Hello! We’re John and Brian, and we’ve been designing websites from our office in Preston, Lancashire since 2009. When it comes to web page design and layout, the layout is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. It shapes how visitors move through your website and whether they find what they came for. Here’s why layout matters, the most common layout patterns, and how to plan yours.

What is web page layout?

Web page layout is the way everything on a page is arranged: headings, text, images, buttons, menus and forms, and the space between them. A good layout makes it obvious what the page is about, what matters most and what to do next. It also needs to work on every screen, from a phone to a large desktop monitor.

Why layout matters in web design

Getting the layout right, for a whole website or a single page, is crucial to how well it performs. A good layout gives visitors a positive experience by:

Showing them they’re in the right place. If people can see straight away that the page is relevant to their search, they’re far less likely to leave without reading.
Explaining what you do. Layout guides the eye towards key points, so visitors understand your business and services quickly.
Highlighting the next step. Whether you want people to call, book, buy or send an enquiry, layout leads them there naturally.
Giving every element room to breathe. Content that’s squashed together is hard to take in, on any device.

Neglect your layout and you can expect more people to leave without taking action, simply because they haven’t been guided through your website.

Common website layout patterns

Single column: content flows straight down the page. Simple, mobile-friendly and good for articles and focused landing pages.
F-pattern: suits text-heavy pages. People tend to scan headings and the start of lines down the left-hand side, so put important words there.
Z-pattern: suits simple pages with little text. The eye moves from the logo across to the menu, down to the main message and across to the call to action.
Grid or card layout: content is arranged in tidy blocks, which works well for services, products, portfolios and blog listings.
Split screen: the screen is divided into two halves, useful for showing two equally important options side by side. On phones, the halves stack.

Most good websites mix these patterns, for example a strong top section, followed by a grid of services, then a single column of text. If all your content fits on one page, our guide to one-page websites covers the pros and cons.

Planning your layout

When planning a page layout, think about the content people see first, before they scroll, and the content further down. They do different jobs, so they should look different.

The top of the page

Visual content: a strong image or a short, silent video gives the page impact. It can sit behind your heading or alongside it.
Heading: often the only text people read straight away, so it needs to say clearly what you do and, for local businesses, where.
Subheading: a smaller line underneath that adds a little more detail.
Call to action: a clear button, such as “Get a quote” or “Book now”, gives interested visitors an easy next step.

Our post on above the fold content for small businesses covers this area in more detail.

Further down the page

Below the top section, build the case for choosing you: your services or products, what makes you different, reviews and examples of your work, answers to common questions, and your contact details. Repeat your call to action at sensible points so people don’t have to scroll back up to find it.

Layout on mobile

On a phone, a multi-column layout becomes one column, so decide the order that content stacks in. The most important message and call to action should come first. Keep menus simple, make buttons big enough to tap easily, and consider a phone number or “contact” button that’s always easy to reach.

Layout, SEO and accessibility

Use proper headings. One main heading per page, with clear subheadings underneath, helps visitors, screen readers and search engines understand your content.
Keep the reading order logical. The order content appears in the code should match the order people see it.
Stop the page jumping. Reserve space for images and adverts so content doesn’t shift as the page loads. Google measures this as Cumulative Layout Shift.

How we design layouts

We start by getting to know your business and what you want your website to do. As soon as we have a homepage design ready, we send you a preview link, then we chat through your feedback and refine it together. Getting the homepage layout right first means every other page builds on a structure that works.

Split-screen and Z-layouts in more detail

Two of the patterns above are especially popular for the top of a homepage or landing page, so here’s a little more on each.

Split-screen layouts

A split-screen layout divides the screen into two areas. The split is usually vertical, with content side by side, but it can also be horizontal, with one band above another. The two halves don’t have to be equal: an uneven split, such as a large image beside a smaller block of text, can feel more natural and lets the most important side lead. Some designs use an angled or diagonal split for a bolder look. A common approach is to put your image on one side and your message and call to action on the other, so the text never has to sit on top of a busy photo. On phones, the halves stack, so decide which comes first.

Z-layouts

A Z-layout follows the way many people scan a simple page: across the top from left to right, diagonally down to the left, then across again. Put your logo and menu along the top line, your main message or image on the diagonal, and your call to action at the end of the bottom line. It works best on pages with little text and one clear next step.

Website layout FAQs

What makes a good website layout?

A clear visual hierarchy, a simple route to the next step, consistent spacing and a design that works on every screen size.

What’s the difference between web design and layout?

Layout is one part of web design. Web design also covers colour, typography, imagery, branding and how the site works.

How many columns should a web page have?

There’s no fixed rule. Many desktop layouts are built on a 12-column grid, which can be split into two, three or four columns, then collapse to one column on phones.

Want a layout that works for your business?

If you’d like to talk about the layout of your website, or a new website altogether, give John and Brian a call on 01772 822626 or get in touch online. You’re welcome to pop into our Preston office for a coffee too. You might also find our post on how important web design is for small businesses useful.

Web page design and layout: why it matters and how to plan it