When you’re running an online store, first impressions are everything. 

75% of a website’s credibility comes down to design - making it essential for your Shopify storefront to reflect your brand’s identity and values.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refresh your existing site, the design choices you make can shape how customers experience your store, and how well your business does overall.

In this guide, we’re breaking down 6 simple steps to help you improve your Shopify website design and create a store that looks more polished & professional, and feels way more user-friendly for your visitors. 

1 - Simplify your navigation menu

Your website’s navigation menu is one of the first things visitors interact with - it acts like the roadmap that guides them through their shopping journey.

On average, people only spend around 6.44 seconds looking at a site’s navigation menu, and if it’s clunky or confusing, functioning poorly, over 40% of them would leave altogether. 

So it needs to stay simple, but sharp. 

When navigation is clean and easy to follow, people can find what they’re looking for quickly - which keeps things smooth and encourages them to explore more. A cluttered or confusing menu, on the other hand, can overwhelm users and drive them away in no time.

Tips to keep your menu clear and effective:

• Limit your main menu to 4-6 core items. Having too many options can cause decision fatigue. Keep it focused on the essentials, the pages that actually drive engagement and sales; like your bestsellers, new arrivals, about page, and contact info.

• Use clear, descriptive labels. Avoid being too clever or abstract with your menu labels - save that creativity for your collection names or products. Simple labels like “Shop All,” “New Arrivals,” “About Us,” and “Get in Touch” are universally understood and make browsing easier for everyone, especially first time buyers.

• Keep dropdowns minimal and intuitive. If you’ve got several product categories, a dropdown can help keep things organised, but try to avoid going more than one level deep. Multi-level menus can get messy, especially on mobile. Instead, group related products into fewer, but clear and under-friendly categories.

Men’s clothing brand Mauvais is a great example of how simple can be super effective when it comes to navigation. Their menu sticks to just four main categories: New In, Mens, Our Story, and Special Offers. And when you drop down into those, everything’s laid out clearly and concisely; no fuss, just easy browsing.

2 - Optimise image sizing & use ALT text 

High-quality images are super important for making your store look polished and trustworthy - especially on product pages, where visuals often make or break a sale.

But here’s the thing: if your image files are too big, they can really slow down your site, which leads to poor user experience (UX) and lower conversion rates. So, it’s key to make sure your images are optimised. 

At the same time, well-written ALT text (alternative text) helps search engines understand your images, improving your Shopify SEO. Plus, it makes your site more accessible for users with visual impairments who rely on screen readers.

In fact, perfected visual content can help to grow your Shopify store by increasing traffic to your website up by to 400%.

How to do it right:

• Compress your image without losing quality. Use free tools like TinyPNG, Squoosh, or Shopify’s own image optimisation features to reduce file size while keeping your visuals crisp.

• Stick to modern image formats like .webp whenever possible. Webp. files load faster than traditional formats like .jpg or .png without sacrificing image quality - and Shopify fully supports them.

• Add descriptive ALT text to every image. Good ALT text should describe exactly what’s in the image in a natural way, like: “Minimalist gold hoop earrings on white background” or “Organic cotton t-shirt in forest green, folded”. It helps with SEO and makes sure your content is accessible to everyone.

• Resize images to the max dimensions they’ll be displayed at. Don’t upload a 3000px wide image if it only needs to display at 800px. Smaller images = faster load times.

• Use consistent image radios for a clean look. Keeping your image sizes consistent across product pages and collections makes your store feel more cohesive and put-together.

3 - Use consistent button styles with clear CTAs

CTA buttons are one of the most important interactive elements in your Shopify store - they guide visitors through their shopping journey and lead them towards conversion. But if your buttons look totally different in style, colour, or wording from page to page, it creates visual confusion and can even reduce confidence in your site.

Consistent, clearly labeled CTAs not only look more professional, but they also subtly influence people on what to do next. Whether that’s adding a product to their cart, signing up for your newsletter, or learning more about your brand.

Pro tips for CTA buttons that convert:

• Stick to one primary button colour throughout your site. It should stand out from the background and other elements, so your CTAs really pop. You can use a secondary colour here and there for less important actions (like “View More”), but keep it minimal.

• Use action-driven, straightforward text. Instead of using vague labels like "Click Here," go for more specific phrases like “Add to Cart,” “Get 10% Off,” or “Shop New Arrivals.” These make it clear what to do next and also add a little extra nudge to encourage action.

• Ensure buttons are large and legible across all devices. Particularly on mobile, your buttons should be easy to tap with a thumb - so steer clear of tiny fonts or cramped layouts. Go for a readable size (at least 16px font) and add plenty of padding for a design that’s super touch-friendly.
• Place CTAs in the best places possible. Key actions should always be in the spots that make the most sense for conversions, and in places people expect to find them. Think product pages, forms, important sections (like product features or reviews), and sticky headers. Putting a CTA button at the end of a product page has shown to boost conversions by up to 70%.

4 - Add trust signals and badges 

As we mentioned at the start of this article, first impressions are everything - even more so in ecommerce, where customers can’t physically see or touch the product. Visitors make snap decisions about whether they trust your store within just a few seconds.

