional asymmetry
4. Identical repetition: All cards same size, same structure, same padding, same shadow
5. Generic copy: "Learn More" as every CTA, "Quality Service You Can Trust" as every headline
6. Decoration without purpose: Floating shapes, random gradients, abstract blobs

What Makes Design Feel Human

1. One element clearly dominates — hierarchy, not democracy
2. Asymmetry is intentional — not everything centred or balanced
3. Specific, opinionated copy — "Schedule Your Free Roof Inspection" not "Learn More"
4. Visual weight guides the eye — you know where to look first, second, third
5. Restraint — not every technique used, just the ones that serve the purpose
6. Context-appropriate — emergency plumber looks different from luxury hotel

Ethical Rules

Non-negotiable across all patterns:

On lead-gen sites (no real business data), NEVER fabricate:

• Star ratings or review counts
• Specific years in business
• Licence or ABN numbers
• Named individuals or team members
• Exact customer counts

Safe alternatives for lead-gen:

• "Experienced Team" (not "25 Years Experience")
• "Highly Rated" (not "4.9 Stars (127 Reviews)")
• "Licensed & Insured" (not "QBCC License #1234567")

Business Context Shapes Everything

The same section type looks completely different for different businesses:

Business type	Design feel
Emergency services	Direct, immediate, phone-first
Luxury/hospitality	Spacious, refined, atmospheric
Trades/local services	Trustworthy, capable, genuine
Professional/corporate	Confident, clean, structured
Creative/agency	Distinctive, bold, personality-driven

Quick Pattern Examples

Hero Approaches

Image-dominant (strong photography available):

• Let the image do the work, minimal text
• One clear focal point
• Text placement within image composition, not slapped on top

Typography-dominant (no strong imagery):

• Font choice, size, weight, spacing IS the design
• Generous whitespace as active design element
• Colour blocking or subtle texture instead of stock photos

Split/balanced (strong copy + strong imagery):

• One side dominates slightly — true 50/50 feels indecisive
• On mobile, order matters — which element first in vertical stack?

Card Layout Decision

1. Count items first — wrong grid math creates orphan cards
2. Check hierarchy — is one item more important? Feature it at 2x size
3. Content density — image-heavy = fewer columns, text-heavy = more columns
4. Orphan fix — never leave 1 card alone on a row

CTA Hierarchy

Match CTA urgency to business context:

• Emergency services: Phone number IS the CTA. Huge, high-contrast, tappable.
• Professional services: Lower commitment first. "Book a consultation."
• Creative/agency: Relationship-building. "View our work."

Golden rule: Make your case first, then ask for action. CTA appears AFTER value.

Trust Signal Hierarchy

Tier	Type	Example
1 (Strongest)	Specific, verifiable	"QBCC License #1234567"
2	Third-party validation	"4.8 stars (127 Google Reviews)" + link
3	Self-claimed	"Fully licensed and insured"
4 (Weakest)	Generic assurances	"Quality guaranteed"

One Tier 1 signal beats three Tier 4 signals. Distribute trust throughout the page — don't isolate in one section.

Testimonial Approach

Situation	Approach
One powerful testimonial	Single featured quote, make it big
3-6 good testimonials	Grid with variety, one featured
No real testimonials	Service promises, guarantees, process descriptions

Never use carousels — users see 1 of 5 testimonials, <1% click controls. Show all or curate the best 3.

Reference File Index

Each reference is a deep-dive (300-470 lines) with full principles, anti-patterns, implementation patterns, and business-specific guidance.

File	Lines	Covers
hero-patterns.md	~470	Approach selection, constraint-based creativity, overlay techniques, responsive behaviour, page-specific heroes
card-patterns.md	~550	Layout decision framework, anti-sameness strategies, grid math, orphan handling, CSS patterns, business context
cta-patterns.md	~420	Action hierarchy, placement strategy, copy principles, visual design, mobile considerations, context-specific CTAs
trust-signals.md	~490	Trust psychology, trust hierarchy, context-sensitive trust, lead-gen vs client, placement strategy, anti-patterns
testimonial-patterns.md	~350	Social proof psychology, lead-gen ethics, design approach selection, content principles, placement, alternatives