When I tell clients the secret to a great web design, I sometimes see a mix of surprise and skepticism on their faces. “It’s not really about the design,” I say, smiling. They look at me like I’ve just told them the Earth isn’t round. But stay with me—I promise this will make sense.
Let me take you back to one of my favourite anecdotes. A client once came to us with a big idea for a new website. “We want something like Apple or Tesla,” they said confidently. Now, if you’re in marketing, you’ve heard this a dozen times. And I’ll admit, it’s not a bad direction. Who wouldn’t want a sleek, modern, cutting-edge website that exudes cool?
But then came the kicker: they handed over their visuals.
Let’s just say… they weren’t exactly “Tesla-esque.” Their product screenshots were functional but plain, their photography was non-existent, and their brand imagery felt more like it belonged in a 1990s clip art gallery.
And this, my friends, is where most web designs either soar or crash.
Visuals Make or Break Your Design
Design is art, yes. And like any art form, it’s subjective. But when it comes to websites, there’s one universal truth: great visuals are everything. You can have the most beautifully coded site, the perfect typography, and a seamless user interface—but without compelling imagery, it’s like a gourmet meal served on a paper plate.
Let’s talk about the two major hurdles businesses face and how to overcome them.
1. Your Products Need to Look Good
Here’s the tough pill to swallow: not every product photographs well.
Take software companies, for example. I’ve had clients with brilliant, effective tools whose interfaces, let’s face it, look about as exciting as a tax form. It’s no reflection on the functionality, but when you’re trying to market software, an uninspiring user interface can feel like an anchor pulling your web design down.
For example, Here is a product screenshot of Sage Software, an accounting software. While, yes, it has interesting colours and a chart, no one will categorize this as “flashy” or even “interesting.”
How to Resolve This
Enter the golden rule of marketing: sell the sizzle, not the steak.
If your product visuals don’t wow, shift the focus to who it’s helping. Show happy end users immersed in their work, ideally with a device in the shot to suggest your software is the magic behind their productivity. Smiles, clean environments, and a relatable aesthetic can work wonders.
Here is an example of Lightspeed, an eCommerce company, noticing that they will focus on the satisfied small business owner and a clip of the product they sell along with social media icons.
Nothing in this photo is of the interface or the software, but only the “resultant” of using the software.
Here’s another approach: zoom in on the most appealing parts of your product. For instance, rather than sharing a full-screen screenshot, clip out an intuitive alert, a sleek graph, or a feature that shines. Make it digestible and visually compelling.
For example, Touch Bistro, A POS system for restaurants, will pop up clips of interesting parts of their POS system, but the screenshot is part of the background rather than the foreground.
For inspiration, look at companies like TouchBistro or Lightspeed, which sell POS systems for restaurants. They don’t just show the software—they show restaurant owners and staff thriving because of it.
2. The Power of Great Photography
If you take away one thing from this post, let it be this: good photography is not optional.
Tesla and Apple didn’t become design paragons by accident. Their visuals are intentional, polished, and integral to their storytelling. Strip away those jaw-dropping photos, and their websites are… well, kind of boring.
Worse still, replace them with bad photos, and you’ve got a visual disaster that no amount of sleek interface can save.
For example, here is a screenshot of a part of Apple’s website today:
You cannot argue that this is very visually compelling.
Now, let’s strip away the images.
As you can see, there’s actually not much left. However, it is still clean and visually organized.
Now, let’s replace the images with intentionally bad images of the same products that I found on Facebook Marketplace:
The difference is mind-blowing. The UX and the buttons are the same, but the only things that have changed are the images.
Here it is side by side for contrast:
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How to Overcome This
Invest in high-quality photography. If your budget doesn’t allow for a full-blown shoot, consider stock photos (but pick ones that actually look authentic). And always include professional photography as part of your website’s scope of work.
Good visuals don’t just complement your site—they elevate it. They turn a functional framework into a story, one that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impression.
The Framework Is Just the Beginning
A website’s design framework—colors, fonts, layouts—is essential, but it’s only the foundation. The true magic happens when you layer on compelling visuals that convey emotion, value, and purpose.
At Launchcurve, we often tell clients: “Think of your website as a stage. The design sets the scene, but the visuals are the performance.” And no one buys tickets to an empty stage.
Now Over to You
What do your current visuals say about your business? Are they doing your brand justice, or are they holding you back?
Reflect on your website—what’s one thing you could do today to make it more visually compelling?
Let’s keep the conversation going! Drop a comment or share your thoughts—I’d love to hear your stories and ideas.
By the way, if you’re wondering how to take your site to the next level, feel free to reach out. Together, we can make your website the star of the show.