Adding trust signals right at the top of your website (aka “above the fold”), or in places such as the footer, can boost user confidence and reduce any hesitation, which means higher conversion rates.

Ideas to include:

• Customer reviews and star ratings. Social proof is powerful, so make sure to show ratings on product cards or just below the product titles. 82% of customers say positive star ratings and reviews make them more likely to buy.

• Add in elements such as a “10,000+ Happy Customers” badge - numbers like that help build credibility.
• Secure checkout icons. Display familiar logos like Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, and SSL badges to show your payments are safe. 76% of customers say they’re more inclined to make a purchase when they see a secure checkout badge.
• Shipping & return policies. A simple “Free Shipping on Orders Over £50” or “30-Day Free Returns” message can instantly put new visitors at ease.
• Assurance badges, like ones for quality or authenticity are super important, especially for jewellery sites. They give your store that extra layer of credibility and make everything feel more official.

Bonus tip: Placement matters! Add trust signals near your homepage banner, hero section, or footer, where visitors first land. On product pages, put them just below the “Add to Cart” button - right when shoppers are thinking about buying and could use some reassurance.

You can also add a slim announcement bar at the top for messages like “Free Shipping on All Orders” or “Secure Checkout Guaranteed”; it’s subtle, but it works!

A great example of this is Silver Origins, a Cornish jewellery brand that specialises in sterling silver pieces - they clearly show trust signals about their product authenticity right in the footer.

5 - Design with Mobile-First in Mind

79% of traffic to Shopify stores comes from mobile devices. So if your website isn’t optimised for smaller screens like smartphones, you’re missing out on the majority of your potential customers.

Having a well-designed desktop site is great; but a mobile experience that’s fast, clean, and easy to navigate is also essential for turning browsers into buyers. 

Mobile-first Shopify website design checklist:

• Are buttons large enough to tap easily? For example, buttons should be big enough for thumbs . So aim for at least 44px height with generous spacing between them.
• Does your text resize properly for smaller screens? Headings shouldn’t spill over, and body text should stay readable without needing to pinch-zoom.
• Are product images swipeable in carousels? Shoppers love to browse product galleries with a simple swipe. Make sure your images load fast and navigation is smooth.
• Get a mobile app for your Shopify store. ​​If you've got a loyal customer base, or are looking to build one, think about launching a Shopify mobile app. Apps offer way better performance and give you the chance for deeper engagement with push notifications. Learn more about how to grow your Shopify store through a mobile app here.

Bonus tip: Use Shopify’s theme customiser mobile preview and test it on actual devices, not just by resizing your desktop browser. You might find that what looks good on a desktop might feel cramped or broken on a smartphone. 

6 - Add more brand personality across your Shopify store 

With so much competition out there, adding a bit of personality will help your brand stand out, and build a cohesive identity that reflects your brand values. Even little, intentional design choices can make the experience more memorable and engaging for your visitors. 

But remember, brand personality isn’t just about how things look - it’s also in the language you use. Try to create website copy that feels true to your voice, not just some generic tone.

What to do: 

• Swap out the default Shopify icons like the cart, user profile, and search icons for custom ones that match your brand’s vibe. For instance, a minimalist health & beauty brand might go for soft, rounded icons, while a formal men’s clothing brand might lean towards bold, angular ones.
• Use custom or hand-drawn line illustrations to break up sections, highlight product features, or emphasise your Shopify store’s key values. They can represent ideas like “sustainable materials,” “handcrafted,” or “fast delivery,” adding a human, personal touch to your layout.
• Add your brand’s fonts (both primary and secondary) across your site. Switch the Shopify default fonts for ones that match your branding or reflect your personality. Most Shopify themes use those basic, overused fonts, so picking something unique helps your store stand out right away.

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For example, Skincare brand Tropic uses custom icons on their homepage to show off key info and brand values - like their products being vegan, organically guaranteed, where they’re made, their ethics (like donations), and even a 30-day guarantee. It makes all that info super easy to digest and way more engaging because it fits perfectly with their branding and vibe.

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Final thoughts 

Giving your Shopify store a refresh doesn’t have to be a huge job; even small, intentional tweaks can make a big difference. 

Focus on clean Shopify website design, mobile-friendly layouts, and showing off your brand’s personality, and you’ll create a smoother, more enjoyable shopping experience that keeps people coming back. 

Just remember, a good looking website is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to building a successful business. If you’re looking for more unique, but effective, ways to take your Shopify store to the next level, then consider partnering with a Shopify Growth Service like StoreLab. Here’s how we can help:

• Shopify Mobile App Builder - Having a dedicated mobile app ensures a smooth shopping experience, with 60% of consumers preferring them to mobile sites. Features like push notifications, in-app recommendations, and seamless checkout help boost customer loyalty and increase AOV. 

• Meta Ads Service - Our expert team handles everything you need for successful Meta ads, from strategy to setup and ongoing optimisation, ensuring your brand reaches the right audience and drives high-quality traffic. 

• StoreLab Accelerator Program (SAP) – Get one-on-one expert coaching to help you scale your Shopify store quickly and effectively with a solid business model for sustainable growth.

If you’re serious about seeing more Shopify revenue growth, now is the time to test new strategies and seek expert support. Chat with one of our friendly experts today to learn more!